The young second row talks about his career so far and looks towards the Cardiff game.
Ospreylian born Peers is a rugby player through and through, his passion for the game and his pride at being an Osprey is wholly obvious to anyone that talks to him.
Only 22 now, Lloyd began playing at just age 5 for his local club of Cefn Cribwr before moving on to join Bridgend Athletic. Like several of his Ospreys team mates he played all his youth rugby there before joining Bridgend Ravens at senior level. Lloyd is also a product of the successful Ospreys age grade rugby system, having played with them at under 16 and 18 levels. Asked if the age grade system had prepared him for becoming a fully fledged Osprey, he commented:
"I don't know if it prepares you but it's definitely an insight into what it would be like but when you get here you realise just how tough it is. It's a dream job to have though, as a child I always wanted to be a professional rugby player and to manage to get here is a great achievement and it's brilliant to come to work every day.
It's also amazing to have some many experienced International and Lions players here at the Ospreys. When I broke in there was Goughy (Ian Gough) who really helped me mentality wise with how he approached things and he taught me a lot as he had a lot of time for the youngsters. And obviously still with the squad we have people like Ian Evans, James King and Joe Bearman who are around camp all the time and have such great experience, and Ryan Jones who's been there and done it all. It's great to have those people around to learn off and speak about rugby to. Since I broke into the first team Alyn Wyn Jones has really helped me. You see him and how he plays, he's one of the best second rows in the world and you learn so much off him on a daily basis so he's a great person to have around for me as a second row."
Lloyd is currently in his 3rd season as an Osprey and was a regular squad member last year making 20 appearances for the region. This season he is hoping for more of the same:
"I really want to keep trying to get game time and just to try and learn and make the most of being in this environment all the time. I still have a long way to go to hopefully become a good professional but that's where I want to be. This year I'd like to keep playing well, put in some good performances for the team and help move them and myself forward".
The young second row's huge work ethic, mature attitude and passion was rewarded last week against Leicester Tigers when he was made Captain of the senior squad for the first time:
"It was a great experience to be named as Captain for the Ospreys. It's my region, it's the team I have supported for so many years and to be able to captain them is a great honour. But the captaincy doesn't mean as much as getting to be in the starting 15. That's the thing you want to do every week. You just want to be on the field wearing that Ospreys jersey. It means so much to me, and the other boys, so I tried to lead the best I could and tried to show a good example to the badge rather than for myself".
Asked about how he felt the young squad had gelled and how the Tigers game last week went, Lloyd remarked:
"In the training paddock we have done really well and the boys have come in and settled in nicely. We just haven't been able to put it across on the field yet and I think all the boys are a bit frustrated at that. Hopefully this week will be the week that we put a performance together the way we have trained. The boys increased understanding day to day since they came in is unbelievable and they've put so much work in so hopefully it will pay off on the weekend.
The game against Leicester was frustrating, we defended through the first half and then defended even more in the second half so we just didn't get any ball and our discipline, including my own didn't help. I was so disappointed to have a yellow card and to let the boys down by not being with them on the field for ten minutes.
I thought the boys did really well though in some ways, they really dug in and even when we should have given up, no one did. Obviously the score line didn't reflect that but you could see in the way the boys came off the field, they were gutted with the result but they'd given everything and sometimes that's all you can ask for. I don't think we have shown how good of a team we are yet, even as a squad of youngsters, and that's the most frustrating thing for me and the other lads.
We have all learnt that it's not good enough just to train well all week and not transfer it into the game. Especially the first quarter of the game against the Tigers, we eased off and they came at us and we gave them 9 easy points within the first 10 minutes. I think the boys are perhaps used to being able to come back into games that they have been switched off in if they start playing well, but you can't do that in the professional game so hopefully they will learn from that. You also have to learn that you can't be in awe of anyone coming into this set up, as soon as you take one backwards step you're on the back foot for the rest of the game".
This Friday, 15th November, LV=Cup action continues and we return to the Liberty Stadium to take on Cardiff at 7.30pm. Lloyd and his other young team members are looking forward to the challenge:
"It's great having a derby in the LV Competition. Both Cardiff and ourselves will have younger, less experienced teams out than normal but at the end of the day derby games are the ones you really want to win. I've been lucky enough to play in a few games against the Blues over the last few years with the Ospreys. They are a good team, they like to play a bit of football and that's exciting for us. We want to go out there and be better than we were last week and I think it's a great game to show how good we are.
It's great that it's a home game as it's awesome to run out at the Liberty. The fans' that come week in week out and support us through thick and thin are just amazing. It would be nice to add a few more people to that and with it not being on TV I really hope we get a huge crowd down to support us".
That's how much the support each and every one of our fans gives means to the players. Make sure you come down and cheer on the one true region as we take on Cardiff Blues this Friday. Tickets are just £15 for Adults and £5 for children, students and OAPs Tickets are available to purchase from the Liberty Stadium Ticket Office, online at www.ospreysrugby.com/buytickets and via the Ticket Hotline on 0844 815 6665.