Steff Emanuel admits it was a dream come true to inspire Cardiff to a Welsh derby victory over the Ospreys with a BKT Player of the Match performance.

The young centre was imperious at St Helen’s – he carried and made more line breaks than any teammate, made 17 tackles and had a hand (or foot) in Cardiff’s three first-half tries.

Reflecting on the 26-0 win, Cardiff’s first at St Helen’s in the regional era, he said: “It was an unbelievable game to play. It’s very cliché, but the stuff you dream of as a kid. 

“The crowd were unbelievable. To come down here to St Helen’s and to win a game like that is one I’LL probably cherish for long time.

“My lungs were screaming at me most of the match. But I just try and come into training, keep my head down as much as possible and hopefully reap the rewards on a Saturday.”

Injury to Ben Thomas has opened the door to Emanuel, who has been such a stalwart for Wales Under-20s for the past two years. And he has grasped that opportunity with both hands.

He added: “That’s the nature of rugby, there’s injuries, there’s selection, illnesses, and whatnot. So when the opportunities come round, you really have to relish them and that’s for you to decide if I have or not. 

“I just try not to take it for granted, keep my head down, and hopefully put in a good shift on a Saturday.”