Ospreys PROFILE

Wales great Justin Tipuric says the Ospreys are playing with a smile on their faces as they continue their unbeaten run under new head coach Mark Jones. They recorded a six-try 43-0 bonus point victory over Benetton Rugby in Swansea on Friday night – their biggest league win in seven years.

The Ospreys have already planted a Welsh flag in the knockout stages of European rugby, but what matters now are the chances of it still fluttering by the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Swansea-based region reached the last eight a year ago and have secured a place in this season’s final 16. But to earn a home draw in that first knockout stage, they could do with picking up a third win when they visit Pau in their final pool stage match on Saturday.

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones paid tribute to his team as they continued their revival under his guidance. The Swansea region impressed as two tries from Jack Walsh helped them become the third team in Pool 2 to clinch a ticket into the EPCR Challenge Cup knockout stages for the second season in a row, as they beat Newcastle Falcons 35-15 at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Mark Jones paid tribute to the Ospreys’ fighting spirit as they put Cardiff’s recent revival into sharper perspective with a deserved 13-13 draw at the Arms Park. The new Ospreys coach watched his team come from behind to level the scores and eventually leave feeling they should have won, despite playing most of the match with only 14 men.

They’re dusting off the ‘sold out’ signs for the Arms Park ahead of the New Year’s Day clash between Cardiff Rugby and the Ospreys. Both teams will come into the game on the back of regional derby triumphs over Christmas and the visitors will no doubt have a whiff of revenge in mind after losing out to Cardiff at Judgement Day in the Welsh capital at the end of last season.

Jac Morgan believes the turbulence caused by a change of coach has revealed a strength of character within the Ospreys squad. Morgan produced a real captain’s display as the Ospreys ended a difficult week with a dramatic late win over their arch rivals, the Scarlets.

The Mark Jones era at the Ospreys got off to a flying start as an overtime try from Iestyn Hopkins earned his side a dramatic 23-22 West Wales derby win over Scarlets at the Swansea. Com Stadium. The replacement full back slid over the line as the home side made the most of the space created by the sin binning of Scarlets wing Ioan Nicholas to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

New Ospreys head coach Mark Jones insists his team have one last debt to repay to Toby Booth this weekend – a derby day victory over the Scarlets. The Ospreys began the week with Booth in charge, but will end it with Jones at the helm after the region opted to change ho

Steve Diamond is not everyone’s cup of tea, but the English rugby coach often stirs interest along with his two sugars. Diamond is a gruff northerner, who is about as removed from Twickenham – both socially and geographically – as you can get, now that he is employed by Newcastle Falcons rather than Sale Sharks.

Mark Jones has been handed a daunting first task as the new head coach at the Ospreys – a derby clash against fierce rivals, the Scarlets. Previous head coach Toby Booth officially stepped down from his role with immediate effect on Tuesday, with defence coach Jones taking over the reins earlier than planned.

Ospreys head coach Toby Booth thanked the fans who ventured into enemy territory to cheer their side to a famous European win. Booth’s men began their Challenge Cup campaign in style, claiming a commanding 30-14 victory over the Lions at Parc y Scarlets.

The United Rugby Championship is back this weekend and for the Welsh regions it means a chance to move the gaze away from Wales’ woes. Not that the foursome have all been awesome themselves, but at least they are gaining the occasional win here and there, unlike the national team.