‘It’s every rugby player’s dream to play for their country but if you asked me earlier this season if I thought I’d be in the autumn squad then I’d probably have laughed. It’s come round really quick but I’m so excited to be here and excited to get going,” he said earlier this week where you would have required a crow bar to wipe the smile from his face.
“I’m definitely ahead of schedule – my first game of the year I was playing for Cardiff RFC. My goal for the year, if I’m honest, was just to break into the Blues side and get a few games for them.
“So to be in the autumn squad and starting against Argentina means I’m a lot further ahead than I thought I would be at this point.”
The 20-year-old gets his opportunity due to the injury suffered by British and Irish Lions star Jonathan Davies against South Africa last Saturday but the midfielder certainly doesn’t lack for any confidence going into his debut.
“I am confident. You’ve got to be. If I wasn’t good enough, I wouldn’t have been picked. I just can’t wait to play. It was a surprise when I was announced in the squad and to be honest I thought I might be on the bench against Tonga. But when Foxy got injured I thought there may be a chance in this game and thankfully I’ve been given one. I just need to go out and show what I can do now.
While he is more accustomed to playing inside centre he has no concerns playing outside centre against the Pumas where is one of four changes from the Wales side that lost to South Africa last weekend.
“With the Under-20s I played all this year at 13 so it’s not unfamiliar to me and I do enjoy it. With the team we have picked we might play in the wider channels. Hopefully, my sevens experience can come into it and we can exploit some of that space.
“There’s not a lot of difference between 12 and 13. There’s a bit in defence where you have got to cover out the back a bit whereas at 12 you get the big men running at you.”
