Edinburgh Rugby have no reason to be downhearted despite defeat at Ospreys

Boan Venter scored a hat-trick of tries for Edinburgh.

However there is no reason to be downhearted despite this defeat on the road because the league leaders showed they had the ability to win such games.

Five of their next six games are away from home, four in the international period then there will be a decision to make on how many Scotland players to take to South Africa immediately after the Six Nations finishes.

Certainly hat-trick scoring prop Boan Venter has no doubts the remaining squad can keep the momentum going with their blend of experience and youth.

“It is quite important for the more experienced guys to put up their hands and put in a good shift,” he said.

“Also I think the energy, the skills and stuff that the younger or less experienced guys joining the squad bring is massive in all these games and it’s going to be really important going forward.

“I think we have really good depth this season and the way Mike (head coach Blair) is handling it, I think everybody that comes into the team knows exactly what to do and they’ll definitely add value.

“I think if we carry on the way we’re carrying on, if we keep composure and we stick to what we’re doing, I mean everyone’s buying to the game plan and buying into what we’re doing, I believe we can definitely go all the way.”

By which he meant winning the title, though this narrow defeat will have dented those hopes a little and Venter would have swapped his hat trick for a win.

“It’s the first time it’s happened to me in my professional career, so it’s quite nice, but it sucks being on the losing side – we’re gutted about that,” added the loosehead about his try-scoring feat.

“I think it’s a bit of both being at the right time in the right place and just the guys getting on the front foot. I think all the guys showed great fight throughout the game and it’s a pity we didn’t put it through.”

There were three key moments. Lock Glenn young opting to pass rather than stretch for the line, outside half Jaco van der Walt having an easy conversion charged down and wing Emiliano Boffelli kicking the ball dead instead of setting up a lineout on the Ospreys line.

So coach Mike Blair was right to focus on the execution rather than worrying too deeply.

“I expect real growth in the young guys coming through from getting game time. I am looking forward to this period with the internationals away,” he said.

“We talk about giving opportunities and players taking those opportunities, so this is a chance to step up and to replace the guys away and make it hard for them to get places back.”

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