Quartet hoping to impress Gatland
It doesn't take much to change the mood of Welsh rugby. A win here, a sidestep there or even a good performance against a top side. We've had that and more in the past few weeks, but there is perhaps one stand out reason for the current mood of optimism and that is Warren Gatland.
Where poor old Wayne Pivac was a dead man walking after the defeats to Italy and then Georgia, Warren has returned with no baggage – other than three Grand Slams, two World Cup semi-finals and three British & Irish Lions tours in which he won a series in Australia, drew in New Zealand and went down 2-1 in South Africa.
His mere arrival back on Welsh soil has added a spark to what was otherwise a pretty dour season on all fronts. The reaction of the players in Europe and the Welsh derbies has been fantastic. It has been as if every game they have played has been a trial, every action calculated to grab the coach's attention. Some have done better than others, but the overall standard has been far higher than in the past.
So, who has put up their hand for selection for the Six Nations in the past few weeks?
Ashton Hewitt – The Dragons wing has got to be one of the fastest and unluckiest players around. He's been in Welsh squads, but then picked up an injury that has ruined his dreams. He came back at the start of the season and had to watch as his Dragons wing partner Rio Dyer stole his thunder by getting a call up for the Autumn Nations Series. Not only that, he scored on his debut against the All Blacks! The two of them in tandem against Cardiff on Boxing Day was a wonderful sight to see and caused their visitors to Rodney Parade a whole heap of problems. The way he skinned Owen Lane in one run was just superb. He just happens to have found himself injury free at a time when Wales are inundated with wing options.
Seeing Louis Rees-Zammit and Josh Adams limping out of their games last week will have been cause for concern for Gatland, but with the likes of Hewitt, Ryan Conbeer, Theo Cabango and Keelan Giles pushing the more established players – Alex Cuthbert, Adams, Rees-Zammit and Dyer – there is now plenty of quality cover.
Rhys Carre – The jury has largely been out on the Cardiff loose-head ever since Gatland left. He didn't meet the requirements of Wayne Pivac in his most recent squad, despite being recognised as one of the biggest assets in Welsh front row play. Some see him as a penalty machine, others say he isn't fit enough to go the full 80 minutes.
What he has done this season is prove many of his knockers wrong. He scrummed superbly in South Africa with his region, has carried long and hard in domestic and European games and showed off some of his defter touches in the win at Dragons on Boxing Day. He is playing longer and longer and making a bigger and bigger impact. Gatland took him to the 2019 World Cup in Japan and I'm sure will want to hook up with him again to challenge Gareth Thomas, Nicky Smith and Wyn Jones, when fit. There is so much potential in his giant frame and I'm sure Wales can only benefit from having him back in the squad.
Rhys Davies – The way in which he has stepped out of the considerable shadows of Alun Wyn Jones and Adam Beard at the Ospreys this season has been amazing to witness. Blessed with the perfect frame for a second row, his line-out work is good, he hits hard in the loose and is starting to get more involved around the pitch. He really stood tall in Montpellier in that brilliant European triumph against the Top 14 champions. He started ahead of Alun Wyn that day and looks set to join him and Beard in the Six Nations squad.
Ross Moriarty – I loved seeing him back to his brash, bullying best for the Dragons on Boxing Day. I know that Taulupe Faletau took all the plaudits in the back row battle as he inspired Cardiff to another win over their nearest and dearest rivals, but seeing Ross throwing his weight about, crashing into people and making yards just made me think about why Wayne Pivac omitted him from his squad in the Autumn. There is plenty of talent available for Gatland to play with across his back row and he will have even more to play with when Josh Navidi and Taine Basham return from injury. But he doesn't have many big men to consider. Justin Tipuric, Tommy Reffell and Thomas Young are all Rolls Royces by comparison to Ross. He is built for trench warfare, the sort of player you always loved having on your side, rather than playing against you. Fit and firing, I hope he gets the chance to bid for a World Cup spot this year.
The Welsh Six Nations squad is due to be announced in the week commencing January 16 and it looks as though everyone wants to be a part of it. The players at the four regions are not just playing for contracts and their future, it is the chance to work with one of the most amazing coaches in world rugby. Today sees all four teams go up against each other in the second round of Christmas derbies and I'm sure Gatland will be glued to his TV screen in New Zealand hoping for more players to put up their hands.
