Where there’s a WILL there’s a way!
BOSS BELIEVES WASPS STAR WILL BE MORE THAN JUST A SQUAD MEMBER FOR WALES DURING SIX NATIONS
WASPS boss Dai Young is convinced Will Rowlands will play for Wales during the Six Nations – stating he is ‘as good if not better’ than his competition to partner Alun Wyn Jones.
The 28-year-old London-born second row was named in Wayne Pivac’s training squad for the tournament, qualifying through his father and grandparents, who hail from Pontllanfraith, near Newport.
His director of rugby since signing his first professional deal in 2012 is convinced Wales have got a star on their hands.
“People say he’s just in the squad, but I totally believe he’ll play,” said Young, capped 51 times by Wales between 1987 and 2001.
“I think he’s as good if not better than a lot of the guys in there and I think he’ll show that in training.
“I’m sure once they see him in training and spend a bit of time with him they’re only going to be more and more impressed with him so I’d be very surprised if we don’t see Will Rowlands or Dai Rowlands, whatever we want to call him, in a Welsh jersey through the Six Nations.”
Rowlands received the coveted players’ player of the season award from his Wasps team-mates in acknowledgement of his efforts during the Coventrybased club’s turbulent 2018/19 season. They exited Europe without a win and finished eighth in the Gallagher Premiership amid a star player exodus that included internationals Elliot Daly, Nathan Hughes and Willie le Roux.
Despite winning the accolade from his team-mates, Young believes his second row deserved more praise and explained the contribution he makes on the pitch. “I think on occasions last season he wasn’t getting the credit he deserved,” he said. “I think he works really hard, he carries the ball really strongly he’s a big ball carrier obviously defensively puts a lot of tackles in, very mobile but
“I think he’s as good if not better than a lot of the guys in there and I think he’ll show that in training. Dai Young
a big man as well in the close quarters. He’s very good to have behind you in a scrum because he’s a big man, he’s a very good lineout forward as well.”
Young also gave an insight into Rowlands’ personality ahead of losing him to the Wales camp this week.
“We all know he’s an intelligent, very well-mannered guy,” he said.
“A very humble guy but very serious when it comes to his rugby as well, he always wants to learn, always wants to get better, more than happy to look at his game and he’s more than happy to look at ways of improving his game.
“So I’m really pleased for him, he’s a great kid but one that will strive to get better and better.”
Having sung Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Old Land of My Fathers) 12 times as Wales captain, Young joked he would be on hand to offer his long-serving lock some help with learning the lingo.
“He’s probably going to have to learn the anthem I may have to teach him a few lines of that anthem, but he’s going to do a good job for sure,” Young added.