It will be a real family affair in the front row when the Ospreys lock horns with the Scarlets in Saturday evening’s huge Welsh derby clash. Cousins Gareth Thomas and Steff Thomas grew up together in Newcastle Emlyn and have always been close pals, but all that will be put to one side when the props do battle at the Swansea.com Stadium. You can catch up with all the team news here.
It’s been a breakthrough season for both looseheads - on the international front for Osprey Gareth, who ended the Six Nations as Wales’ starting No 1, and with the Scarlets for the younger Steff, who has held off stiff competition to secure regular rugby, putting more than two years of injury woe behind him. Now they will looking to end the campaign on a high by helping their region securing Champions Cup rugby, with this weekend’s result set to have a major bearing on that.
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Outlining the family back story, the 25-year-old Steffan says: “I lived on a farm when I was younger and Gareth lived about three or four miles away, so we were quite close growing up. When we were kids, the two of us would do a lot of work on the farm together, especially during the summer, milking cows and so on. I have got a lot of good memories of growing up on the farm.
“From a young age, both of us played junior rugby for Newcastle Emlyn RFC. We both lived it and we would be on the farm kicking and passing the ball on the fields.”
While Steffan has represented Wales at U18s and U20s level, cousin Gareth, 28, now has ten full caps to his name.
“The whole family is really proud of him,” said Steffan. “It’s been a good season for him. He broke through in the Six Nations to become the starting loosehead which is a massive achievement for him. It obviously gives you a boost, thinking if he can do it hopefully I can push and try be the same as him.”
Steffan is heading in the right direction himself after a welcome change of fortune on the fitness front, figuring consistently this term despite the presence of Wales internationals Wyn Jones and Rob Evans in the Scarlets squad.
“I suffered injuries to both ACLs, so I was out for a fair while. I did the left one in pre-season four years ago, and then the right one three years ago with Carmarthen Quins. Everything’s fine now, thankfully. It is what it is, as they say. You know the risks when you play rugby, so all of us take them.
“I have had good opportunity to play this year and I am really happy with the way I’ve progressed through the season. The more rugby you get, the better you are going to get.”
As for this weekend’s family reunion with Gareth, he says: “It’s a nice chance to play against him. It’s a special moment for the family, it’s good. We haven’t spoken too much this week, but we will have a good chat after the game.
“If you look at their pack they have mostly got Welsh internationals in there. From a personal point of view, there’s not a better team you want to go up against and test yourself.”
He added: “It’s a huge game. It’s Scarlets-Ospreys and it doesn’t get much bigger than this. It’s a pressure game and as a squad we like dealing with pressure moments and it doesn’t get much more pressure than this, so it’s good.”
