Webb wants to steer the Ospreys to a fifth RaboDirect PRO12 crown before regaining the nation’s No9 shirt for June’s two-Test trip to South Africa.
The 25-year-old impressed on his return to regional colours as the Ospreys trounced Cardiff Blues 34-9 in Swansea last Friday, a week after injury forced him to sit out Wales’ record-breaking win over Scotland at the Millennium Stadium.
A similar showing across the remaining five regular season league games would be a big boost for the fourth-placed Ospreys’ hopes of yet another title and it would do his own chances of moving back ahead of Mike Phillips in the hunt to be Warren Gatland’s starting scrum-half against the Springboks no harm at all.
“Hopefully, we can win silverware. We have a good squad and the belief is there that we can make the play-offs if we keep building,” said Webb when asked about the Ospreys’ chances of beating fifth-placed Glasgow at Scotstoun this weekend and then kicking on to the semi-finals and beyond.
“I don’t see why we can’t give Glasgow a game if we play like we did against the Blues and improve on a few bits and bobs. We know it’s going to be a tough match because they have some world-class players coming back into the fold like Sean Maitland.
“It’s nice to be playing again with the region until the end of the season. After coming back into the fold having been away for so long with the Six Nations, it’s good to be back with the boys. It was great to play against the Blues because I didn’t want to spend any more time on the sidelines.
“We were very pleased with that win and it was good to see us playing some rugby. We want a good balance to our game and we’ve shown out there that we like to chuck it around. But we also have to get the right feel and know when to do this during a match.”
Webb only made his first start for Wales last month but he left a significant impression during the comprehensive 27-6 victory over France in Cardiff and was entrusted with the jersey once more for the trip to Twickenham two weeks later.
An ankle problem brought his involvement in the 29-18 defeat and the RBS 6 Nations Championship as a whole to a premature end, though, with Mike Phillips taking over against the Scots and Rhodri Williams warming the bench.
Competition for places is clearly good news for Gatland and co and, while all three men desperately want to be the number one No9, Webb insists veteran Lions star Phillips has been a big help when it comes to his own development.
“I have to keep my head down here and work hard with the Ospreys and fight for that jersey for South Africa. There are some good nines in Wales, so it’s great competition,” Webb told the South Wales Evening Post.
“It’s been an encouraging season for me. It was unexpected for me to start against France and England. I felt as if I had produced some good performances for the Ospreys and Warren and Rob Howley rewarded me in the Six Nations.
“Mike has been good as gold. He’s a good friend who complimented me when I was picked against France and wished me well. It’s good to be able to talk to him because he has a lot of experience.”
Judgement Day returns… The Millennium Stadium is set for another double-derby extravaganza on Easter Sunday 2014 with the Cardiff Blues taking on the Scarlets at 2pm and Newport Gwent Dragons facing the Ospreys at 4.45pm. Tickets are available from wru.co.uk/tickets or from all four regions.
