‘Undersized’ Tompkins beefs up for Wales duty

NICK Tompkins is ready to tear into Scotland on Saturday after using lockdown to increase his bulk and power for Test rugby.

Saracens centre Tompkins – now on loan at the Dragons – was a shock pick for Wales’ Six Nations squad at the start of the year and was involved in all four games before Covid struck.

Despite impressing at international level, Tompkins, right, felt he had to add more to his physicality.

“Lockdown was good to me! I wanted to put on a bit more,” he said. “I felt in the Six Nations I was a little bit undersized.

“I was fine fitness wise, but I wanted to be a bit heavier and I used lockdown as well as I could with the limited equipment I had. I didn’t have a gym so used a lot of free weights.

“I wasn’t shocked by the physicality – you kind of expect it and I’ve been fortunate enough to play in some Champions Cup games at that level – but I wanted to get a bit bigger for longevity and make sure I’ve got that extra bulk in collisions.

“It’s tough to get good weight on in the season so I wanted to use lockdown wisely.”

Former England U20 ace Tompkins won his fifth Welsh cap in the friendly with France last night and is set to start against Scotland at Parc y Scarlets.

The 25-year-old admits he could have done better in his first few games for

Wales but his acclimatisation will only improve the more he plays.

Tompkins scored a try on debut as a replacement against Italy, but produced a skittish performance in Ireland and threw a crucial intercept against France. “The start of the Six Nations feels like a lifetime ago,” he said. “I look back on it fondly because of what a special way it was for me to come in for the Italy game.

“There are things I wish I could have done better like the Ireland game. I wish I’d been more composed – the atmosphere got to me a bit.

“In the France game maybe if I didn’t throw the interception we’d have been alright. Overall it was such a fun time, but the job is not done.”