Echoes of Rowlands for captain Jac
THE SMALL Welsh village of Cwmtwrch will swap sorrow for celebration today when Jac Morgan captains his country for the first time in a senior international against England. Flanker Morgan, 23, first took hold of a rugby ball in the Swansea Valley, playing at Cwmtwrch alongside the grandson of Clive Rowlands, who also hailed from the village. Rowlands, the great former Wales captain and coach who was in charge of legendary figures including Sir Gareth Edwards in the 1970s, died last week at the age of 85.
‘I was fortunate enough to know Clive for years. I played with his grandson for Cwmtwrch all through the juniors,’ said Morgan, who has risen quickly through the Welsh ranks. ‘Every Sunday he’d be down watching us play. To know him and meet him has been great and I send my condolences to the family. What he’s done for Cwmtwrch has been brilliant. He’s been such a role model for everyone who has come through there. He had a great effect on us all.’ Rowlands won 14 caps for Wales, all as captain, and Morgan is following in his footsteps as a skipper. The Ospreys man has earned comparisons with Sam Warburton and the similarities are there for all to see.
A strong showing against England on the first weekend of the summer’s World Cup warm-ups in Cardiff today could be enough to earn Morgan the captaincy full-time at the tournament in France.
‘It is great for Jac to captain the side,’ said Wales back George North. ‘What he has done for the Ospreys, and when he has had an opportunity in a Welsh shirt, he has been brilliant.
‘I see the similarities (with Warburton) in that he is not a talking captain, he is a doing captain. Jac is very much, “Follow me and I will do it”. It has been good to see him mature into that role of stepping up. For him to get that opportunity is a huge honour.’ Both Wales and England are fielding fringe sides at Principality Stadium. Wales head coach Warren Gatland has five players set to make Test bows, while Leigh Halfpenny will win his 100th cap.