Where have the Welsh fly-halves gone? So ran an almost plaintive query from a writer recently.
It’s not an easy question to answer. But, without doubt, Newport RFC have at least one No. 10 plenty of rugby supporters would go into the red to watch play.
The wonder is Matt O’Brien hasn’t featured in many games at regional level.
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Once, pretty much every top Welsh club had a fly-half like him, a player with playmaking ability who could think quickly, who didn't so much have an array of skills at his disposal as a box of tricks.
All term the O'Brien has been shaping games for Newport. On Saturday evening against Llandovery in the Welsh Premiership, the 30-year-old was at it again, helping to hoist the east Walians to a 52-33 victory ahead of their playoff date with Cardiff next weekend.
There were plenty of memorable moments in an outstanding personal display, but one stood out. It came on 22 minutes after a Drovers attack broke down a metre or two short of the Newport try line. O’Brien rushed to fill in at scrum-half six metres to the right of the posts as the opposition attacked. In an instant, he picked up the ball and, barely without looking, launched an audacious left-footed kick across field into the arms of Newport right wing Johnny Morris, turning defence into attack. A flowing move ensued, ending in centre Aneurin Owen touching down, only for the officials to rule a pass had gone forward.
But it was a dash of class from O’Brien. Another instant for the locals and beyond to savour was not so much a 50:22 as a 65:22 as the Black and Ambers No. 10 put in prodigious touchfinder that secured his team a lineout deep in opposition territory, while there was a penalty kick to touch which landed a millimetre or two the right side of the flag.
There were also wrap-around runs, finely judged passes and some accurate place-kicking.
He has extra room in the Premiership and defences are not always as tight as they could be. But that he’s a class act worth seeing at the level is not in doubt.
Earlier this season he secured an 18-17 victory for the Black and Ambers with a final-play drop-goal against Cardiff at the Arms Park, another moment of high skill and no little composure.
He's been around for years years but in some ways he's Welsh rugby's best-kept secret.
But at Newport they know his worth.
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