Here are the latest rugby headlines on Monday, December 12.
Ospreys boss rues missed Europe chance
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said it was "disappointing" for his side not to perform in the 23-17 Champions Cup defeat to Leicester Tigers on Sunday.
Despite Tigers boss Steve Borthwick resting a host of top names such as Wales flanker Tommy Reffell, England pair Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs, Argentina hooker Julian Montoya and South Africa number eight Jasper Wiese, Tigers prevailed. Leicester trailed 10-6 at the break, but second-half tries from wing Harry Potter and full-back Anthony Watson - a stunning solo effort - put them in charge, while fly-half Charlie Atkinson converted both scores and kicked three penalties.
Ospreys claimed touchdowns from prop Nicky Smith and number eight Morgan Morris, plus two Jack Walsh conversions and a penalty, but it was their 12th successive Champions Cup defeat and they have not defeated English opposition in Europe for five years.
Ospreys next visit French champions Montpellier next weekend, with their European campaign already adopting an uphill appearance.
Booth said: "You spend a hell of a lot of effort to get into the main [European] competition, and to then not perform is disappointing. If you can't build enough pressure when you have got the ball in the right areas of the pitch, you are going to come second. We need to go to Montpellier and play the French champions after the English ones [Leicester] and get a win in their back yard, which is going to be very difficult."
George North leaves pitch injured
George North is set to see a specialist amid fears the Wales international suffered a fractured cheekbone in the Ospreys’ disappointing Heineken Champions Cup defeat against Leicester Tigers in Swansea.
The big centre left the pitch just before half-time with blood streaming from his face after he’d been involved in a heavy collision. He was replaced by Michael Collins as the hosts fell 23-17 in their opening pool game.
North is expected to undergo an X-ray imminently and then meet with doctors to determine the extent of his injury.
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth said: “He's got a big bump under his eye and he's got some neural pain.
"We won't know the nature of it until the swelling goes down but he's uncomfortable. You need to get the swelling down to get an accurate picture."
It’s another concern for Wales as well as for the Ospreys as Warren Gatland looks ahead to the start of the Six Nations.
Both region and country will hope for good news on a player who’s important to both.
Rhys Webb 'causing havoc'
Young Leicester fly-half Charlie Atkinson admitted that Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb was "causing havoc" for the visitors on their way to a tight victory over the Welsh side.
The 21-year-old half-back, named man of the match, revealed in a post-match interview that Webb was the subject of half-time team instructions to make the game more difficult for him.
"We spoke a lot about Rhys Webb [at half-time]," he told S4C. "He was causing havoc for us, beating us around the breakdown, making little snipes, getting offloads away. He was making it a nightmare for us so we spoke at half-time, call him out, really focus on defending him and the rest will do the business."
Leicester boss Steve Borthwick stays silent on England job talk
Steve Borthwick says his focus is on Leicester's next Heineken Champions Cup game as speculation continues to rage about him becoming England head coach. Borthwick remains the firm favourite to succeed Eddie Jones, who was sacked last week following a poor autumn campaign after seven years in charge.
The Leicester boss has totally distanced himself from questions on England, concentrating on Tigers' tricky first European assignment against the Ospreys, and he maintained that stance following a 23-17 victory in Swansea.
"I have always said since I started here two years ago that we only look to the next week," Borthwick said. "My head is on Clermont (Auvergne) next Saturday. As soon as the final whistle happens, my head is on the next game. Right now, we should be respectful of this game and this competition. It was a tight game, and I am very proud of the players."
Despite Borthwick resting a host of top names such as England pair Freddie Steward and Ben Youngs, Argentina hooker Julian Montoya and South Africa number eight Jasper Wiese, Tigers go the job done.
"I thought the character of the team was magnificent," Borthwick added. "The Ospreys were excellent - 650 caps in their matchday 23 - and we played our heart out and found a way to win."
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