Having played an influential role as he led the Ospreys to a Heineken Cup win over Toulouse, skipper Kahn Fotuali'i praised the efforts of the pack in front of him for giving the team the platform for victory.
Speaking to the media shortly after the final whistle, the Samoan scrumhalf said the success was very much built on the foundation of a strong team effort.
“Definitely, it just comes down to the forward pack” said Fotuali’i
“If we are getting good front ball it makes my job a whole lot easier. I’m enjoying it, we’ve got a great bunch of boys here, they really want to work hard and that’s what we’re all about. Working hard for each other and performing on the field.
“We talked all week after the defeat out there, about what we could do and the confidence we could take from that game. It just goes to show that Toulouse are a good side but they are beatable. We are growing each week, everybody’s on the same page and enjoying themselves.”
For the Ospreys to retain any hope of prolonging their European season, either in the Heineken or the Amlin, a win over old rivals Leicester at the Liberty Stadium next months is a must and according to Fotuali’i the approach will need to be exactly the same:
“Once again it’s all about confidence. All the boys are on the same page, the coaches are keeping it nice and simple for us, and we’ve got exciting players. We look forward to every game as a group, it’s all about team performance and individuals stepping up and playing together as a team.
“We’ve got a great bunch of boys coming through, some are playing know with the injuries, and it’s very exciting being part of this group.”
Meanwhile, one of the youngsters coming through that Fotuali’i was referring to is young wing Eli Walker who scored the only try of the match, a wonderful solo effort that brought the crowd to its feet. The modest youngster couldn’t actually recall the score when asked to talk the press through his try, while when asked had he come of age out there on Saturday afternoon, he pointed out that defeat in Toulouse on a difficult afternoon had been more beneficial for his development. He commented:
“It’s a bit of a blur to be honest but anytime I get ball in hand I’m trying to be positive and make yards. I’m just grateful for the try.
“I probably learned a lot more last in defeat to be honest. That’s the great thing about this, you’ve got another chance a week after to right our wrongs, and we did well this week.”