Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel and skipper Josh Macleod spoke to the media after Sunday’s Challenge Cup Round of 16 defeat to the Ospreys, admitting their side were second best in most aspects of the game.
A much-improved Ospreys ran out 36-14 winners in Swansea to book themselves a home quarter-final tie against Lyon.
Dwayne said: “The honest truth is, they were deserved winners, they won the physical contest and for large parts were the better team.
“We didn’t have much ball in that first half to put pressure on them. We scored a nice try, but didn’t convert two line-outs in their 22, turned over ball and that released pressure. I thought Dan Edwards controlled the game well in that final 10-15 minutes of the second half, we worked hard to try and keep them out, but credit to them for taking their chances.
“We spoke at half-time about changing the momentum and we created opportunities at the start of the second half but couldn’t convert.
“Look, we have no complaints. We are very disappointed because I thought we were in a decent spot and had momentum from last week, but that is rugby sometimes. We are obviously disappointed, we had fantastic support here again and you want to put the true reflection of yourselves on the field and I felt today we probably were behind where we have been.
“We don’t like sitting in those changing rooms after a loss like that, but there’s plenty for us to focus on moving into this next period. We are still fighting hard in the league.
“We have a few bruised bodies, a couple of international boys who could do with a week off, but we have got to get ourselves ready to go again for the Dragons a week on Saturday.
“We have four big games ahead of us. The nature of the league is that sides are going to take points off each other so when that does happen you have got to be ready to pounce and that starts with us on Judgement Day.
“We have a big, exciting month ahead, that has to be our focus now.”
Dwayne’s words were echoed by Josh.
“There are no excuses, no complaints, that is the bottom line at the end of the day,” said Josh.
“Knockout rugby is all about who turns up. We have got to lick our wounds and we have got to bring a level of positivity into the week because rewind to this time last year and we weren’t fighting for anything.
“We are still in the fight for the URC, we are going to go back and train hard, harder than we have done all season ready to rip into the Dragons.”