Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England U20s star will jump ship to Wales after signing for Ospreys

(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Former England U20s star Mat Protheroe is ready to jump ship back to Wales after it was announced that he has signed a two-year deal to join the Ospreys next season.

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite being born in Swansea, Protheroe made his name playing for England U20s (and U18s) between 2015 and 2018, a decision that left some Welsh fans disgruntled.

The 23-year-old star however remains Welsh qualified and will look to follow in the footsteps of Ross Moriarty, who played England U20s before switching back to Wales for his senior rugby.

“Being a Welsh kid and playing rugby in Wales, the ultimate dream is to represent your country,” said Protheroe,” he told the Ospreys website.

“That is a goal of mine but to do that I have to get game-time and prove myself at the Ospreys first.”

Continue reading below…

WATCH: The guys round up all the Guinness Six Nations and Premiership action. They discuss the shenanigans at the breakdown in England v Ireland among others. We also hear from Brad Shields on his injury and his quest to get back into Eddie’s England squad.

Video Spacer

“So I know I have to put in back-to-back performances, week-in week-out, for the Ospreys to stand any chance of playing for Wales.

ADVERTISEMENT

“But it’s definitely an ambition of mine to play international rugby for Wales.”

Protheroe said he was eager to make a mark in his home town team: “I am a Swansea lad and I grew up watching the Ospreys.”

“James Hook, Shane Williams, Tommy Bowe, Jonathan Thomas, Filo Tiatia and Lee Byrne were the players I used to turn up at the Liberty to watch as a young boy.

“I grew up watching those players. Having the chance to follow in their footsteps is a big thing for me. It’s just a really exciting challenge for me. I have never played in the Guinness Pro14, which is a new league for me, so it’s just exciting for me and I am really looking forward to the challenge.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Protheroe won a scholarship to Hartpury College, scoring seven tries in 14 games for Hartpury RFC in National League One in England in 2015. He signed his first professional contract with Gloucester Rugby that year, before joining Bristol Bears in the RFU Championship from the 2017-18 season.

Protheroe was a standout in Pat Lam’s team, but now he’s ready to make his mark in his native Swansea.

“When I was watching the Ospreys growing up, they were always the most successful region, and were always winning trophies and fighting for trophies,” said Protheroe.

“It’s an ambition of mine to win trophies and silverware and I always strive to do that.

“I know the Ospreys have had a tough few months, looking in from the outside but the talent pool of young and experienced players they have, I just know they can compete at the top end of Europe and on a domestic level.

“So the goal I have set myself is to win trophies.”

He is the second new signing for the Ospreys next season, following scrum-half Rhys Webb from Toulon.

England U20s
Mat Protheroe

Dan Griffiths, the Ospreys Rugby General Manager said of his new signing: “We are delighted to bring Mat back home, and I know how excited he is to become an Osprey,” said Griffiths.

“He is a potent attacking weapon who brings pace and x-factor, as his performances, and the tries he has scored in the Premiership this season have shown.

“But more than that, Mat is a very good footballer, with a strong kicking game and excellent distribution skills which will also create opportunities for players around him.

“It’s an exciting time for Mat, as a young, talented, ambitious player to become part of the vision of the club. He will be an excellent addition to our squad and someone who will excite fans alongside the pace and power we have in our back three.”

ADVERTISEMENT
LIVE

Australia vs Wales | Women's International

LIVE

Whanganui vs The Classics

Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

USA vs England | Men's International | Full Match Replay

France v Argentina | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

Lions Share | Episode 4

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 hour ago
Half-back depth is the flaw in 'Razor's' 4-4-4 Rugby World Cup plan

Well there’s a couple of distinctions here that are important aren’t there?


First though like I replied to Tk where does it say theres need to test vets, or proven reliable players? It is simply ‘test quality’.


Now, I have created a list that I think is test quality, so all weve got to do is upskill the missing pieces right? No. Razor might not mean to have given every player half a dozen matchs but he will want to have identified and assured himself that each individual is indeed test quality. So yes, plays like Darry and Lord may still be included in a few squads and used so he’s happy to include them as say 5th and 6th ranked locks, but that doesn’t mean he needs to go to the same level to ensure for himself the 7th and 8th ranked locks.


He might be happy basing performances off SR Finals, or organizing an AB XV match against a team like France or SA with similar locking depth (even organizing say Warner Dearns to be part of the Japan XV etc), and I’m sure they’re going to have a very large squad over in South Africa for two months.


I don’t think he is quite in the same predicament as SA to have to rest top stars. And this is obviously just goal setting, they’re supposed to be hard. As you can see by the context around this series, arbitrary targets like everyone getting some minutes are made. That could also simply be how he ensures he has met the 4. So hookers would be ticked, as he’s already used 5 at test level. If you looked at the Baabaas SA game you’d see Beehre performing like an accomplished test player, that already makes 7 locks with more than 2 full seasons to go. You take the point BA was making about Marshalls previous remarks about Razor want players to be able to play 3/4/5 different positions, that would mean if Razor was really happy with Finau at lock last week he already has 8 test quality locks as well, etc, etc.


TLDR sorry for the big reply, it’s just a goal, the teams not going to suddenly fail if he doesn’t reach it, I think theres many means and many players for him to be comfortable in getting 4 in each position. He’s obviously not going to be able to get 4 proven, hardened test players in each by then, no.

136 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ ‘USA have a way to go to fulfil Moonshot mission but 2031 RWC will be a success’ ‘USA have a way to go to fulfil Moonshot mission but 2031 RWC will be a success’