It’s typical of Dan Evans’ luck — he waits 10 years for a change of Wales circumstances and when such a thing happens he finds himself sidelined by injury.
The change of circumstances, of course, has seen Wayne Pivac take over from Warren Gatland as national head coach.
The problem for Evans is that he’s already playing catch-up, with a nine-week injury layoff meaning he couldn't challenge for a place in Pivac's first Wales squad.
The good news is he’s on the pitch again.
Barely a couple of hours after Wales concluded matters against the Baa-Baas in Cardiff last Saturday, Evans took the field before a crowd of a couple of thousand in Neath.
His performance for the Ospreys against the Cheetahs was typically classy, with smart running from the back that saw seven defenders beaten — a stat no one else in the Guinness PRO14 matched in round seven.
There were 15 runs in total from the two-cap Wales international, a clean break and an offload.
It all underlined how much the Ospreys had missed him.
Rewind a month and they played Connacht in Swansea and the entire match-day squad managed to beat just one defender between them.
The weather was terrible, yes, and the Ospreys were missing close to a regiment of players because of injuries and unavailabilities, but, still, the basic skills on display from the hosts that day were nowhere near what the level demanded.
Let’s be positive and consider that dark afternoon ancient history and focus on the here and now and, in particular, on Evans.
Post-match on a cold night at The Gnoll, he did an interview in Welsh and then answered a couple of questions in English. Understandably, he didn’t want to talk himself up after an extended spell out of the game, not unreasonably feeling he was still moving up the gears.
And while so many snubs at national level over the past decade have been painful — 131 Wales Tests have passed since Evans won the second of his caps — they have also taught him not to expect anything.
But 31-year-old isn't for chucking in the towel.
“I’ll always have the hunger,” he said.
“I’ll never give up and I’ll always give my all to the region.
“Whatever happens, happens.
“I’ve just had my first game in nine weeks and need to get myself match fit and pick up a bit of momentum for the future.”
If Wales have failed to recognise Evans’ worth, the same can’t be said of the Ospreys, with the full-back twice voted supporters’ player of the year, in 2014-15 and 2018-19.
"It picks you up when you have that backing," said Evans.
"It gives you confidence you are doing something right.
“It’s just about staying fit now and hopefully getting back to my best.”
His return didn't coincide with a win for the Ospreys against the Cheetahs, with the South Africans taking the spoils at 18-13. It was the first time in the Welsh team's history they have lost three home games in a row in the PRO14.
But amid the disappointment there was another spot of brightness to go with the return of their popular full-back.
Young back-rower Morgan Morris had another strong game, pulling off three possession steals, carrying the ball 14 times for 25 metres and making 14 tackles without missing one.
Afterwards, there were plenty in the clubhouse bar and around the ground singing his praises: “It’s been a nightmare start to the season, but that Morgan Morris looks outstanding," said one.
What’s his best position? He’s been playing at No. 8 but there’s a school of thought that he might end up at openside. Or could it be that he continues to be a back-row all-rounder, equally effective whatever the number on his shirt?
Against the Cheetahs, he impressed former Ospreys head coach Sean Holley, watching as a pundit for Premier Sports.
“Morgan Morris was outstanding,” Holley said .
"He's been a bit of a find."
The former Wales U20s man is only 21 and played much of his rugby for Swansea RFC in the Welsh Premiership last season.
But injuries and Test calls have stretched the Ospreys to breaking point and prompted the coaches to give him a run of matches.
He has scope to develop physically but his ability to lock over the ball, quick footwork and resolve in defence make for a useful all-round package.
“Morgan's been excellent,” said forwards coach Carl Hogg.
“Not only is he powerful through the hips, he can explode through a gap and has the ability to jackal ball.
“So while this is a difficult time, there are some green shoots.
“Morgan is playing regular PRO14 rugby and he featured against Saracens in the Champions Cup a week last Saturday, while Kieran Williams is coming on and breaking lines and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler is out there playing.
“So there’s a lot of young players being exposed to senior rugby, maybe a little earlier than their development curve would suggest, but it’s going to stand them in good stead, and stand the Ospreys in good stead, in future.”
Hogg knows the key challenge for the Ospreys right now is to turn things around in the short term.
They are not there yet, with key players still missing, but Mike Ruddock’s arrival this week , in a consultancy role officially just for a month but possibly stretching to something longer, should pick up spirits.
