Ospreys Captain Justin Tipuric to Continue Inspiring with Wealth of Experience
As the veteran Ospreys captain Justin Tipuric prepares to lead his side against Sale in the European Challenge Cup last-16 clash on Saturday evening, the 34-year-old flanker has made it clear that he has no plans to hang up his boots anytime soon, as long as he continues to enjoy the game he loves.
Tipuric, who made his Ospreys debut back in November 2009, will be looking to guide his team to a quarter-final berth when they take on Sale at the Brewery Field in Bridgend. The experienced international, who has amassed an impressive tally of 93 Wales caps, retired from the national team setup in May 2023, but remains committed to sharing his wealth of knowledge with the Ospreys’ younger generation.
“When the enjoyment goes, I won’t be hanging around for the sake of it,” Tipuric said. “The main thing I’ve always said is I want to enjoy it, that’s the one thing with the group of players and the staff here, they make it fun.”
With the retirements of Alun Wyn Jones, Bradley Davies, and Stephen Myler, Tipuric now finds himself as the elder statesman of the Ospreys squad, a role he is relishing as he looks to guide the team’s up-and-coming talents.
“You’ve got to have that balance of the youngsters and experience,” he explained. “From my early days being here, it always helped when you had that knowledge passed down to you. I’m trying to fill the boots of some of the experience we’ve had here before.”
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth praised Tipuric’s enduring quality, stating:
“Tips is an incredible rugby player, one of the most exceptional people I have seen on or off the pitch. He will decide, he’s the sort of guy who will turn up one day and go, that’s it.”
As the bbc sport rugby union fans eagerly await the clash between Ospreys and Sale, Tipuric and his teammates will be determined to put on a show and secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the rugby union competition. With the veteran’s leadership and experience, the rugby union scores could swing in Ospreys’ favor as they look to make a deep run in the European Challenge Cup.
Keywords: bbc sport rugby union, rugby union, rugby union scores, rugby union news, rugby world cup final
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