Ospreys head coach Toby Booth compared his side's performance against Sale Sharks to hooker Ifan Phillips after an emotional week for everyone attached to the region.
Last weekend, Phillips suffered life-changing injuries in a serious motorcycle accident and it has since been confirmed that his career as a rugby player is also over.
The battling 21-13 defeat to Sale was the side's first game since the accident and it brought a difficult week to an end.
Players warmed up in jerseys with Phillips' name on the back, which will be raffled off to raise funds to support the 25-year-old's recovery.
After a slow start on Sunday afternoon, the Ospreys trailed 21-3 at the break. They fought their way back into the game in the second half and had opportunities to win it.
"It wasn't spoken about as a motivator but, in a perverse way, it [the performance] almost epitomised Ifan as a guy," said Booth, with a wry smile.
"He'll be the first to say that he's not the tallest but he's plucky and I thought our performance was plucky.
"He always got stuck in and made the best of it.
"I suppose, now you mention it, our performance today looks a little bit like that."
He added: "It's been an emotional week, for sure. There is only so much emotion to go around.
"As a mark of one of our team-mates, we warmed up in the kit that we did and there's been a lot of action between, effectively, our camp and their camp, the family.
"It's about trying to support in the immediacy but that support is going to need to continue post-hospital, into the next phase of his life and long term.
"We'll make a commitment, as the Ospreys, to do that."
Phillips is currently recovering in hospital as fundraising efforts have surpassed £50,000 in less than a week.
Despite the circumstances, Booth insisted earlier this week that the players were prepared to play the match but lock Adam Beard admitted that it has not been an easy couple of days.
"Yeah, I'm not going to lie, it's been a tough week," said Beard.
"Ifan is a top boy in the squad, an amazing player, and it's just a sad moment.
"But the boys deserve some credit today, they showed some pride for Ifan today."
