Back where it all toast 50th cap
TOMAS Francis’ international career will come full circle when he steps out to win his 50th Wales cap at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium tonight.
It’s the same venue where he made his Test debut back in August 2015 – and the same opposition.
He’s now hoping for the same result, with that World Cup warm-match having brought a 16-10 victory over Ireland.
Reaching the half-century will serve as a real landmark in what has been a pretty remarkable rugby journey for the 28-year-old.
Born and raised in North Yorkshire, little could he have imagined what lay in store for him when he started out at amateur level with Malton and Norton RFC or when he was a prop for Leeds University second XV, tipping the scales at 24st 6lbs.
He certainly wouldn’t have envisaged winning 50 Welsh caps, maybe not even one.
But from the moment Warren Gatland became aware that the sizeable young tighthead was qualified through a grandmother from Abercrave, everything changed.
It was a case of Tomas who? when Gatland first mentioned his name at a press conference in early 2015.
He’d only recently joined Exeter, after spells down the divisions with Doncaster and London Scottish, and had just a handful of top-flight appearances to his name, while he had plenty of work to do on the fitness front to get into shape.
But Gatland had spotted something in this raw, yet powerful scrummager and he was right.
Francis has gone on to be a virtual ever-present in the Welsh set-up, establishing himself as first-choice tighthead.
Now he is about to reach his notable milestone, back where it all began.
So, what are his memories of that debut, five years ago?
“My dad and uncle had been on the beers all day, so they were rather jolly afterwards!” he revealed.
“It was at the end of a World Cup camp. I didn’t get to play the first Ireland game and it was three weeks before the World Cup, so it was a relief to get out there, get my first cap under my belt and the win was awesome. It was a good occasion.
“Hopefully we can repeat that win and it’ll make the night better for me afterwards.
“For me, it’s such a proud achievement to get there. If you had asked me six years ago if I’d play 50 times for Wales I would not have dreamt of it.
“I’m massively proud. I got stuck on 48 a while ago, so it’s just good to finally get there.
“It’s where my first Test cap was as well, so that’s quite fitting. It’s just a shame family and friends can’t be there.
“I need to not let the occasion get control of my emotions and try and just do my thing on the pitch really.
“It is awesome though. If you told me when I was 20 I would have played 50 caps by this time, I don’t think I would have believed you, to be fair.”
Francis would have reached the landmark sooner, but for the serious shoulder injury he suffered in the World Cup semi-final against South Africa just over a year ago.
Having the misfortune to run into Springbok No.8 Duane Vermeulen, he was left with damage that consigned him to surgery and a lengthy lay-off.
He then also missed the opening Test of this autumn versus France as he was on Premiership final duty with Exeter, before eventually donning the red of Wales once more against Scotland a fortnight ago.
“It was obviously frustrating to be sat watching for 12 months between my 48th and 49th cap,” he admitted.
“You want to be in the squad every time and have a positive effect. It’s frustrating when you can’t play, can’t influence the game.
“But I just tried to use that time in lockdown to make myself a better player.
“I bring what I bring – a scrum, a maul, a set-piece and work around the field. The basics are there.
“But the game has evolved and adapted – a tighthead cannot just walk from set-piece to set-piece anymore. You have to offer a lot more around the pitch and change with the times.”
It’s been a challenging period in the Welsh camp, with five straight defeats followed by the shock departure of defence coach Byron Hayward.
Giving his thoughts, Francis said: “It’s obviously tough when someone loses their job. Covid has been a tough time and people have lost their jobs, he has as well. It’s never nice to see anyone do that.
“But, as a playing squad, it’s Wayne’s decision. He’s done it and kept us informed. It’s our job to put it right on the pitch now and that’s all we can do is try and refocus.
“People can say what they want outside our bubble. I don’t really care what people write or say, it’s about what we feel as a squad.
“We know we weren’t good enough against Scotland and we have a point to prove to ourselves, not to anyone else.
“We have to put pride back in the jersey and back in our performance, set the standard we want to set.
“We’re a better team than the results say. We’ve got to earn that respect back and have a big opportunity to do it.
“It wasn’t there against Scotland, we know it wasn’t good enough. It’s down to us to put it right and it’s exciting that we have the chance to do it.”
Francis continued: “Winning is a habit, that’s what we’ve learnt at Exeter.
“The two finals we won were probably the two worst games we played all year, but we had that winning mentality.
“Speaking to Foxy (Jonathan Davies), he said when they won the 2012 Grand Slam they then went on an eight-game losing streak, started the 2013 Six Nations losing and went on to win it.
“So, for us, it’s about a momentum shift. We’ve finished the last tournament, we’ve put a line in the sand and hopefully it’s a fresh start.
“The work on the training ground has been there, everyone has bought in. It’s down to us to deliver now.”
Francis’ landmark appearance also takes him closer to the magical 60-cap mark which he has to reach if he is to continue playing for Wales next season while based in England, with his Exeter contract expiring next summer.
As he says, “60 is the new 50”, but for now it’s time to raise his bat and savour that half-century.