Ospreys Unmasked 001

ISSUE 001 JULY 2020 THE OFFICIAL OSPREYS MAGAZINE

EINFORCER

© Canterbury Limited 2019. All rights reserved.

HE A DGUA R D

JUSTIN TIPURIC WEARS THE REINFORCER

FEATURING OSPREYSTV CONTENT

04

COACH CORNER

08

PHIL STEELE JOINS UP WITH OITC

10

TALKING 10 WITH STEPHEN MYLER

15

BEHIND THE MASK

22

10 QUESTIONS

28

LIFE IN LOCKDOWN

We catch up with Toby Booth after his arrival in Ospreylia...

Sporting Memories’ new signing during lockdown...

New signing talks Welsh outside halves...

We go behind the scenes at St Helens...

New signing Mat Protheroe reveals all...

Scott Otten on Coffee, DIY and the re-united Waun Massive...

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WE NEED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THE REGION AND WANT THEM TO BE PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, ON AND OFF THE FIELD...

CORNER As a newly appointed Head Coach you are really excited to get started in your role and get going.

When I committed to taking on my role at the Ospreys, I could not have envisaged a global pandemic would result in fractured training, rigorous testing and having to build a new training base before the first training session!

However, challenges in all businesses can provide an opportunity to reevaluate and seek opportunity. For the Ospreys it has provided us the opportunity to mould our team and surroundings towards a new future.

The Coronavirus pandemic has undoubtably posed real challenges for many.

My experience throughout has given me a chance to gain a lot of perspective and enabled me to really refocus on the

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importance of family, friends and relationships. Things that, I believe, will be really important to the Ospreys in the coming years.

To enable us to make progress we need to invest in people who have the capability to get us moving towards our destination as efficiently as possible.

My first appointment was Brock James as the Ospreys new Attack Coach. Our vision of how we saw the game and how we want it to be played were very much aligned.

Also having more “new blood” in this area will help stimulate our growth with fresh voices and ideas.

We have a number of high potential young backs and Brock’s ability to influence and improve them will be key to our improvement.

We both appreciate and respect what the Ospreys have achieved previously.

Now is the time to start the new journey of the Ospreys and despite the challenges on and off the pitch I am confident this group will put its best foot forward and begin the new journey with passion and clarity.

The journey we are about to embark on, as we mentioned previously, has not begun in usual fashion. Players have had an unprecedented amount of time off.

This isolated time has resulted in a “detraining” effect which we need to overcome as well as learning and developing the type team we want to be and our style of play.

The work completed by the staff in turning our new temporary training venue at St Helen’s into a ‘Bio-Bubble’ for the players to get back to work has been remarkable.

We are very grateful that our health and safety has been paramount in everyone’s thoughts and planning.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH TOBY’S FIRST OSPREYS INTERVIEW On behalf of the Ospreys, I would like to thank you for your continued support and loyalty to the team during what has been an unprecedented and difficult time for all.

Finally, I would like to wish you, your people and your business the very best success as we all try to navigate the current waters of uncertainty.

I look forward to seeing you at the Liberty Stadium soon!

Toby

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We’re still unable to meet physically at our Sporting Memories groups, but Helen and the team have been busy adapting the sessions out on the road to keep all our members engaged during these worrying times.

We were devastated to postpone all of our Sporting Memories sessions a few weeks back because of the ongoing concerns with the Coronavirus pandemic.

But the health and safety of all our attendees is of the upmost concern to us all, and we’re looking forward to when we can all be together at our groups again in the future. In the meantime, we’ve teamed up with former Newport RFC player and broadcasting legend, Phil Steele to bring a new feature to our groups.

STEELE

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Phil was a regular at our sessions before lockdown, sharing his stories and huge range of sporting memories with us. Over the course of the year, Phil has kindly offered to use his broadcasting expertise and conduct various interviews with sporting legends for our groups to download and listen to at home.

First up, former Swansea and Wales hooker Garin Jenkins who played over 200 games for Swansea, shares some of his memories of his days at St Helens, speaks of his intriguing relationship with former Wales coach Sir Graham Henry and even treats us to an impression! To be one of the first to hear Phil’s interviews, join us on our Sporting Memories groups today.

Not only will you get to hear Phil’s incredible interviews, but everyone on the programme receives a weekly newsletter jam-packed with sporting memories with an added quiz to think about. You’ll be added to our virtual rugby club (Whatsapp) to join in our various conversations and can even join us on our sunflower growing competition.

As well as reminiscing over past games, watching re-runs of classics and catching up with their friends over WhatsApp, Helen makes sure to keep the physical aspect of the sessions going.

Stretching exercises, ten-pin bowling, and target throwing games with paper aeroplanes, the groups are always coming up with fun new ways to engage their members in physical exercise.

Our Sporting Memories sessions are designed to help re-live positive memories and provide joy and companionship. Here at Ospreys in the Community, we’ll be rolling out our Sporting Memories groups into Briton Ferry and the Melin.

If you or someone you know would like to get involved and join us during these unprecedented times, contact Helen John by emailing helen.john@ospreysrugby.com for more information about Sporting Memories.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO PHIL CHATTING WITH GARIN JENKINS

TALKING 1

STEPHEN MYLER has seen the obsession with the Welsh outside half for himself.

somewhere, like the Ospreys, and play in an environment like this.”

The young Myler, who is Widnes born and bred, used to turn up to watch Jonathan Davies in his pomp playing for his hometown club at Naughton Park in Cheshire.

Myler is right. Davies was one of handful of Welsh internationals lured north back in the eighties and nineties, playing the 13-man code for Widnes back then. Fellow Welshman Paul Moriarty, Adrian Hadley and John Devereux were all on the books of the Chemics.

“As a youngster, I used to go and watch Jonathan Davies play for Widnes,” said Myler.

“He was an exceptional talent, a great in both codes, but he wasn’t the only Welsh player we used to watch back then. It was an exciting time for Widnes back then and Jonathan was one of the players you had to watch.

“So, yes, I am aware of how the Welsh view the Number 10 and it’s an exciting challenge to be

All four were part of the Wales side that finished third at the 1987 Rugby Union World Cup and played key roles in the Triple Crown winning side back in 1988 before they made the journey to the professional ranks of rugby league.

But while Davies made his switch from Union to League, Myler went the opposite way, switching from League to

Union. While he may be aware of the dynasty of Welsh fly halves, his own family’s rugby league pedigree is second to none.

Myler’s reputation with Northampton is set in stone. He is widely regarded as legend at Franklin Gardens. Just take a look at his stats.

His father, John, played for Widnes, while his uncle, Tony Myler, captained Widnes and played rugby league for Great Britain. His great uncle, Frank Myler captained the last Great Britain side to win a Test series in Australia in 1970.

He was his side’s controller and points machine, playing 330 games and scoring 2655 points and left the club in 2018.

He admits a promising career in league, with St Helens and Widnes, stalled and that was when he decided to switch codes to the 15-a-side game.

“My career in rugby league kind of got lost,” said Myler.

“When I went to Northampton, it just felt right and that was why I signed for them. The team

Myler was man of the match in both finals when the Saints completed a historic Premiership and European Challenge Cup double in 2014.

He has more than a decade’s experience of English and European rugby behind him during his time at Franklin Gardens.

Myler then played a key role in London Irish’s resurgence guiding them to back to the English Premiership at the first attempt. He arrives at the Liberty with dual role.

I HAD ALWAYS INTENDED TO PLAY UNION AND WHEN A FEW CLUBS MADE IT CLEAR THEY WERE INTERESTED IN SIGNING ME, I DECIDED TO MAKE THE MOVE...” was right at the centre of the town; everybody followed and supported the team. I just felt comfortable in the environment.

“As a player, it’s one of the great things, having supporters who always get behind the team, whether you win or lose. Playing for Saints was like that, and I am pretty sure it will be the same with the Ospreys.”

His signing is designed to bolster Head Coach Toby Booth’s squad, but also to pass on his experience to the likes of the Ospreys fly halves, Luke Price and Cai Evans.

“I remember how lucky I was to have someone like Paul Grayson to learn off when I was starting at Saints. He was incredibly generous with his

time and passing on his experience to me when I was a youngster. To have that kind of knowledge to call on was a great help in the early stages of my career.”

“Firstly, my job is to get into the side, by doing that I will be helping the team, by helping the team, I will be helping my teammates. That is how I have always seen the game.”

Myler’s nickname at Saints was ‘the Iceman’. His ability to keep his cool in the heat of battle saw him named in the Guinness Premiership team of the Decade last season.

Myler makes no bones about the fact that he is relishing the opportunity to ply his trade with the Ospreys but also to show what he can do in front of the knowledgeable Liberty Stadium supporters.

CLICK HERE FOR STEPHEN’S FIRST OSPREYS TV CHAT

“I have been around long enough to understand the pressures, you kick all the points and you’re the hero, you miss them and your not – it’s just how the game is and what the job is,” said Myler.

“I know the Welsh nation love their rugby and I have played against a lot of the guys here at the Ospreys and, of course, I played alongside George North at Northampton.

“George always talked about the passion of the Welsh supporters and I am looking forward to having a taste of that here in Swansea.

“The Ospreys have produced some great players and I was very aware of the side when they were very successful. Toby Booth has made it pretty clear what he wants and where he wants this team to go.”

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BEHIND THE MASK

It has been a tough couple of months. Coronavirus has had a profound effect on our day-today lives, changing the way we interact with friends and family, the way we work, the way we shop and even the way we greet each other… life in the Ospreys training camp has not been exempt from these changes. main weights room.

Unmasked is on-hand to reveal the new Ospreys training camp set-up and how we have made it safe and suitable for life in the pandemic.

Under the watchful eye of Head of Physical Performance Simon Church and his staff, the players abide by social distancing measures following the one-way system through the facility.

With the return to rugby fast approaching, the Ospreys have encountered an additional coronavirus hurdle to overcome – the move to our new temporary training facility at St Helens.

With a newly installed field hospital at the Llandarcy Academy of Sporting Excellence, the Ospreys have picked up rugby operations and moved to the home of one of our Ospreylian clubs – Swansea RFC. Over the past few weeks, staff and partners have been working around the clock to set-up our new training camp at St Helen’s. The facility across from Swansea beach has been revamped to suit the needs of the Ospreys, all while meeting the standards set by Welsh Government and Welsh Rugby Union to ensure a return to safe

rugby and work. Steve Mellalieu, the Ospreys Performance Psychologist, has been a prominent feature in the new training camp as one of the Osprey’s COVID-19 operational leads, and spoke with Unmasked about the safety precautions in place at St Helens.

The first safety feature occurs before the players even arrive at camp; Steve says. “Before anyone can enter the facility, all players and staff must carry out an online coronavirus symptom check.

This must be undertaken before leaving home for St Helen’s and must be completed prior to each visit to the training camp.

The survey asks individuals to comment on any symptoms of coronavirus they might be displaying, if any symptoms are displayed individuals are asked to remain at home and follow Public Health Wales guidelines.” With prechecks complete and no symptoms shown, the players can make their way to camp.

1 CHECK-IN

2 MEDICAL ROOM

The training camp at St Helen’s has adopted a one-way system to reduce unnecessary interaction between staff and players. Going in an anti-clockwise direction around the ground, the first stop is the check-in station. Players enter the St Helen’s gates and walk to the check-in marquee.

After entering through the check-in marquee, the route splits into two directions. The first goes into St Helen’s itself and the second directs those who need treatment into the medical room.

Designated staff triple-check the temperatures of all entrees and log the results into a database against their name. Once confirmed that temperature readings are below the 37.8C threshold, players can proceed into the training ground.

As Steve describes “Those who have a pre-booked appointment go directly to the medical room and offices. In their appropriate appointment slot, players put on PPE and receive treatment from a member of the medical team who will also be wearing a gloves and apron, in addition to a facemask, to carry out their duties.”

3 GRANDSTAND The next station on the one-way system around camp is the main grandstand. The grandstand currently offers two functions to the team attending training camp. First, at either end of the stand are open bays with roof cover where players can receive treatment, support and preparation before and after training from the Ospreys Medical staff.

As Steve says “essentially the players come in the area, sanitise their hands, enter one of the designated bays and receive one-to-one support to get them strapped and physically prepped for their first training session, or to cover off any issues that may have occurred during the session itself”. The second function of the stand is the seating. To comply with current Government and sport governing body regulations, the entire playing squad have been split into groups of no more than 10 people. These are the groups they currently train with for the duration of time on camp. “Due to social distancing measures, the boys have their own designated seat in the stand attached with their names which are two meters apart from each other. As we are currently limited with the use of indoor changing facilities the players get ready under cover from the elements but in open air of the stand. The boys arrive in their groups, get into their gear, use the medical bays if needed, pick up their GPS units (that have been sanitised) to measure how far and fast they run in the sessions, and set off to their first training station”.

4 GYM St Helen’s currently operates two gym facilities that have been set-up by the Ospreys. A massive thanks must be given for incredible help given by our premium partners RNA and

Morganstone who transported our equipment from our Llandarcy facility and installed it into a temporary gym. The first gym is home to the main weights room. Under the watchful eye of Head of Physical Performance Simon Church and his staff, the players abide by social distancing measures following the one-way system through the facility.

Simon added, “When we first came in for phase 1, we had one strength and conditioning coach at a time in the gym looking after a group of 10.

They’d all be PPE’d up wearing masks and gloves for the full session. When we had the nod and things started to move forward into phase two, we were able to have two coaches in the gym meaning we could provide a better service and have one coach to five players. We were able to get a lot more coaching done and it’s been an excellent technical block for us in the gym”.

As we continue around St Helen’s in an anticlockwise direction, Steve Mellalieu takes us to the lower tier of the Swansea RFC clubhouse – the newly converted second gym facility. “In addition to the first weightlifting facility, we also have a smaller facility for our injured players who are in the return to play group. They train at a slightly different time to our main squad as their needs differ from the main playing group. Small groups work with one staff member, once again adopting the social distancing measures and one-way system using separate doors for entering and exiting the gym”. All weightlifting equipment in both locations are thoroughly cleaned and sanitised after each use.

5 STAFF OFFICES To the staff members who aren’t involved in on-pitch matters, the Swansea RFC clubhouse has been set up to host analytics and rugby operations. Player access is off limits in this section of St Helen’s, the aim is to, once again,

reduce interaction by separating the work environments of those on the pitch and those off it where possible.

Steve adds on this point, “The club is home to larger offices where management and analytics can work onsite. From the top balconies, analytics can set up their equipment to capture all the player footage and data for the coaching staff and players to review”. Staff members who work in departments such as administration commercial and community (OiTC) continue to work either from home or, in some cases, in the Liberty Stadium abiding by the coronavirus policies and procedures laid out by stadium management in line with Public Health Wales.

6 PLAYING FIELDS St Helen’s is also home to Swansea Cricket Club – as a result, the grass playing area is larger than your typical rugby ground to accommodate both cricket and rugby matches.

This conveniently larger playing area allows for greater distances between playing players and

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their groups when setting up training drills, fitness practices and rugby skill exercises.

While the players, in their designated groups, are only allowed into training camp one group at a time; the training, coaching and medical staff are allowed to remain on site provided they wear appropriate PPE when interacting with players on-field during sessions.

While coaches keep face masks on during sessions when working with the players, those medical staff pitch side during sessions who need to treat players wear gloves and aprons in addition. Following the same sanitisation routines followed in the gym facilities, staff from rugby operations ensure all rugby equipment such as balls and tackle pads are properly sanitised and cleaned after each use.

7 SIGN OUT The policy in training is for playing groups to get in, get on with their training and get out as quickly, safely, and proficiently as possible.

Throughout St Helens, numerous hand sanitising stations are available – including the exit.

Steve comments “We’re trying to encourage players not to hang around. It’s about finishing your training, collecting your kit, sanitising your hands and a swift exit to the car park. Players also travel individually to avoid carpooling or shared lifts. We also ensure that players consume any food and supplements in private away from the training camp, preferably at home” With the training camp at St Helens in full swing – our attention now turns to Sunday 23rd August 2020 and our PRO14 Welsh derby clash with the Dragons.

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QUEST10NS MAT PROTHEROE

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RUGBY MEMORY SO FAR IN YOUR CAREER? So far, my favourite career moment was my first Premiership start at fullback against Saracens. It was surreal to play 80 minutes against top class international players, and we won the game 23-21.

WHO IS/WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD RUGBY HERO? My childhood rugby hero growing up was James Hook. Playing fly half throughout my age grade rugby and supporting the Ospreys down the liberty. He was a player who had a massive influence on how I play the game today and was fortunate enough to play with him at 18 when I signed my first professional contract at Gloucester.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT PLAYING OR TRAINING, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR FREE TIME? I have a dog named Tyson who’s always glad to see me, so I enjoy taking him out for a walk whenever I can. I also like to grab a coffee and socialise with the boys too. I do game quite a bit on PS4 and probably the best Call of duty player at the Ospreys WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER DO IN A GAME: MAKE A TRY SAVING TACKLE TO SAVE THE GAME, OR SCORE THE MATCH WINNING TRY IN THE 80TH MINUTE? I’d like to do both. Obviously rugby is a team game but would imagine it would feel great to contribute to your teams performance in that manner. Hopefully get put in that situation for the Ospreys one day.

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IF RUGBY HAD NEVER EXISTED, WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE NOW? I enjoyed school and did quite well in my exams, so i was fortunate to have options, but for me it was always a priority to play rugby. However, if rugby didn’t exist, I still see myself being involved in some kind of sport.

WHAT’S YOUR FIRST OSPREYS MEMORY? My first Ospreys memory was going down the liberty stadium with my best mate and his dad. They surprised me for my 8th birthday with a ticket to go and watch them play and from there I was hooked.

My favourite memory is when we beat Leinster away in the 2012 final. Another memory that I’m fond of is when I bumped into a rugby celebrity.

I was on my way into the Liberty Stadium to watch the Ospreys and I met and had a talk with Ray Gravell! It was great getting to meet a Welsh legend of the game.

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE THERE BEEN IN TRYING TO TRAIN AND MAINTAIN FITNESS DURING THE LAST 5 MONTHS WITH THE LOCKDOWN? I’ve always liked to stay fit and active anyways but has had its challenges during lockdown. Was beneficial being in a professional rugby environment that I had good knowledge on how to keep myself ticking over.

CLICK TO WATCH MAT’S FIRST INTERVIEW

HOW IMPORTANT/BENEFICIAL WAS IT TO PLAY WITH BRISTOL BEARS? My time at the Bears was hugely beneficial. I had great coaches and top international players around me to push me and develop my game. Learning from the likes of Charles Piutau, Ian Madigan, and Luke Morohan helped me understand what it takes to be a top professional and reach the top of the game. I made some great friends there which I’m still in contact with now. I’ve lived away from home since I was 16, going to Hartpury college, then my first professional contract at Gloucester until spending 3 years at Bristol so it became the norm for me, but now we’re at the end of it and I’m back in Ospreylia.

DO YOU HAVE ANY HIDDEN TALENTS OR ARE THERE ANY LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT YOU? I’ve coached quite a bit ever since I was 18 when I completed my RFU level 2 coaching badge. My first job was coaching Cheltenham Tigers Ladies which was a fantastic learning experience and gave me an opportunity to try and influence different people and get them to work together.

Since then I’ve been coaching Clifton RFC in the RFU national 2. That was incredible as it was a step up for me in terms of coaching. This season I’m going to be coaching the backs at Waunarlwydd RFC. They are the club I grew up playing for and I feel it’s a great way for me to give something back to a club and the community that helped develop me.

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WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AS AN OSPREY? For me it’s firstly getting the chance to put on the jersey I’ve grown up supporting and getting the chance to play with players I’ve watched over the years. Winning trophies with the Ospreys is a massive ambition of mine and would be a very proud moment for myself if we could achieve that.

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YOGITS TOUCH RUGBY Visit on Facebook Visit on Twitter #passingitnotpastit

Before Covid-19 put a stop to rugby in Wales, Yogits RFC was thriving week in week out proving age was no barrier when it came to playing the sport we all love. that rugby once played in their life. Andrew Morgan-Jones, Founder of the club said: “We were averaging around 25 players every Thursday night at our touch rugby sessions through the winter and we were looking forward to building on that in the summer until the season was cut short. We were flying and going well until Covid struck. The risk with this type of stuff is to lose that momentum, but we’ve been working on challenges to keep the focus and us all together.” #PassingItNotPastit is the team’s slogan, proving that you don’t have to hang up your boots when you reach the age of 35. As well as providing a sense of belonging and reigniting the camaraderie the social side of rugby brings, the club aims to promote wellness

and improve mental health both on and off the pitch.

“A highlight for us this season was our game against Chepstow which showed there was an appetite for this type of rugby. It just showed that a club like ours in Ystradgynlais can have an impact throughout Wales with Chepstow setting up their own team similar to ours.

Risca and Ystrad Rhondda have set up similar teams as well. It’s all in the spirit of what we’re trying to achieve.

Participation and getting people back on the field and having that sense of belonging.

During these times, the club has gone online to keep their members engaged away from the pitch.

“Our Whatsapp group has been our virtual rugby club. We keep a time in the diary every Thursday, when we’d usually meet, to have that regular touch point which is important. We come together for a quiz, or to share jokes and stories. We try

and check in with each other on a one to one basis just to see how everyone is. Thursday was the highlight of the week for some of our members.

Whatever was going on in work, they could come along on a Thursday, chuck around the ball, get stuff off their chests, and it may have been their only bit of exercise in the week.”

Despite the rugby season grinding to a halt, the club aren’t letting it have a negative impact on their physical activity and took on a mammoth challenge for charity.

“We set up the 6 nations 4000-mile challenge, where we hoped to engage our members in the week which was good for both our physical and mental health. Our target was to raise £1000 for Mind in Ystradgynlais. We smashed that target and raised just shy of £2000. For a small club

who have only been around the last two or three years, it’s a huge achievement and one we’re really proud of. We always try and help as much as we can around the community working with local foodbanks and groups. The one positive to come out of Covid is the sense of community that’s come off the back of it, people looking out for one another which is great.”

As well as breaking a sweat in the 4000-mile challenge, the club has played host for a variety of virtual rugby competitions over the weeks in lockdown providing some well needed entertainment for their followers: “The virtual competitions was the brainchild of our own Huw “Shakey” Thomas. It’s been great coverage for our club, our Twitter following trebled during that period. Obviously,

it’s not the same as a regular game of rugby, but it gets people focused on a Saturday.

We look back now and realise how important rugby was for us all. It was a cracking idea and we’ve been asked to host the competitions for others which has shown what we want to achieve as a club and got our name out there.

We’re trying to be as inclusive as possible, which the virtual rugby competitions has allowed us to be. We’d love to have a ladies equivalent of Yogits one day. We have a wide catchment area with members coming from Llanelli, Ammanford as well as around the Swansea area, so there’s no reason why we can’t have a ladies section.

There’s so many forms of touch rugby and would be a great way of getting people out and about.”

with SCOT OTTEN

LIFE IN

Managing SO Coffee Trades, learning to landscape and looking ahead to the Waun Massive front row reunion, we caught up with hooker Scott Otten to see what he’d been up to during the lockdown.

“During lockdown I started to look at my house and decided to make it a bit of a home.

My neighbour Darren is a landscaper, so I asked him to look at my garden which we both started working on together. Once we’d finished, I started helping him out on some of his projects with his company Fresh Turf.

“I didn’t know much beforehand about landscaping so learnt on the job. I picked up a lot of new skills and it made me handier in a field I’m not used to. It was good

to experience a different trade and something I’d definitely consider after rugby.”

Despite being busy labouring, Scott had two businesses to manage including Humble Coffi shop which he co-owns with former teammate Rob McCusker.

“At Humble we put the team on furlough because we couldn’t open, but it worked in our favour and we’re financially better off from it. Our first few months at the café were insane, we had a good turnover and strong customer base and the feedback was all positive.

It’s been really pleasing to see messages of support coming in and people saying how much they miss the place which is great considering we haven’t been open a year yet.

We’re back open now for takeaway coffee and cakes from Wednesday through to Sunday.”

All going well we plan to reopen for sit down food on the 4th August, which will fall on our first anniversary of opening.

We’ll have all the social-distancing measures in place and be following all the guidelines which will be a new experience for us all. We’ve been lucky with the position we’re in and that we are able to re-open, so the 4th of August will be a special day for us. A lot of businesses and big companies have gone under because of this pandemic, so we’re extremely grateful we’re in the place we are.”

Whilst Humble Coffi was forced to close during the lockdown, Scott’s other business So Coffee Trades was booming.

“SO Coffee Trades has gone really well over the last few months. People want to drink coffee at home and with our new instant coffee, our online deliveries were higher than ever. It’s great to see new and old customers still making orders and it shows that they’re still enjoying their coffee because they appreciate our product.

“We’ve been up and running for three years now so it’s an important time for us. You aim for three to five years to see where your business is at and whether it’s worth carrying on and during this pandemic we’ve seen that this could be a very good thing in the future as well as now.”

As restrictions start to ease and the date set for rugby to return, Scott is looking at turning his attentions back to the rugby

field and getting back into training: “I’m really looking forward to being back and seeing all the boys. We know it was a really tough season and in all honesty one of the worst we’ve had, but we know when we go back we have to hit the ground running and come out firing.

“We have a new coaching staff, new boys coming in and it’s an exciting time to be involved with the region. Change is what we needed, and change is what we’ve got so it’s a big positive for us. It’ll be interesting to see how processes will adapt to the situation we’re in but I’m a big fan of change and everyone at the Ospreys is focussing on these next two games and next season and getting the Ospreys back to where they belong.

The restart of the Guinness PRO14 will see a familiar face return to the region and the reunion of the Waun Massive front row as Nicky Thomas returns to Wales: “I played with Nicky since I was around 10 years old along with Nicky Smith. The three of us played for six years as juniors together but we’ve never had an Ospreys cap together. It will be awesome when that time comes, not just for us but for our families and Waunarlwydd Rugby Club too. It’s a special club for us where we all played as the front row and grew our friendship.

“We always talk about relationships and connections in rugby and for me having those two either side of me is the biggest relationship and connection I’ve ever had so I’m really looking forward to playing with those two together in an Ospreys jersey.”

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