Tom Cottle

Still a teenager, Tom Cottle is among the younger forwards on Cardiff Rugby's books, an openside flanker born on 25 November 2006. The Welsh back-rower fits the classic profile of a fetcher: low to the ground, busy over the ball and willing to put in the high tackle counts that come with the role. Cottle's appeal lies in his motor and his nuisance value at the breakdown, where a genuine openside can swing the balance of possession in a tight contest. As one of the emerging talents progressing through the Cardiff system, he is at the early stage of his development, focused on adding the physical robustness and game understanding required to hold down a starting jersey in the United Rugby Championship. The transition from age-grade rugby to the senior professional game is a significant one, demanding patience as much as ability, and Cottle's task now is to convert raw work rate into the kind of consistent, match-defining contributions that establish a young flanker in a regional pack. He represents a name for Cardiff supporters to keep an eye on as the next wave of Welsh back-row forwards comes through.