Another run for Cuthbert
THE Ospreys make five changes for their United Rugby Championship clash with Munster tonight (7.35pm) – an encounter head coach Toby Booth classes as a benchmark game.
Mat Protheroe, Nicky Smith, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies and Jac Morgan come back into the starting line-up after the hard-earned win over Benetton.
There is also another run-out for Alex Cuthbert.
Luke Morgan has been playing well and Keelan Giles is on the mend after injury, but Cuthbert gets an opportunity to build on his Ospreys debut in Treviso.
There were next to no opportunities in attack for the Wales wing against Benetton, with the ball mostly swinging from right to left and into the arms of Morgan.
But Cuthbert still managed to show off his international class with one of the moments of the weekend, when the ultra-dangerous Monty Ioane, one of the United Rugby Championship’s star turns, screeched towards the try-line with a touchdown looking certain.
Suddenly, Cuthbert made it into the picture, eating up ground to pull off a try-saving tackle that could be classed as sensational by any standard.
Social media lit up in appreciation, with posters variously describing the hit as “amazing”, “superb” and “fantastic”. One settled for describing it as a “wonder tackle”.
Anyway, the big man will hope for more chances to show what he can do with ball in hand this week.
He is on the right wing again, with the Ospreys’ most creative player, Protheroe, on the left.
Ospreys: Max Nagy; Alex Cuthbert, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Mat Protheroe; Stephen Myler, Rhys Webb (c); Nicky Smith, Elvis Taione, Tom Botha, Bradley Davies, Rhys Davies, Sam Cross, Jac Morgan, Ethan Roots. Reps: Ifan Phillips, Gareth Thomas, Rhys Henry, Jack Regan, Morgan Morris, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Joe Hawkins, Dan Evans.
Munster: Matt Gallagher; Andrew Conway, Liam Coombes, Dan Goggin, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony (c), Jack O’Donoghue. Reps: Kevin O’Byrne, Josh Wycherley, Keynan Knox, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Conor Murray, Ben Healy, Damian de Allende.
Ref: Hollie Davidson (Sco).