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Published 16:38 19 Sept 2018 BST
Updated 18:27 19 Sept 2018 BST
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Credit: TG4[/caption]
The diminutive flanker has an excellent ability to take down the ball carrier and immediately put himself into a position where he can contest the ball and fight for a turnover.
In the clip above, Cloete is penalised by referee Stuart Berry for putting his hands in the ruck but the speed at which he is able to get over the top of the ball makes him a constant threat at the breakdown, a point which was not lost on O'Mahony.
"Chris, I thought he was superb today," O'Mahony told TG4 after the Ospreys win. "His ability to get over the ball is very impressive. But we'll definitely have to work on some of Chris' decision-making and timing. But, look, the guy's made a huge impact."Later in the half we can see Cloete again take down the ball carrier and get over the ball but what's great in this particular instance is that you can see him anticipate Ospreys number eight Sam Cross' pick and go.
Cloete hauls Cross in as soon as he breaks from the back of the scrum and immediately latches onto the ball where he absorbs the clean out of Tom Habberfield and Morgan Morris before winning the penalty.
Munster ultimately squandered the opportunity from the ensuing but Cloete, along with Tadhg Beirne, who set a PRO14 record last season (since 2010/11) with 39 turnovers for the Scarlets, and Peter O'Mahony, who put on a breakdown masterclass in Ireland's second Test win over Australia during the summer, should make the province extremely dangerous any time the ball goes to ground.
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