Patchell repays Welsh faith with claim to starting place
A mauling by England threatened to derail the young fly-half ’s career, writes James Corrigan
Far from an understudy being granted a muchneeded warm-up in case of an emergency in the forthcoming gruelling run, there is a growing sense that Rhys Patchell could this afternoon be auditioning for a World Cup starting role for Wales.
Certainly Jonathan Davies, the fly-half great, believes that if all goes well against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Patchell should be selected ahead of Dan Biggar for the opening World Cup tussle against Georgia on Sept 23.
“If Patchell does OK in Dublin, then yes, I would start him in the first group game versus Georgia,” Davies said. “And if that doesn’t go well, pick [Dan] Biggar in the XV for the next match in Japan against Australia [on Sept 29]. That’s the beauty of having somebody as
reliable as Dan in the squad. Warren [Gatland] will know what he will get from him, every time.”
Davies means this as no slight towards Biggar and is not sidestepping down the daft route chosen by another legend in JJ Williams, who declared that Wales “are not going to win the World Cup with Biggar in the team”.
By contrast, Davies sees the Northampton pivot as crucial to Wales’s ambitions. But, like many, he was seduced by the “really nice balance” Gatland hit on with his playmakers in this year’s Grand Slam, in which Gareth Anscombe was allowed to go through the attacking dimensions until around the hour, with Biggar arriving to either close or stretch the defence with his superlative kicking game. “Dan is a hell of a guy to have running on to control those final stages,” Davies said. And no less a figure than Barry John concurs. “Will Dan Biggar revert to his 15-minute ‘close-the-game-out’ slot, as when Anscombe was fit?” John wrote in his walesonline.co. uk column. “Frankly, I see no reason whatsoever why it should not happen. Patchell tends to probe in a way that is very disturbing for opposition defences, as was the case with Anscombe.” However, as Davies points out, this theory assumes that Patchell is back to his best and that the eye-catching 40-minute cameo against Ireland in Cardiff last weekend – which earned him the nod in the World Cup squad over Jarrod Evans – was clear evidence the self-belief had returned. Wales have been here before, with the public hailing Patchell as their new No 10 saviour before the halo was ripped away. Last year, the then 24-year-old was man of the match in the opening Six Nations waltz against Scotland. A week later, after being baited by England’s Eddie Jones, Patchell crumbled at Twickenham.
Gatland and his staff, as well as Stephen Jones at the Scarlets, went to work on Patchell’s confidence, and he inspired Wales to a series win in Argentina. Alas, two concussions and a torn hamstring, ensured that final Test in Santa Fe was his last international start.
Months on the sidelines meant Patchell fell down the pecking order, going into the World Cup training squad as fourth choice.
“He was down on confidence, but when Gareth got injured [last month] there was a realisation that, ‘Hey, I’ve got a chance here,’ Gatland said. For a second weekend, the challenge is for Patchell and his half-back partnership with Tomos Williams.
Fans of both teams will watch with eyes behind hands in case any of their stars pick up injuries, but there will be those with an immediate prize in their sights.
“It is a long time since I have been this excited for something,” Patchell said.