Shane Williams column: Alex Cuthbert finding form at just the right time

Christmas derbies… there’s nothing else like them in Welsh rugby. As a player I loved this time of year. Now, as a punter, it’s even better because I was able to enjoy my mother-in-law’s turkey with all the trimmings and not worry about the Scarlets trying to take my head off on Boxing Day.
These seven days will see four derbies and, frankly, they are probably the best Pro12 games in Wales this season.
That’s why Warren Gatland, Rob Howley and Shaun Edwards will be keeping a very close eye on what goes on. They are the nearest things we have a to Wales national trial ahead of the Six Nations.
It started yesterday with Scarlets and Ospreys going at it hammer-and-tongs at Parc Y Scarlets. As a player these are great games to play in – there is so much pride at stake, between the clubs, the fans and the players and it gets you up for it from the off.
I especially used to love playing against the Scarlets. It’s Christmas, there’s always a big crowd (and let’s be honest, that doesn’t always happen in the Pro12) and it becomes a real occasion.
Every player wants to be hitting their peak at this time of year with the Six Nations looming and you know everyone is up for it.
As well as club pride and local bragging rights, you know you will be facing other players jostling for the Wales shirt in the Six Nations. In my day that used to be the likes of Dafydd James, Gareth Thomas, Craig Morgan and, then later, George North.
You know this is the last big shop window before the national coach picks his squad for the Championship and you’re desperate to show you’re worth. With so much at stake, you have to be in top shape at this time of year.
There was nothing better than winning a derby, especially away from home. When Ospreys went to Stradey Park, as it was then, or Rodney Parade or the Arms Park, they really were intimidating places to go. There was a big crowd and they would give the opposition dog’s abuse.
The irony was that as a schoolboy, I would go to Stradey Park to cheer on the Scarlets. Many years later and they were calling me every name under the sun. So much for the season of good will! So to come away with a win was such a great feeling.
Today we have Newport Gwent Dragons facing Cardiff Blues at Rodney Parade, both off the back of an outstanding fortnight against French opposition.
People may question whether French teams are that bothered about the Challenge Cup – and they may be right. But I can tell you, they are bothered about winning – or losing – in front of their home fans. It’s a big no-no in France and I had plenty of batterings in places like Clermont, Toulouse and Castres to know that.
So for the Dragons to go to Pau and not only win, but frankly smash them and ruin Conrad Smith’s big day was fantastic.
Lyn Jones and Kingsley Jones are building a great young team at Rodney Parade and are starting to play with real confidence – almost arrogance, which is fantastic.
They’ve got some promising youngsters in Elliot Dee, Ollie Griffiths and Ross Wardle and have signed a couple of old heads like Sarel Pretorius who is making them tick.
Cardiff Blues are in a transitional stage but they also deserve a big hand for their display at Montpellier.
They produced an incredible comeback to win the week before in Cardiff and then missed out to a late try in France.
It was also great to see Alex Cuthbert get on the scoresheet, not just once but twice.
We’ve been waiting a long time for it and I’m sure like all good strikers in football, he is going to start firing them in on a regular basis once again.
And he wasn’t the only one. Jamie Roberts and Jonathan Davies both scored on their returns from lengthy lay-offs.
Davies looked as though he had never been away with the manner in which he carried the ball and had an eye for a gap. And he’s only going to get better. That all adds up to great news at the start of the New Year for Gatland.