Young fly-half pleased with spirit and positive intent displayed by Ospreys after trailing by 16 points in second half.
After slotting over the winning kick against Sale on Friday, Sam Davies insisted that the young team won’t get carried away after a performance he described as “a long way from perfect".
Davies’ touchline conversion with time up rounded off an incredible comeback from a young Ospreys side that had trailed by 16 points midway through the second half, with Aisea Natoga grabbing a hat-trick and young number eight Dan Baker scoring his first senior try.
The match-winning kick took Davies’ personal tally on the night to 17 points, but reflecting on the win, which denied Sale a semi-final spot, Davies revealed that the team had received a half-time roasting from the coaches having seen their opponents romp to a first-half bonus point.
“Nobody is getting carried away, there’s a lot to work on from the first half” said Davies.
“There’s a lot we can improve on. Saying that, the fight and commitment the boys showed in the second half is what being an Osprey is all about and it was great to be a part of.
“It was great to come back and get a win in the end, especially in the fashion we did it. We were pressing them for most of the second half and lucky enough we got there just in time.
“The coaches had quite a bit to say and rightly so. We were very poor in the first 40, our set piece didn’t function which led to a lot of other things not going as we wanted and we found ourselves on the back foot too often, resulting in Sale building a lead.
“It was just a case of coming out for the second half with our head’s held high and getting stuck into them. We talked about needing a good start to the second half and we got that, giving us the momentum to get over the line in the end.
“It was an open game, and although we were a long way from perfect in the first half we still showed that we could be dangerous. We tried to play an open game and we made a few line breaks, we just lost possession at crucial points. Second half, we kept the ball better, our set piece improved, we won our line outs and the scrum improved, and that allowed us to build a way back into the game.
“We always believed that we could clinch the victory if we got the performance right, and fair play to the boys for sticking at it. It was a great experience to be a part of and it puts us in good stead now for some big games coming up over the next few weeks.”
The 20-year old has enjoyed a run of games in the first team over the last three months that has seen him experiencing Heineken Cup rugby as well as the Christmas derby clashes, and he says that the period has been a vital one for him as he strives to cement himself with his home region.
“It’s been great for my development” he said.
“You ask any rugby player, no matter how old they are, and they’ll tell you that they just want game time. It doesn’t really matter where it comes from, I’ve been playing 15, and I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been great to get on the field for the derbies, to experience the atmosphere and the big crowds. That’s something new for me, that I’m not used to, and to have that under my belt helps to build my confidence up for bigger challenges.”
After slotting over the kick to secure a dramatic win over Sale Sharks at the Bridgend Ford Brewery Field on Friday night, Sam Davies has insisted that the young team won’t get carried away after a performance he described as “a long way from perfect”.