Long-haul travel is one of the cornerstones of life on the sevens circuit, which means a return to World Series action is some way off. Roach and the team are waiting with bated to hear what World Rugby will say on the matter of resumption, in any form.
Uncertainty abounds, as does a feeling of insecurity. As one of the few senior players in the squad, the 26-year-old is feeling the heat as much as anyone. “I want to keep playing professional rugby. I’m only 26 so I’ve potentially got another nine years left of playing if all goes well, but that means looking after myself as a player financially as well as physically.
“I love sevens for all it’s given me as a player and as a person, so I’m anxious to find out what the future holds. Now that I’m married and own a house, I’ve got more than just myself to consider.” Roach and childhood sweetheart Emily, a make-up artist, are approaching their one-year wedding anniversary. “It is a tough situation for everyone. Those of us in the squad who don’t live with our parents are finding it hard at the moment, particularly with the not knowing if we will be able to extend our contracts through the summer.”
As the world saw over the weekend with the commencement of New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aoteoroa, it is domestic leagues that will be up and running before any global competitions. With the Olympic Games in Tokyo a carrot at the end of a stick that has been indefinitely lengthened, it could mean a number of players seek opportunities at rugby union clubs in the meantime. Roach is no different.
Already he has enjoyed successful stints with Dragons during his career. “I’ve stepped up to plate in 15s before and I’d relish the opportunity to do it again. A couple of years ago, I played 13 games on the bounce for the Dragons, including in Europe. I was in very positive talks with the region but then the head coach moved on. That’s just the way sport is sometimes.”
Outside of weighing up his options in Wales, he’s been keeping an eye on developments Stateside. “Major League Rugby sounds exciting, and they’ve got a pretty short season that isn’t too dissimilar to sevens. It would be very cool to experience playing over there.”
If there has been a plus side to the lockdown for the former Llanishen High pupil – Roach was a few years below Team Ineos cyclist Luke Rowe – it is that he hasn’t missed any rugby. He underwent shoulder surgery just before the restrictions were put in place, and is now fighting fit.
“In the last couple of weeks I’ve been partnering up with George Gasson,” he says of his Wales Sevens teammate. “We both live in Caerphilly and because running on your own can be a bit tedious for rugby players, we’ve been meeting at various pitches around the area to do our running work. It’s almost like having that team feeling again, even though it’s just the two of us. With the added competitive element, you get more out of it too.”
Away from the training field, he’s been quite literally cultivating another hobby to keep him occupied. “I’ve been getting a bit green-fingered, growing some veggies in the garden,” says Roach. “We’ve got everything from cucumbers, carrots, strawberries, tomatoes, onions, rhubarb, green beans. It’s nice to see things growing and developing.”
As much as Roach is enjoying his time in the garden, he’s now more desperate than ever to find out when he’ll be able to lace up his boots again.
