AFTER Wales' loss to Australia many were hoping that Alex Cuthbert would be sent to Coventry but perhaps Dubai would work for the struggling winger once the World Cup is over.

The speedster will be needed on Saturday afternoon when Warren Gatland's men return to Twickenham for their quarter-final against South Africa.

How Wales could do with Cuthbert performing against the Springboks in London like he did Nelspruit in the summer of 2014.

He was a key figure in the heartbreaking 31-30 loss at the Mbombela Stadium, hitting a glorious line to burst through midfield and offload to Jamie Roberts for the first score before he crashed through Wynand Oliver to go over himself for the second.

It came after he had provided the sole memorable moment from the miserable first Test in Durban, getting the ball just outside his own 22 before weaving through with pace and power for a consolation score.

Stats in isolation can be dangerous in rugby – a tackle count doesn't tell the effectiveness of the effort while a full-back can rack up huge yardage numbers – but the comparison of Cuthbert against the Boks in Nelspruit versus the Wallabies last weekend is telling.

Seven runs compared to four, 66 metres compared to 15, two clean breaks compared to one, seven defenders beaten compared to one.

Granted, he had Jonathan Davies providing width and distribution from outside centre as opposed to George North but Cuthbert, who the previous summer was unlucky to only feature in the first Lions Test, was getting involved, backing himself and a key part of Wales game plan.

Fast forward 15 months and it is only through lack of options that Gatland will turn to him at Twickenham.

Injury has deprived the Wales boss of two of his back three from the Six Nations finale in Rome, Leigh Halfpenny and Liam Williams, along with Hallam Amos, who got the nod for the win against England at Twickenham.

The Wales management team have been treating Cuthbert with kid gloves for last 12 months, attempting to restore his confidence and get him back to his prime finishing form.

He has had a torrid time with Cardiff Blues and his Test strike rate has gone from 12 tries in 26 Tests leading into the 2014 autumn series to a still excellent 15 in 39.

Yet his performance against the Wallabies wasn't THAT bad until his rather embarrassing yellow card at the death for what looked like a volleyball style block while going for an interception.

He remains Wales' best option out wide – talk of playing Tyler Morgan or Matthew Morgan on the wing at his expense is ridiculous. Cuthbert is a physical presence and possesses the pace to keep defences honest.

He just needs to start enjoying his rugby again and in Olympic year perhaps sevens, where he first caught the eye, is the way to achieve this.

In 2009 Cuthbert was thriving in the shortened format, playing for invitational teams and even turning out for Newport in the Men of Gwent Sevens.

The Black and Ambers' Craig Hill, a sevens World Cup winner, told Wales coach Paul John about this promising speedster and Cuthbert got the call-up for the World Series before going on to play for his country at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

I'm no great fan of sevens and believe there is little development value in sending players of certain positions off on the circuit but it could offer a release for Cuthbert – and give Wales and potentially Team GB a potent weapon.

He is never going to be the most graceful footballer but he has serious pace and, on form, an eye for the line.

The HSBC World Rugby Sevens series starts in Dubai on the first weekend of December and maybe something can be worked out with Cardiff Blues to use a few tournaments to restore Cuthbert to his best.

All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam look likely to star for New Zealand at Rio 2016. Maybe chasing a sevens Olympic dream can reinvigorate Cuthbert and get him playing with a smile on his face again.