Exasperated Booth feels Ospreys deserved more after defeat against Glasgow

Centre Keiran Williams had given the Ospreys the perfect start with an early try as the hosts built a ten-point lead. Glasgow though would fight back replying with 21 unanswered points with a Johnny Matthews double and a Sione Vallanu effort both scored from line-out drives. 

The Ospreys responded and regained the lead through Reuben Morgan-Williams and the boot of Jack Walsh, but Allan Dell’s last-gasp try would cruelly deny the hosts a crucial losing bonus point after captain Justin Tipuric had been shown a yellow card. 

Booth frustrated with the final result felt the outcome could have been very different and pointed to the small margins that had been the difference between a third victory in a row and defeat. 

“It is a tough pill to swallow in the way that it is but I’m really proud of the team in the adversity shown to get back into the game against a very good side,” said Booth. 

“Sometimes you don’t get what you deserve, sometimes you do. That’s why people like watching it and why on days like today people don’t like playing it. The euphoria you get from it makes you want to go out there again and play. 

“We’re benchmarking ourselves against a good side and we started the game well, which is good and encouraging. 

“If you don’t get things your own way, it comes down to key moments. We lost a few of them but still found a way to be in front with five minutes to go. I think the team should take a lot of credit for that.  

“The crowd was really good, they were certainly vocal and that was nice to see, and I know the boys appreciate that, but sometimes you don’t get what you deserve.” 

The Ospreys had no answer to Glasgow’s driving maul with the visitors scoring all four tries as the Booth’s side failed to deal with the Scottish region’s physicality. Booth, though, would not put the blame purely down to one discipline. 

“The thing we look at is how they got there in the first place. The best rolling mall defense is to not have one. We have to look at how we ended up in those positions first and foremost and whether that was in our control or not,” continued Booth. 

“It certainly won’t be from a lack of attitude, and no one will take it more personally than the forwards and coaches.  

“We are also a good mauling side, so it isn’t a question of us not being good at what we’re doing or being up for it.  

“They’ve scored a lot of maul tries and obviously have done a lot of work for it and we knew that coming in, so prevention is better than cure. 

“It’s key moments and as long as you win enough of them, you win the game. What I was happy about though was the competitiveness of our team and that’s something we have talked about and installed. 

“You have to credit the boys that have come back in, they have played off the back of a weeks training and got themselves up to speed. To show the levels of performance was great. 

“There are always things that you have to work on, whether that is individually or collectively. That is the nature of being a professional sportsman. 

“Let’s be clear, Glasgow did nothing that we didn’t expect, for 75 minutes we were good enough so we’re not going to take ourselves outside and thrash ourselves with olive branches.  

“We are not going to be satisfied but let’s be realistic about it, we will look at the things we can control and make better.  

“We will still maintain being ourselves, that is a team that doesn’t go away, will always compete and will do our best. That’s what our players believe in.” 

[Lead image: Ospreys Rugby]