CAPTAIN’S LOG... WHEN THE GREAT AWJ IS AWAY, WHO COULD TAKE OVER?

THERE used to be a Welsh rugby captain back in the day who had a penchant for sitting in the corner of a dressing room in full Zen mode ahead of games while the rest of his squad were trying to fire themselves up.

Suffice to say, the man in question didn’t enjoy a prolonged leadership reign.

But captaincy... there isn’t an exact template for it.

Get it right and it can be worth a huge amount to a side. But get it wrong and it can be ruinous to hopes of success.

Wales will be looking for a leader for their projected Tests this summer assuming the likes of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Ken Owens are away with the Lions. Who might that individual be? There seem to be four main candidates...

Cory Hill

IT might be wise to start with Cory Hill. There was a time when an internet quest for information on the bearded one would result in Google wondering whether the person doing the searching was on the trail of Corey Hill, the late American mixed martial artist. That was then; this is now. Now the 6ft 5in Cardiff Blue is up to 32 caps for his country. Warren Gatland valued him so much he named Hill in his leadership group when the lock was only 25. Gatland also took him to a World Cup amid doubts about Hill’s fitness.

The player had to return home without playing a single game, but the coach had seen him as worth taking a punt on.

In short, then, any discussion about who might lead Wales on the pitch this summer should start with

Cory Lewis Hill, former skipper of the Dragons who has also worn the armband at Cardiff Blues and acted as joint-wales captain in the Americas in 2018.

Counting against him? Not much, actually. But not everyone is of that view. Hill has strong claims to the job, then.

Adam Beard

BEARD himself might be considered to have captaincy credentials.

Just a few months ago, he was on the outside looking in, left out of Wales’ autumn squad with the coaches evidently feeling he had issues to address in his game.

But his response on returning to the Ospreys was something else.

Beard rolled up his sleeves, took responsibility in an engine room which was missing the experience of Alun Wyn Jones and Bradley Davies, and produced a series of outstanding performances, most notably against Glasgow in October.

Is it too soon for him to skipper the national team? Probably. But that he’s heading in the right direction isn’t in doubt.

Ross Moriarty

CAN we suggest this guy as a captaincy candidate? Close on three years ago, after all, there he was – causing poor Nicolas Sanchez no little distress as the Argentina fly-half found himself in a Moriarty chokehold. THE idea of the Welsh back rower even being considered for Wales leadership duties at that point seemed wholly remote.

But sometimes handing leadership responsibilities to a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, who has been known to act first and think later – sometimes that can work.

Ellis Jenkins

WE can’t be sure if Jenkins will be part of Wayne Pivac’s plans for the summer as he continues to move up the gears after more than two years out with a knee injury.

His comeback to date has been extraordinary, mind.

After more than 800 days on the sidelines, he could have been forgiven for easing his way back in. But right from the start he was at it, achieving turnovers, piling up tackles, making carries.

He’s a leader, too, skippering Wales in the U20 Junior World Championship final in 2013. He acted as joint-captain with Hill in the Wales senior squad on tour in 2018, and also has an easy way with the media. The concern? Can his body cope with an international rugby training regime. That is one for the medics and conditioners to assess.