X-factor will make Josh world star
ALEX BYWATER on the remarkable progress of Wales wing Josh Adams
DEEP in the bowels of the Stade de France and in the early hours of Saturday morning with the clock having ticked past midnight, the smile on Josh Adams’ face said it all.
The Worcester winger is a young man enjoying a remarkable ride with Wales.
It is noticeable head coach Warren Gatland name drops Adams on a regular basis in Press conferences, often unprompted. He did so again after his team’s sensational Paris comeback.
Adams might have only caps, but he is highly rated by the Wales set-up and is poised to be a World Cup star. Wales’ team manager Alan Phillips has described him as “X Factor”.
At the Stade de France, Adams was superb once again as he belied his status as an international rookie to deliver a calm, assured performance. He makes few mistakes, makes excellent reads in defence, and is a deadly runner as he showed by setting up a try for Tomos Williams.
“This is all new for me. This is my fourth campaign and only my second Six Nations,” said Adams, who backs up his impressive displays on field with an articulate, amenable persona.
“But the boys here are brilliant. It’s a tight group, everybody gets on really well, and games like France show our cohesion. It was obviously great to come back from 16 points down and win.
“Winning becomes a habit and that’s what we’ve got to try and make it now. We’ve got a big week leading into Italy. It’s going to be another tough game out there. If we can go 11 games unbeaten in a row, that’s going to be terrific. We’ll just keep that momentum building and building.”
Wales’ first-choice back three remains Leigh Halfpenny, George North and Liam Williams, but Adams is putting them all under threat. He started the 24-19 win over France on the wing with Williams at fullback in place of the concussed Halfpenny. Adams will surely begin Saturday’s game in Italy too.
Gatland doesn’t name drop a player if they are not doing something right and Adams is certainly pushing the New Zealander’s buttons. Witness his approach work in setting up Tomos Williams for starters. With very little on and the French defence organised following a ruck, Adams stepped inside and out of a series of Gallic tacklers to tee up his scrum-half.
He did similarly against Argentina in Santa Fe last summer to score a try of his own.
Reflecting on victory over France, Adams added: “It was a good comeback. This group has come from the autumn into the Six Nations and we can take
“Warren Gatland name drops Adams on a regular basis in Press conferences, often unprompted”
a lot of confidence from that.
“It was a great win for us coming from that 16-point deficit and we can take some momentum now building into next week in Rome. We’re off down to Nice now for a few days and a training camp. “It’s all eyes on Italy.” After coming from behind in France thanks to Tomos Williams and a brace from North, Wales’ confidence will surely go from what was high in the build-up to this Six Nations to stratospheric.
They will remain grounded, but crucially they now know how to win ugly if needed.
Adams, Tomos Williams and Adam Beard are just three of Gatland’s next generation threatening the more established elite and that can only be a good thing as far as Wales are concerned.
What is certain is that Adams looks like he has all the makings of someone who will have a long and successful career at Test level. He is going about his business quietly yet excellently.
“If it’s raining in Rome like it did in Paris, then there is going to have to be a bit more game management from us,” said Adams. “We want to play the game in the right areas, maybe sharpen up our attack a bit more, and get into our shape a bit quicker.
“There are a few things to look forward to and reflect on and I’m sure we’ll do that in the coming days.”
Adams certainly won’t be standing still. Learning from the likes of North and Liam Williams has already allowed his game to flourish. The 23year-old is someone Wales have high hopes for.
Expect him to be around in a red jersey for a long time to come.