Try, try and try again... Adams gets the habit
JOSH Adams’ future was hanging by a thread when Worcester Warriors took a punt on him after he was released by the Scarlets five years ago.
The English Premiership club farmed the former Wales Under20 full-back out on loan to Gloucestershire side Cinderford, who were then in National League One South.
He knuckled down to the demands of professionalism, became faster and stronger, and proved to be a lethal weapon when unleashed as a winger by Worcester.
Then Wales coach Warren Gatland came calling and Adams made his Test debut in the victory over Scotland two years ago.
Adams was dropped following the loss to England, but hasn’t looked back since being recalled for the 2-0 series triumph in Argentina, bagging his Wales first try, in June 2018.
His form last year was startling, with his break setting up scrumhalf Tomos Williams for the try that sparked a sensational and successful fight-back against France in Paris during the European title opener.
There was a vital score when he outjumped Elliot Daly to catch a cross-kick for the touchdown which saw off England in Cardiff, a stunning side-step and finish against Scotland and another in Italy.
And the tries kept coming with seven, including a hat-trick against Fiji, at the Rugby World Cup to finish the tournament as its top try-scorer and 10 in all during a remarkable year.
Adams started this Six Nations with another hat-trick, versus Italy, but he was forced off during the first half of the defeat in Ireland by a painful knock to a hip.
Although Wales lacked possession when he was on the pitch, he oozed danger the three times he touched the ball and who knows what would have happened had he not been crocked.
Thankfully, Adams has recovered for the pivotal clash with France today. It’s only his eighth appearance at the Principality Stadium, but he’s set on extending his unbeaten streak.
“It’s my 24th cap on Saturday and I have never lost at home. I definitely don’t want to know what that feels like,” he said.
As for his scoring exploits, the 24-year-old confided: “I’m a little bit gutted in some ways if I don’t score a try.
“Scoring tries is great and I absolutely love doing it. I look for every chance I can get. I’m always floating around the field, probably in positions you wouldn’t expect me to be, always there trying to sniff out a try.
“As long as I can make a positive impact for the team, if I make a line-break and don’t score but give it to somebody else and that’s a right option, that’s what I will do.
“Whichever way I can make a positive impact for us as a team is the most important thing. If tries come off the back of that, fantastic.
“I’ll just keep doing that and hopefully that will lead to more tries and opportunities for us as a team.”
Adams acknowledged his rise had been a “bit surreal”, and insisted: “I’m still picking up things and adding them to my game. It’s great to learn new ideas.”
Asked if there was any better rugby feeling than scoring a try, he replied: “It’s up there with helping the team.
“It’s great when all the boys come in and give you a pat on the back when you have done something positive for the team.
“It’s one of those things. If you score a try it’s great, but winning is the best feeling.”
His two favourite touchdowns for Wales are his first, in Argentina, and the score against England.
“It was my first in Cardiff and the occasion of it being England, which is seen as the big one,” he says.
Wales’ mantra against France is to “right the wrongs” from Dublin, with Adams explaining: “With good teams you see, after a loss, there’s always a reaction the next time they play.
“We have looked at that game, saw where we went wrong, things we could work on. Tuesday, I would say, was probably the best training day we have had as a squad since we have come in.
“Everybody was sharp, there was a bit of brutality, we were getting stuck into each other and it had a real feel of where we need to put things right on Saturday.
“It was the same again on Thursday, we had a really good session. We need a step up in performance, we are home with a full crowd.
“Cardiff rocks when there’s everybody in there and we need to deliver a top performance if we are to get the win.”
Adams’ second outing against France was during the quarterfinals of the World Cup, with Wales again overhauling their opponents, who had lock Sebastien Vahaamahina sent off for elbowing Aaron Wainwright in the face.
“The one out in Paris last year was a funny old game. In the first half we were probably nowhere near our best, second half we weren’t at our best, but fairly close to it,” recalled Adams.
“A few lapses of concentration from them allowed us to capitalise and we managed to sneak a win.
“The one in Japan at the World Cup we won by a point. It went right to the wire.
“Of course, the sending-off was a big turning point and it certainly helped us.
“We didn’t start great in 2019 and it was similar in Japan. We were chasing both games.
“I think it’s important we are at home this time. This is France’s first away game of the campaign.
“We need to start well, ensure we apply pressure on them, take the game to them, make them take decisions and, hopefully, we will get good outcomes from that.”