Cardiff players and coaches were left stunned after being told director of rugby Dai Young had been suspended ahead of their final game of the season.
The club's board of directors took the decision to suspend the Cardiff boss late on Thursday night with the players and backroom staff getting told on Friday morning that we would be absent due to unforeseen circumstances.
But Cardiff did not let Young's absence distract them as they put in one of their best performances of the season to beat the Ospreys to secure their place in next season's Champions Cup.
READ MORE: Dai Young suspended by Cardiff Rugby
“I had a phone call late on Thursday night and it was a shock to me," said outgoing defence coach Richard Hodges who stood in for the suspended Young.
"Being brutally honest I’ve had exactly the same thing that you have: ‘Due to unforeseen circumstances Dai won’t be in work Friday or Saturday’ and that’s the last conversation I’ve had with the club about it at all.
“The news broke so late in the week that 99% of the preparation had been done.
“The boys deserve an awful lot of credit for that performance and the way we came out the blocks at the start of that game shows we had a different mentality.”
Cardiff captain Josh Turnbull was also shocked by the news of Young's suspension.
"I think it took us all by surprise," he said.
"To be honest we just continued to focus on what we had to do which was to go out, and put in a performance, and enjoy the occasion.
"There were 10 boys in that 23 who were leaving or retiring at the end of the season. This performance was about them today and everyone else who is involved in the club whose moving on.
"For me it was quite easy to say lets stick to task and carry on doing what we need to do."
WalesOnline understands a number of complaints were made against the Cardiff boss with the board feeling they had no choice but to suspend the former Wales prop pending an investigation.
One player who was hit hard by the news was his son Thomas, who responded by putting in a tremendous try scoring performance which went a long way to getting Cardiff over the line.
"Thomas was visibly upset yesterday in training, and it's going to be emotional for him," admitted Turnbull.
"At the end of the day that's his father and there's always going to be that emotional connection to it.
"You just have to get round people like him, put an arm around him and make sure he's focused on his job.
"If he needs anything I'm there for him."
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