After watching Munster steal the win right at the death tonight, Forwards Coach Jonathan Humphreys says that the team will keep on working hard until the final whistle blows on the season.
Speaking to the media at the Liberty Stadium following the 22-20 defeat to Munster, Humphreys commented:
“We’re very disappointed. If we are going to miss out on the play-offs, it won’t be because of that game out there. Our destiny was in our own hands three or four games ago but we didn’t perform and the results have put us where we are in the table.
“You couldn’t say we lacked character or spirit out there, the boys were fantastic but it didn’t go for us at the end. We conceded too many penalties, more than we normally do, but some of those were down to interpretation and could have gone slightly differently. I thought we were the dominant scrum for large parts of the game for didn’t get the rewards that deserved.
“We’re looking to build for the future and there was a lot of good there, it was a very positive performance in terms of character. Last year we finished very strong, and we were in a very strong position a month ago, but our performances have fallen off and we’re pretty disappointed with that.
“In an ideal world, after that O’Gara drop goal attempt we would have settled them and contained them. JC is a very aggressive character and on days he’s made some fantastic turnover hits in those situations. He got his timing wrong and obviously we had a disappointing outcome from it.
“Over the last three or four games we’ve probably been the architects of our own downfall, I don’t think that’s the case tonight. I thought tonight that we showed an immense amount of endeavour and character. We’re a little bit off as a team, in terms of form, but in terms of character and spirit we were right on the money.
“Last year we had that killer instinct in abundance, we went through some very difficult games and managed to come out the other end. Sometimes, you’ve got to hold your hand up and say we’re slightly out of nick and the endeavour and the spirit just wasn’t enough tonight, or in the last couple of games.
“Some decisions went against us, that maybe on another day would have gone for us, but in this business you are going to win games at the death and you’ll lose a few as well, and tonight we did.
“Mathematically we can still do it, but we were in charge of our own destiny a few short weeks ago and we’re not now. That is disappointing. We are reliant on others. We have to go to Aironi and it’s a difficult place. Leinster scraped home a win today, and by no means is it a given. I can ensure you that we’ll prepare in a professional manner and take the positives from today out there.
“We won’t give up, while we still have a chance we have to go for it, we owe that to our wonderful supporters, to the board and to everyone involved with the Ospreys. Who knows, the Dragons have it in them to beat their opponents, but that on it’s own wouldn’t be enough, we would still have to do what we’ve failed to do in recent weeks.
“We’re hurting at the way things have panned out but we’ll keep working hard. No team has a divine right to win anything, or to be in any knockout competition, they have to earn it, and at this moment we clearly haven’t done enough.”