My Life in Rugby – Ashley Johnson: World Cup snub led me to Wasps

LIKE any black player growing up in South Africa, you couldn't be mediocre, you couldn't just be another talent, you had to excel if you wanted to make it as a rugby professional.

Being a player of colour came with a massive responsibility, too, because the way you played determined whether doors opened for other guys after you. If you had one bad game people would be like, ‘he's just another black kid on the block'. It was tough with the pressure but, eventually, that kind of eased over the years.

After breaking through with the Cheetahs, I was fortunate to get on the Springbok tour to the UK in 2009. It was my first taste of the UK and English rugby, and I was really taken aback – in a good way – by the passion and ferocity of club rugby.

The way Leicester Tigers played was really physical and I enjoyed that. I was one of five uncapped players but we still had players like Gurthro Steenkamp, Bismarck du Plessis and Juan Smith in the team. But, even so, the way the Tigers scrummed meant we were going backwards most of the time. I think that's when I fell in love with the Premiership and it planted a seed in my mind that I would like to come back and play in the competition.

For the time being, though, my focus was on playing for the Springboks and I got that opportunity in 2011. Pulling on the green and gold jersey was not just about me and the immense feeling of pride I had, it was something for the whole family and for all the people who had helped me on the way.

It was recognition for them as much as myself. I would still take my three caps for South Africa rather than a load more for any other country in the world. They were the only team I would ever want to play for.

I remember being really nervous before my debut against Australia in Sydney and Victor Matfield coming up to reassure me in the changing room. He just said, ‘listen, you're in the team because of your ability as a ball carrier, just go out and do what you are good at'. That helped calm me down and I went on to play in two more Tests against the All Blacks. Being on the winning side against the All Blacks was brilliant but the thing that sticks with me from that game was how humble the All Blacks were afterwards. They came into the changing room to say, ‘well done' and have a few beers with us.

I thought I'd have a very good chance of making the World Cup squad on the back of that, but the selectors went for an overseas-based guy over me. I was angry at the time, seething really, and decided I might as well head to Europe. A few of us felt that way and there was quite a big exodus.

Joining Wasps, I made sure I was aware of the shirt. I found out about the guys who had gone before me and done so much for the club – people like Lawrence Dallaglio and Josh Lewsey.

Having James Haskell in the changing room was really helpful, he was a bridge between the past and the present. I'd first met Hask during his brief Rugby with the High-landers and, as you can imagine with him, it wasn't a run-of-the-mill encounter. I couldn't believe it as I sat on the bench and watched him punch someone's lights out and get sent off. It happened just after my move to Wasps had been announced and I thought ‘what have I got into here'?

Hask was brilliant for me and all the new guys at Wasps in terms of helping us settle in and also in driving the culture of the club. When it was announced that the club would be leaving Adams Park, there was a lot of emotion flying around. But he made a point of saying that Wasps wasn't a place, it was about people. Whenever we took to the park, we played for the fans.

The Heineken Cup was a big draw because of the rivalries and the atmosphere and the intensity of matches. It was one of the main reasons why I came over, so getting into the top six was always a big focus.

To do that the season after we'd come second-from-bottom was a real achievement in my eyes. We had Tom Varndell's brilliant tap-tackle on Sam Vesty at Bath to thank for keeping us up. That's one moment I'll never forget, nor the first game at the Ricoh Arena.

At Wasps, I got the opportunity to play with some great players and a great coach in Dai Young. He took the gamble on converting me from the back row to hooker.

To do that showed how much faith he had in me. But I couldn't have done it without his help on the scrummaging and Andy Titterrell with the throwing. Carlo Festuccia didn't speak much English but he was brilliant as well.

For them to turn me into a Premiership-ready hooker in 18 months just goes to show what quality coaches they are. Dai and his wife Wendy were brilliant off the field, too, in helping my family and me settle in.

It's a shame that Covid meant I didn't get to say farewell to Wasps on the pitch as I'd hoped, especially as I was only two games short of 200 for the club. But I have too many fond memories to look back with regrets. I am at peace because I never left anything out there as a player. I had the chance to continue at the top level with the Bulls but we felt the right thing to do as a family was to stay in England. I'm enjoying coaching at Moseley now and, hopefully, I've still got a few more games left in me yet.