Review of the Season and my Awards

End of Season Review

The season started in some style with a pre-season victory away against Exeter Chiefs that seemed to promise good things were on the way; but that hope was shattered when we lost in the last play in the first home game of the season against the Dragons.

Hope was reignited with a fine home win over the Stormers, but that hope was again tempered with a 23-0 loss away at Munster. This was followed by a home loss to the Bulls, and an away loss to Ulster. We did manage to finish October with a home win against Edinburgh.

The only game in November saw us lose away at Zebre. Then came one of the more unusual parts of the season when we played the Lions at Parc Y Scarlets and won. The URC took a break for the Challenge Cup, and we suffered a sobering hammering out in Montpellier, the result was the final straw for Toby Booth, and he left with immediate effect with Mark Jones taking over. There was the new coach bounce, and we beat the Scarlets at home with that last gasp Hopkins’ try to end 2024.

We started 2025 with an away draw at Cardiff, before returning to Challenge Cup action, beating Newcastle at home and Pau away to all but guarantee a place in the last 16. The month ended with a resounding victory over Benetton.

The only game in February saw us narrowly lose to table-topping Leinster.

March saw us go to Glasgow and win by a point before winning again at home against Connacht. Then came the big dilemma. We faced back-to-back games against the Scarlets, firstly away in the League and then at home in the Challenge Cup the following week. Mark Jones sent a weakened side down to the Parc and we were well beaten.

In April, the Scarlets fans turned up in droves the following week expecting the same again in the Cup, but we started with a passion and intensity that I have rarely seen from the Ospreys, and we comprehensively beat the Scarlets to reach the Challenge Cup Quarter Finals, but we suffered some key injuries. We faced Lyon at home in said QF the following week, but we were unable to match the passion and intensity of the Scarlets game, and we lost but only just. The month ended with a bad loss to Cardiff on Judgement Day and a hammering of the Dragons at home.

With the possibility of a Top 8 URC place still up for grabs, we went on the SA tour and were well beaten by the Sharks to end our Top 8 chances and in the final game of the season, we lost to another last gasp try against the Lions.

So, there we have the season in a nutshell, some amazing highs and some awful lows, we promised a lot but ultimately failed to capitalise on our chances and our season petered out with a bit of a whimper.

These are my awards –

Player of the season – Dan Edwards/Dan Kasende

Best Signing – Dan Kasende/Will Spencer

Best Try – Iestyn Hopkins against the Scarlets