“Justin came down for this talent ID sort of day and he was not a youngster who stood out,” Jonathan Humphreys once recalled.
“He was quite chubby, having hurt his back and not had the opportunity to get himself into condition.
“Andrew Millward [who went on to become Ospreys’ managing director] kept insisting: ‘This kid is special.’
“But it didn’t happen for him on the day.
“Luckily, he came back next time and we saw this incredible athlete who had so many skills even then.”
Read more: Welsh rugby match abandoned at half-time as paramedic called to scene
Today, the kid whose career almost swerved off course before it had properly begun is Wales’ new captain.
It’s now almost exactly 13 years since Justin Tipuric played his first game of professional rugby, for the Ospreys in an LV= Cup match won 19-17 by Northampton Saints in Swansea on November 5, 2009, with the shiny new openside appearing as a 70th-minute replacement.
Who were his team-mates that day?
We take a look at the matchday 23.
15. Nicky Thomas
A Swansea RFC favourite who played 227 times for the All Whites over a decade, scoring 1343 points. His tally included more than 100 tries. He was, it used to be said, a player in the famous old club’s grand traditions. For the Ospreys, there were 25 outings.
Bowed out at St Helen’s in 2015 after a campaign that saw him contribute 319 points.
Thought to have worked in his dad's car dealership.
14. Jonny Vaughton
Had burst on the scene with Swansea but started the regional era with Cardiff before switching to the Ospreys in 2005, going on to make 63 appearances for them.
Vaughton then moved into acting, appearing in Hunky Dory, The Last Time You Saw Me and Control. He also had a role in a theatre production of Much Ado about Nothing. When he broke through there appeared much ado about something, for he was a talented player with pace and a step.
13. Sonny Parker
“What are his qualities? He’s a true gent who is humble and he lets others take the plaudits.” So said former Ospreys prop Cai Griffiths after Parker took the decision to head home to New Zealand in 2018.
The man from Thames in New Zealand was a gem for the Ospreys and Wales and Pontypridd after he first came to this country. A hard runner who knew how to defend, he had a winning mindset and figured in the Wales Grand Slam team of 2008 and featured for the Ospreys 157 times.
Moved on to become director of rugby at London Welsh before returning home to become an operational development manager.
12. Andrew Bishop
If there’s been a better defensive centre in Welsh rugby over the past 20 years, could he please make himself known at reception.
Filo Tiatia classed Bishop as one of the toughest players he’d appeared alongside, which is a bit like a fast bowler receiving a pat on the back from Michael Holding, a golfer receiving a nod of praise from Tiger Woods or boxer being complimented on his style by Sugar Ray Leonard.
Like Parker, Bishop didn’t say a lot, preferring to let his rugby do the talking.
He packed in playing after failing to recover from a back injury in 2015. Now a skills coach with the Ospreys.
11. Kristian Phillips
An outstanding schoolboy player, Phillips was approached by a top English public school as a 13-year-old after scoring five tries against them for Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera. Phillips turned down the offer.
He went on to stand out in semi-professional rugby for Neath and was named in Wales’ squad for the 2010 Six Nations, albeit a senior cap didn’t come his way. He also played for the Scarlets, London Welsh and Bath.
These days he’s believed to be a fitness coach and personal trainer in London.
10. Gareth Owen
Scott Johnson compared Owen to Gavin Henson, adding that he had ‘God-given gifts’ when he was breaking through as a youngster. The praise was deserved. Sadly, serious injuries affected the Maesteg product’s progress thereafter, but he still enjoyed a successful career, playing for the Scarlets, Leicester and Newcastle Falcons, as well as the Ospreys.
Retired as a player last season to become a butcher.
9. Liam Davies
The scrum-half from Llangennech had a short spell with the Ospreys during a playing stint that saw him figure for all four regions. There are also multiple clubs on the Davies CV, including Llanelli, Brive, Aberavon, Swansea, London Welsh, Bedwas, Cardiff and Neath.
1. Ryan Bevington
Great things were expected from Bevington after he broke into the Ospreys first team as a teenager who could scrummage, tackle and move from 0-60 quicker than some of the cars parked up around the training base at Llandarcy.
He won 13 Wales caps, but, as with Gareth Owen, injuries hammered him.
There were spells with Bristol Bears and the Dragons, but he retired last term to become a butcher, also like Owen.
2. Richard Hibbard
A tough nut who won 41 caps for Wales and helped the Lions to a series victory over Australia in 2013. His peak years came with the Ospreys but he also enjoyed a successful time at Gloucester, winning the approval of The Shed, before rounding off his playing days at the Dragons. Crossed for a try against Northampton that night 13 years ago, before leaving the field on 61 minutes.
Now owner of The Hideout Cafe at Aberavon Shopping Centre and The Front bar and kitchen on Aberavon seafront, the amiable Hibbard is a successful entrepreneur.
3. Cai Griffiths
The Welsh-speaking prop from Bangor made 132 appearances for the Ospreys, also fitting in stints with London Irish and London Welsh, having started his career with Neath.
He went on to play a hugely significant part in the four promotions London Welsh achieved after finding themselves in English rugby’s basement division. Griffiths first worked with Sonny Parker in steering the Exiles back on an upward path, before taking over as director of rugby himself and continuing the job.
4. Ian Gough
Joined the Ospreys in 2007 from the Dragons and played 119 games for the Llandarcy-based region. Few players hit as many rucks as Gough in his prime; few players hit as hard in the tackle. The big man famously lost 11lb during the Wales v Italy match in 2008, such was his workrate.
Went on to work as a fundraiser, a schools ambassador and as managing director for Optimum Portfolio Property. As an aside, Gough is also a qualified pilot.
5. Filo Tiatia
Legend alert 1/2. Tiatia didn’t just contribute immensely as a player during his four years as a member of the Ospreys squad, he also shaped the culture of the playing group at Llandarcy, sharing the lessons he had learned during a career that had seen him feature for the All Blacks.
Held a coaching brief for a season with the Ospreys before heading east to coach Toyota Verblitz and the Japan national team, later returning to New Zealand to join Auckland’s team management.
6. Jerry Collins
Legend alert 2/2. Played 56 matches over two seasons for the Ospreys, standing out in the first campaign, in particular, with his relentless physicality. Stories are still told about his colourful off-field antics and his ability to rock up for training no matter how heavy the night before.
Tragically, the All Black died in a car crash in 2015.
He’s still missed.
7. Steve Tandy
Underrated flanker and top club man who never shirked a challenge and fronted up in every match he played. Never capped by Wales, but always valued as a player by his home region. Tandy went on to coach the Ospreys until parting company with them in 2018.
Resurfaced at the Waratahs and subsequently became Scotland’s defence coach and filled a similar role with the British and Irish Lions in South Africa in 2021.
Singing his praises after he left Bridgend RFC to coach the Ospreys, the late Derrick King said of Tandy: “One day he could coach Wales.”
Don’t rule it out.
8. Tom Smith
Impressively brave back rower who kept coming back for more no matter how many injuries he suffered, and there were plenty. Had he had better luck on the orthopaedic front, he might have achieved even more in the game.
Cut his coaching teeth with the Ospreys before moving to Cardiff and is now heading up Bridgend’s coaching operation.
Replacements: Ed Shervington, Ross Davies, Will Taylor, James King, Justin Tipuric, Rhodri Wells, Jonathan Spratt, Ashley Beck.
King and Tipuric made debuts off the bench. King would make 203 appearances for the Ospreys, Tipuric is on 191.
Ashley Beck would also complete a century-plus of games for the region.
Spratt scored one of the Ospreys' tries on the night.
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