The World Cup man-power crisis engulfing Wales will force them to reconsider sending an SOS to Australia for Jake Ball.
The bearded lock, who departed shortly after giving Alun Wyn Jones a black eye in a training ground punch-up two years ago, has been shoved back into contention by Cory Hill’s abrupt departure as the sixth player to exit an ever-shrinking squad.
His decision to quit Wales hot on the heels of Jones’ Test retirement leaves only three locks standing out of the five picked last month among 54 World Cup contenders: Adam Beard, Will Rowlands and Dafydd Jenkins.
That leaves Warren Gatland pondering over whether to fill the void by picking one of two Test novices – Rhys Davies or Ben Carter – or looking much farther afield to recall Ball, a starting lock when Wales went to within a Handre Pollard penalty of toppling South Africa at the last World Cup.
Ball, back home in Perth at the end of his second season in Japan, said before Wales named their initial squad last month that Gatland had not been in touch. The head coach preferred another Japanese-based second row, Hill, instead.
His decision to sacrifice the World Cup and probably his entire international future to sign a club deal outside Wales changes everything. That includes Ball’s bewildering shift in Welsh status.
His exit from the Scarlets for Japan two years ago meant he had effectively banned himself from Wales selection under the 60-cap rule. Ball fell 10 short but now finds himself eligible again, the 60 caps having been reduced to 25 as part of the deal to stop Wales going on strike during the Six Nations.
Ball, 32 later this month, has an experienced track record built during seven years and 50 matches in the international arena. “I’m happy with the way I left,’’ he said before last month’s finish to Japan’s Top League season. “The intention was never to come back to play for Wales again.’’
Significantly, Ball did not declare himself unavailable, leaving the door ajar in the event of any Welsh approach. Born in England to a Welsh father, Ball has played 25 matches in two seasons for the Green Rockets Tokatsu.
Meanwhile, Eddie Jones has been busy doing what coaches never fail to do, talk up the opposition even when the opponent in question have lost all but one of their matches in the Six Nations. Australia’s head coach warns that Wales will pose a ‘danger’ when they collide with the Wallabies at Lyon on September 24.
“Sometimes a tough Six Nations can almost be the ideal preparation for the World Cup,’’ he said. “You work out some selection issues and you go into the World Cup with a renewed purpose. That’s the danger in Wales. Warren Gatland has a great track record at World Cups.’’
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