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A difficult week for the Ospreys players ended with a 24-24 draw against the Lions
Wales captain Dewi Lake says Ospreys players are disappointed with the way Welsh rugby bosses have handled the turmoil of the past week, insisting those on the pitch will continue to fight in the face of threatened closure.
Lake, who will leave for Gloucester at the end of the season, voiced his views in the wake of the 24-24 draw against the Lions, which was played out in front of protesting supporters following a dramatic few days at the club.
The WRU’s proposed deal for Ospreys owners Y11 Sports & Media to buy Cardiff has enraged fans, with no guarantees given the Ospreys will still exist beyond next summer.
Some of the Welsh region’s players walked out of a meeting with CEO Lance Bradley on Tuesday after news broke of the behind-closed doors deal. Training was later cancelled as the players tried to come to terms with the uncertainty they now face.
Following the draw against the Lions, Lake said: “We’re going to go out fighting, we’re going to prove what we do on the pitch.
“If anything, it’s going to fuel the fire for us. It has brought this group even tighter. Going through something like this only pulls you together.
“We’re disappointed as players and staff at the way it’s been handled.
“But the nature of sports sometimes means you can’t always have it your own way.
“To turn up and to put that performance on is remarkable.
“I don’t think many people would have expected something like that to come after a week, where we haven’t trained as much as we usually would and had a couple of difficult meetings during a couple of difficult days.”
Ospreys supporters voiced their disapproval at events before and during the game, lighting their phone torches in the 11th minute to make their feeling against Y11 and the WRU clear.
“It’s a massive thank you to the fans, people who’ve turned up and supported us throughout the whole week,” said Lake.
“They’ve stuck with us and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
