Toby Booth earns big endorsement from Ospreys great

“CLASS ACT” Toby Booth has been backed to bring the good times back to the Ospreys by one of the region’s biggest names.

Paul James made over 200 appearances for the Liberty Stadium side in two spells, won 66 Test caps for Wales and also played under Booth’s guidance at Bath.

Booth is the new man in charge at the Ospreys and James, still working at the Ospreys as an academy coach, said: “The players should feel excited. I worked with Toby at Bath and he’s a class act. I’m sure he will get the boys raring to go and on track.

“Toby did a bit of everything at Bath. As Neil Hatley was there at the same time, Boothy would do line-outs and team attack. In fairness he can chuck his hand to anything.

“He’s got an all-round range and I think he’ll be a big asset to the Ospreys. He understands the balance you have to have as a player between working hard and enjoying each other’s company.

“He’s good at building relationships with players and if you do that as a coach then you get them on side and they play better for you. But he also has a no-nonsense side. If you piss him off he’ll have you in doing extras and working hard on your days off. There is a balance to him.

“We all have the same goal at the Ospreys which is to achieve so hopefully it will all work out.”

Booth has added former Clermont Auvergne and La Rochelle fly-half Brock James as his attack coach.

“Brock was a really experienced player and hopefully he can bring that to the Ospreys because we’ve got a lot of youngsters coming through in the back-line,” added James.

“All the experience and help they can get will hopefully develop them into much better players.”

Prop star James retired from rugby in December 2018 after failing to overcome a serious shoulder injury. Capable of propping both sides of the scrum, James is now passing on his expertise to the next generation of Ospreys forwards.

“I’m in with the Ospreys Academy and it’s been a nice stepping stone out of playing into my coaching career. It’s so far, so good,” James said.

“I did my level two coaching badge while I was with Bath. That was through the RFU and I’ve now gone on to level three with the WRU. Their new player to coach scheme has been really good.

“When I retired I had three months off to relax, but I was a bit like a little dog wandering around lost.

“I felt after a long career I could give something back. Once I was told I’d have to retire I spoke to the Ospreys and they said they wanted to keep me on board.

“The front row is such a specialist position and if you can teach the youngsters good, basic skills early doors it will help them in the future. I’ve gone in at academy level to earn my stripes.”

ALEX BYWATER