Ospreys PROFILE

RHYS Webb could still make it back from injury to play a part in the Six Nations, according to his Ospreys coach Steve Tandy. Webb played his first match since September last Sunday when he returned for his region in their 21-17 victory over Munster in Cork.

Wales prop Rhodri Jones has confirmed he will leave the Scarlets this summer to join the Ospreys. It means the tight-head, who has found his chances limited by competition with Samson Lee, will have to give up his current national dual contract, shared by the Scarlets and the Welsh Rugby Union.

South African international JJ Engelbrecht has begun talks to extend his stay with the Ospreys. The centre – who helped the Ospreys to a 27-13 victory over Edinburgh on Friday night – signed a short-term deal until the end of the season after arriving from Japanese club Toyota Industries Shuttles.

The Ospreys have announced the signing of Canterbury Crusaders centre Kieron Fonotia for next season. Fonitia, 28, is a former teammate of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw at the New Zealand Super16 team and played in the Super12 final of 2014, when they were beaten by the Waratahs.

The Ospreys have announced an annual profit for the first time in nine years. The region declared a profit before exceptional items and interest charges of £143,498 in 2014/15 – a positive end of year figure for the first time since 2007.

Wales prop Aaron Jarvis is leaving the Ospreys for French giants Clermont Auvergne. The tight-head, who has won 16 caps, will move on at the end of the season and will become the latest current international to try his luck in the lucrative Top14.

Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy has admitted the region will not make the Pro12 play-offs this season and the best they can hope for is a top six finish and European Champions Cup qualification. A narrow 19-16 defeat away at Leinster at the weekend means the four-times winners of the tournament are now 12 points adrift of fourth sport, currently occupied by Ulster, with just five matches left.

The Ospreys believe Alun Wyn Jones could be out injured for just three weeks – and not the six suggested by Wales coach Warren Gatland. Jones missed the final match of the Six Nations because of a foot injury which Gatland revealed his second row had been carrying for some time.

Dan Lydiate has questioned the desire of his Ospreys teammates as they rake over the ashes of their Guinness Pro12 campaign. The Wales flanker has admitted the Scarlets showed more fight in the weekend derby at the Liberty Stadium – enabling them to make off with a 25-16 victory that all but snuffs out the dying flames of the Ospreys’ European Champions Cup hopes.

Justin Tpiruc has been ruled out of Wales’ summer tour to New Zealand because of the concussion he suffered at the end of the Six Nations. The Ospreys flanker has been told he still needs three more months on the sidelines – an absence which will also end any suggestions he could have made the Great Britain Sevens team at this year’s Olympics.

Rhys Webb can be the Ospreys general who continues their battlefield dominance over the Cardiff Blues, according to his coach. Steve Tandy believes Webb’s recent elevation to captain will be a decisive factor in Saturday’s Judgement Day clash at the Principality Stadium.

The Ospreys still believe they can avoid leaving Europe next season – whatever the outcome of the UK referendum. Wales’ most successful region have never fallen out of Europe’s premier tournament, but unless they beat Ulster at home on Saturday in the final round of the regular Guinness Pro12 season, they will not be in the European Champions Cup for 2016-17.