Peter Jackson’s column: Rory Watts-Jones was too brave for his own good

Rory Watts-JonesThere was a time when Rory Watts-Jones rubbed shoulders with the brightest and best of his generation on an equal footing. Ten years ago in Swansea, he played for against at U16 level in a team of such rare quality that four of them were among the most automatic selections at Murrayfield last weekend – Leigh Halfpenny, , Rhys Webb and Sam Warburton.
A fifth, Scott Andrews, made a truncated appearance off the bench. When the youngest of the national underage teams lined up at Dunvant RFC on Saturday April 9, 2009, nobody would have been surprised had Watts-Jones gone all the way to the top.
The teenager from Cowbridge Comprehensive School won selection as a wing forward. Ironically, given the way the future panned out, his presence there for the U16s coincided with the choice of the current Wales captain in the second row – Sam Warburton, of Whitchurch High School.
As they went their separate ways – Halfpenny, Biggar and Webb to the Ospreys, Warburton to the Blues – Watts-Jones headed further afield, to university in Plymouth where one of the real warriors of the English game, Graham Dawe, was heaving might and main to convert into a club.
When confirmation came a few days ago in a formal statement from that Watts-Jones had been forced to retire at 26 because of concussion, nobody felt for him more than Dawe.
“I spotted him playing No.8 for the university,'' said the former and England hooker. “What struck me right away was his never-say-die attitude and his massive ability as a ball-carrier and he was still only 18.
“We gave him a contract almost right away and he joined our development set-up. As he worked his way up through the ranks, we made him a specialist seven but we always knew he'd probably go back to Wales after finishing his studies.
“We wished him all the best and I stayed in touch with him. I knew about the concussion issue because he told me about it. He wanted a second opinion and I arranged for him to see a consultant neurologist.
“To be told that your career is over at 26, that you've got to walk away from the game for your own good must be really tough to take. I didn't really start my career properly until I was 26. Rory's been dealt one of life's unlucky cards but he's a bright lad and he'll do well in whatever he does. Throughout his time with us at Plymouth, he never ever shirked a challenge.
“You can never fault a man for being brave and Rory was brave. I'd rather see a man with that quality than someone not prepared to put his body on the line all the time. Rory Watts-Jones has my respect and he will have it forever.''
Coming from Dawe, a graduate of the old school where respect had to be earned the hard way, that is some compliment.
Regrettably, hardly a week goes by without someone, somewhere having to quit ahead of his time. Damien Varley, 's Ireland and former Wasps hooker, has bowed out after a long struggle to recover from a damaged foot.
At least he got to 31, long enough to have been capped by his country and to have played 121 times for his native province. Watts-Jones was only really getting into his stride after signing a two-year contract with the Blues 12 months ago.
He scored what proved to be the decisive try in an LV=Cup win at Newcastle at the start of November and followed it with another, against Treviso in the Pro 12.
One week later, he appeared for the last quarter of an hour of the Blues' vital European Challenge Cup win over at the Arms Park. It turned out to be the last quarter of an hour of his career. Neurological tests following behavioural changes caused by concussion left him no option. In his devastation at having his rugby life snatched from him, Watts-Jones found time to think of others in a sport where the brutality factor appears to be cranked up with the passing of every season.
“If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be to make the most of every minute in the game,'' he said. “Because you never know when it will be over.
“Although it will take time to come to terms with my retirement, I take consolation in the fact that I was able to fulfill my childhood dream and represent my home region.''
And he has the undying admiration of the Cornishman whom he salutes as having had the biggest influence on his rugby life – Graham Dawe.
*This article was first published in The Rugby Paper on February 22.

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