Toby Booth, Ospreys coach, was delighted to welcome George North back following a year of injury.
After Gareth Anscombe and Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Dewi lake, and Dan Lydiate, he was the most prominent Ospreys player to be able to recover from injuries.
Booth stated, “It’s wonderful to see good players overcome long-term injuries and return performing well.”
“Gareth Anscombe, a great example. He needed time, and we are beginning to see the true essence of his game as a player.
“We could continue. We are big players for those boys who have been absent for more than a year.
“You can’t avoid that. This gives your fellow players the opportunity to earn valuable mileage, but ultimately it’s why they’ve played 150 first-class matches and 150 Test matches. They are what they have always been.
It’s great to try and grow a group into something.
North was in the centre of the match against Scarlets, where Mat Protheroe was injured. Michael Collins dropped to full-back.
Booth added, “Our hand had to be forced. We knew that George was going to have a bit more ball and we know he will be a handful.”
“We deliberated on his starting. He’s been out for some time, and it was my decision to start him. This was based on what was best for George and his team.
“If your starting, you’ve got that big lead in time [thinking about]It’s how it will be. What if it happens? Sometimes it’s better just to say: “Right, I’m in, let’s go.”
“The good news for us is that there is more competition in our backline, which is great.”
Welsh woes
Ospreys’ triumph over Scarlets and Edinburgh’s bonus-point loss against Ulster ensure that no Welsh region is able to reach URC play-offs if they finish in the top eight.
The highest Welsh side can finish is currently ninth. Three Irish, three South African and one Scottish team will be competing in the end of season playoffs.
The domestic competition switches to the fight in the Welsh Shield and Heineken Champions Cup qualifications.
The Welsh Shield is given to the region with the highest finishing score. The winner team will be invited to the Champions Cup next year. Ospreys vs Scarlets will battle it out for the honors.
Ospreys still have home games against Bulls and Dragons while Scarlets will host Stormers the last weekend of the season.
They are separated by five league point and Ospreys has two bonus-point wins that would guarantee they finish as Wales’ top region and a place in Europe’s elite next season.