After helping the Ospreys to a crucial Judgement Day win over Cardiff Blues, scoring the region's first try, James King says that the region is in control of its own PRO12 play-off destiny with just three games to go.
The win means the Ospreys sit in the fourth and final play-off spot ahead of the Scarlets by virtue of a considerably better points difference despite their local rivals victory over the Dragons earlier on Saturday, and King insists that the Ospreys are in a good place despite rounding off the campaign with away games against the current top two Glasgow and Leinster:
“Not many people expected us to do what we did at the end of last season” he said, referring to the exciting season finale that saw the Ospreys pip Leinster in Dublin to claim the title.
“We’ve got all our squad back now after the boys did a brilliant job with the internationals away and it’s put us in good stead to try and retain this play-off place.
“Treviso isn’t going to be an easy game by any means, we’ve all seen how much the Italian teams have grown over the last few seasons. It’s going to be a real tough test for us and we aren’t going to take anything for granted.
“The Scarlets may have an easier run-in but at the moment it’s still in our hands. If we perform and we get those points from these games then we’re going to be ahead of them and we’ll take that fourth place which is what we’re looking for.
“It’s all in our hands, we’re not concentrating what other people are doing. If we go out there and perform as we should, like we are paid to do, then we’ll get in that play-off.”
As for the try, King’s third in Ospreys colours – all of which have come this season including one in the Liberty fixture against the Blues in November, the big forward said it came because he was simply heeding the advice of his team-mates. He explained:
“The ball just came to me. I thought about passing but after last week I thought I’d hold on to it because I managed to pass it back to the other team so I thought I’d just put my head down and go. That’s what the boys have said, told me to do, don’t pass, so luckily it just came off!”