As he reaches a proud personal landmark, Jack Walsh is convinced it can coincide with the Ospreys becoming the first team to beat Leinster this season.
The USA-born, Aussie-raised utility back will make his 50th appearance for the Welsh region as they welcome the league leaders to Swansea.
He has become a key figure, with his ability to play at both full-back and fly-half, and he’s bang in form, having scored four tries in his last two starts, amid a five-match unbeaten run for the Ospreys.
Now he turns his attention to all-conquering Leinster, as he prepares to don the No 15 jersey in the BKT URC clash.
“They haven’t lost this season in any competition, so you pay them respect. They are a well oiled machine,” said the 25-year-old.
“But I don’t see why we can’t be the first team to beat them this year.
“We have been working hard and we have come up with a game plan we think can really challenge them.
“We are not going into the game hoping to get a bonus point loss or anything like that. We are going in to win. There’s no doubt about that in our mind.
“We’ve been playing well and results have gone our way and that has built confidence.”
Walsh was born in Jacksonville, Florida, due to his father’s work, but both his parents are from Australia and they headed back Down Under when he was five.
He grew up in Manly, a beach-side suburb north of Sydney, and played his junior rugby for Manly Marlins before progressing to the Waratahs Academy.
Then came a move to England to join Exeter Chiefs, where he spent two two seasons before signing for the Ospreys in 2022.
Reflecting on bringing up his half century, he said: “It’s a proud moment for me.
“To play 50 games for any club is a special achievement, particularly here. With the amount of great players they have had, to play 50 means you have been doing something right over a decent period of time to keep yourself on that team-sheet.
“I came to the Ospreys because I wanted the opportunity to play rugby and I liked the brand of style they played, so I’m happy with how it’s gone and I just want to keep adding to it now.”
Giving the viewpoint from the visiting camp, Leinster coach Leo Cullen said: “It’s going to be a tough challenge for us. It’s never an easy place to go.
“The Ospreys put 40 points on a pretty strong Benetton team in the last round and they were very impressive in how they went about dismantling them.
“They have got that nice mix. They have some good young players and some very experienced heads there who have been around a while.
“There’s been a change with Mark Jones coming in as head coach, so there’s been an uplift there. He’s a coach with a lot of experience. They have definitely expressed themselves a little bit more, I think it’s probably fair to say.”
