OSPREYS: ‘A proper Osprey performance’: Jones hails first-night win at St Helen’s as Giles savours homecoming

Mark Jones says his players handled the pressure of the first game at the rebuilt St Helen’s brilliantly, and called the 31-14 win over the Dragons “a proper Osprey performance”.

The Ospreys scored five tries in the wind and rain of Storm Boelo, in front of 5,592.

“I’m really pleased with the win. There’s been a lot of pressure on the boys this week, in fairness, just around the whole occasion of it,” Jones said.

“As we spoke about, you only get one chance to make a first impression and there’s a bit of responsibility that comes with that.”

‘You only get one chance to make a first impression’

Jones praised the way his players prepared in the week. “I thought the way that they managed to focus on the work in the week to set themselves up to perform was brilliant,” he said.

He credited co-captains Sam Parry and Owen Watkin for driving that.

‘It was never going to be a multi-phase running game’

Storm Boelo shaped the game. The Ospreys scored two tries from the maul and a penalty try from a lineout drive.

“It was never going to be a multi-phase running game, it was always going to be moments of importance and obviously fundamentals and being strong, and I thought we did a really good job around all of those areas,” Jones said.

“We didn’t know what the wind was like and we didn’t know what the rain was like and I thought the boys worked it out pretty quickly and the effort was class.”

Mark Jones on ‘representing the badge’ at St Helen’s

Jones played at St Helen’s for Llanelli early in his career. He said the occasion meant more to the Swansea-born players, but for him it was about responsibility.

“I suppose for the guys from Swansea, I suppose there’s always been more of a natural connection, isn’t there, where you grow up? But I think for me it was more around the responsibility of it, you’re part of the group that’s responsible for representing the badge.”

Rotation has ‘brought us together as a group’

After a tough start in South Africa, the Ospreys have now won three in a row. Jones stood by his rotation after the Rodney Parade win, saying he didn’t feel vindicated, and he still says it was the right call.

“Obviously I understand that some cohesion bits might be lost through that and momentum, etc., but I felt like it was the right thing to do. It give guys an opportunity and also if we do get injuries, then they’re not coming in cold to the games.”

“The most important thing for me is I think it’s brought us together as a group as well, you know, when you feel like you’re going to get an opportunity, you turn up a lot happier, a lot more energised if you know you’re not far away from playing.”

Keelan Giles: ‘I’ve never played in front of a crowd this big down here’

Wing Keelan Giles came through at Waunarlwydd RFC, and has played at St Helen’s since his school days.

“It was very different to be fair. I played here growing up with the finals of schools and playing for Swansea as well. I’ve never seen it or never played in front of a crowd this big down here,” he said.

“They’ve done an amazing job down here and the atmosphere tonight as well, from the crowd, was top-notch.”

Before kick-off, the jerseys were handed out by first-team coach Richard Kelly, a Swansea-born lock who started out at Dunvant RFC and played 94 games for Swansea RFC.

Giles called it “touching”, and mentioned Ross Moriarty’s family connection: his father Paul and uncle Richard both played for Swansea.

“It was class and coming down here, training down here, just sort of built that excitement to play and it didn’t disappoint tonight.”

Cardiff at St Helen’s next

Cardiff visit St Helen’s next Saturday, 31 October (7.45pm). Jones said before the opener that he hopes to win more games there as an Osprey than he did as a Scarlet.