Will Rowlands: My route to top
NEWLY-capped Wales and Wasps lock Will Rowlands will be eternally grateful for the four-month spell at Jersey that paved the way to an international future.
Late developer Rowlands, 28, joined Wasps full-time in 2014 after initially concentrating on economics at Oxford University, for whom he twice featured in Varsity Matches.
However, it took a stint in the Championship in season 2015/16 to iron out the creases under the tutelage of then forwards coach Steve Boden before Rowlands returned to make his Premiership debut.
Rowlands, who made his Wales debut against France in February, said: “When I first went into rugby it was an opportunity to do something I’d never expected to make a career of as a kid. I’ve always wanted to discover where my ceiling is and strive to get to that top level.
“I’m pleased I’ve kept progressing and it’s got more enjoyable as I’ve gone on. Jersey was the perfect place for me because when I came back to Wasps after university, I’d missed out on learning the nuts and bolts of my position – the technical side of scrummaging and lineout you don’t see so much at amateur level.
“Going to Wasps, I saw myself as a good ‘round the park’ player but there was a lot more to work on and being at Jersey, who historically have a very strong pack, was brilliant for me. Steve Boden was their forwards coach and he drilled a lot of detail into me while I was playing against seasoned pros.
“It was 12 games in 12 weeks and just what I needed at the time, so I look back on my stint there fondly and appreciate the efforts Steve made for me. It’s good to see he’s been appointed as Doncaster’s head coach and I’m sure he’ll do good things there.”
Of his Wales call-up, Rowlands added: “Being involved in that eight-week camp and playing in the Six Nations was a dream come true. It felt like my first day at school going into the Vale and having to learn a completely new way of doing things, but I found that stimulating and everyone was so welcoming.
“My Welsh connection is there through my father, but in many ways I thought my opportunity of playing for Wales had gone with me playing in England and them having so many good guys within the regions. I was over the moon when Wales got in touch and invited me to camp and didn’t even take a second to think about it.”
While Rowlands’ Wales debut ended in defeat against the French, it was an experience he will never forget.
“That was 100 per cent my best rugby memory to date,” he said. “It was incredible and the atmosphere in the Principality Stadium was like nothing I’d experienced – it’s so intense with the pitch right up against those steep stands. It was frustrating to lose an exciting game we probably should have won, but that was the only thing that marred an otherwise awesome day.
“Another frustrating thing was picking up a knee knock playing for Wasps that ruled me out of the England v Wales game at Twickenham. Growing up, I was always a Welsh supporter first and England second because of my dad, so that would have been an awesome game to be part of.
“Then our game against Scotland was called off as well which meant I was unable to get my second cap, but hopefully I’ll be able to do that at some point in future.”
With Wasps now under new management in the form of head coach Lee Blackett, Rowlands also has plenty to anticipate to at club level. With another full year on his contract, he said: “I’m looking forward to fulfilling that and I’ve got lots to achieve here.
“Lee’s a popular character at Wasps and he’s gone in a very different direction to Dai Young. We probably needed a bit of a change-up and I’m definitely optimistic that we can move things forward now and turn things around from the last 18 months. We want to be pushing towards the top four again and winning the Premiership is the dream.”