So How Good Were These Welsh Rugby Players Actually?
Image Credit: Marc
Wales has had many greats come and go in rugby and has been praised by the media and fans. It's easy to commemorate players like Sam Warburton and Gareth Jenkins as we see them on our screens week in and week out, giving analysis, but what about the players who never get recognition for being brilliant? The Welsh rugby team has a plethora of talent and has thrived for many years. This article wants to make you appreciate the unappreciated by highlighting three incredible careers you may not remember.
Dan Lydiate
While we often hear the cheers for Warburton and the chants for Faletau, it's time to give a standing ovation to the final piece of the puzzle, Dan Lydiate. This Welsh back three in the pack were so dominant during the prosperous years of Welsh rugby, and Lydiate was the glue that kept that back row together. His unique skills, often overshadowed by the presence of arguably Wales's greatest-ever player and greatest number eight, deserve recognition. When the game is on the line, and you need a player to step up to the plate, Lydiate can be that guy without question. His work rate and defensive prowess are tremendous, and he should be considered one of the best, if not the best, tacklers Wales has produced. If you are getting into rugby and need to watch a game to define what work rate is, then you would be encouraged to watch Lydiate's performance against France in 2012. Awards and accolades go a long way in creating a legacy, and despite the Lions call-up and being named player of the tournament in the 2012 Six Nations, what can be agreed upon by many is how Lydiate re-established the effectiveness of the chop tackle. You ask anyone who watches rugby about the chop tackle, and it's a guarantee that Lydiate will have his name pop up first. It's rare that someone can impact the game of rugby, but the flanker's use of that tackle showed a nation that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. So next time we think of Dan Lydiate, it should not be behind but alongside the names of Warburton and Faletau.
Sam Davies
Some are asking who this is, and that is precisely the problem. The problem with Davies was that it wasn't just fans and media who gave him a fair shout; it was even the coaching team for the international side. For such a well-rounded talent to only represent your country eight times is nothing short of a disgrace. Could he have started over a prime Dan Biggar? Probably not, but it's inevitable that Davies could have come on and controlled the game in crunch time and seen out win after win. Just look at how he perfectly executed it in 2016 against Japan, where he came on to do a job and slotted that drop goal straight over the sticks to secure a victory. Davies had a great spell with Ospreys, too, in 2016, and handily delivered his team a win against Clermont in pool two of the Champions Cup. With his potential and talent, Davies best defines the term underappreciated. Hopefully, this piece can make you look back at some of his performances or even see him play now at FC Grenoble.
Alex Cuthbert
It's a real shame when one specific game or moment can tarnish a career instantly, and nothing could be further from the truth when talking about Alex Cuthbert. A legacy ruined at a moment's notice in the 2015 World Cup when Wales played South Africa in the quarter-finals, with many placing the blame on Cuthbert for coming out of the line too early to help tackle Duane Vermeulen, thus being unable to track back in a foot race against scrum half Du Preez. Despite this game, let's not take away from what an unbelievable player Cuthbert was, as at one point in his career, he was on the same pedestal as superstar George North. Cuthbert was such a reliable player for Wales, and what goes under the radar was his ability to be there in the final third for that last pass; the winger's finishing was tremendous and can be shown beautifully by his opening tries against England and Scotland in those Six Nations wins in 2012. Fans need to let go of the incident in 2015 to look back at such a brilliant talent. Let's reframe the narrative around Cuthbert's career setbacks to make the audience feel empathetic and forgiving towards his legacy.
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