James Hook insists the Ospreys are confident they can beat Cardiff Blues on Saturday – whether or wherever their rivals decide to play Gareth Anscombe.
Hook will be one of those players affected by Ancombe’s move from the Arms Park to the Liberty Stadium next season.
The 33-year-old has filled a utility role since rejoining the region at the start of last season, providing invaluable experience and cover at outside-half, full-back and centre.
Anscombe has been promised he will be regarded primarily as the Ospreys’ first choice No.10 next season – a contrast to the view of Blues coach John Mulvihill who has mostly been selecting the Wales Six Nations fly-half at full-back.
Mulvihill has stated that Anscombe will play in the Judgement Day Heineken Champions Cup shoot-out at the Principality Stadium, but has yet to confirm that he will start or if he would again be at full-back, rather than No.10.
Asked whether he thought his proposed new team-mate would start against the region he is joining, Hook said: “It’s a tough one. For us, we hope they don’t pick him because he’s a great player.
“He’s going to be a great asset to the Ospreys, but we can’t worry about what the Blues are going to do. We are focusing on ourselves and we know they have some huge threats right along their back line.
“For us, we just have to worry about getting the win and not get concerned about Gareth Anscombe.
“He’s a quality player at No.10 or 15. But we have some really good players in those positions here at the moment, so we have competition for places and that’s what we need.
“If you look at the top teams in Europe, they have competition for places right throughout their team and that’s what we need to have if we are going to win trophies.”
The Ospreys described their signing of Anscombe – which they felt they had clinched as long ago as January – as a “statement” investment, a defiant bellow to the rest of the world that they intend to ensure their existence is not threatened again after an uncertain few months.
A victory over the Blues – guaranteeing a place-off game against the fourth-placed team in Conference B of the Guinness Pro 14 – would also send a similar message.
The Ospreys have momentum after finding some late season form, with three successive bonus point victories.
Two of those came out in South Africa where they beat the Cheetahs 31-14 and then the Southern Kings, 43-7.
Former Wales star Hook believes those performances have given Allen Clarke’s men the launch pad from which they can move one step from a return to Europe’s top tier competition.
“The boys did fantastically well out in South Africa,” adds the former Gloucester and Perpignan player.
“It’s a tough place to go, but to get two bonus point wins was tremendous. To go to the last game of the regular season with something to play for is what it’s all about.
“It’s going to be a huge game for us. Some of our boys haven’t played in the Principality Stadium before.
“The atmosphere is going to be great, but the main thing for us is that we get the win.
“We are confident we can beat them. Winning breeds confidence and we’ve had two good victories. We need one final push now to get us into next season’s Champions Cup.”
