Sale prop John was selected by head coach Wayne Pivac at the start of the year and had been picked to begin the clash with Scotland in March.
The scheduled Principality Stadium game was called off late on as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold meaning John is yet to win a cap.
John, 27, hopes he will finally be able to wear the Three Feathers on his chest at senior level this autumn and build on the progress he made earlier in the year.
“I was gutted and disappointed to be 24 hours away from winning my first cap,” John said.
“But it is what it is and there was nothing to moan about. The decision was the right one. There is no point whinging about it and the following day I was back with my family. It could have been a lot worse.
“The one thing which stood out for me from day one with Wales was the intensity in training.
“The sessions were shorter than the ones we have at Sale, but the intensity makes up for that. It was a big eye opener for me.”
WillGriff John had his first experience of a senior Wales camp earlier this year
John added: “I didn’t know what to expect. I thought I may have had a chance of selection for the first few games and of course I was disappointed, but at the same time it was just nice to be part of the environment for the first time.
“It was a big eye opener for me in terms of what it takes to be an international player. Even though I was disappointed maybe there was a blessing to the fact I didn’t play.
“I did find it very hard in the first week fitness wise. I realised how well conditioned you need to be and the feedback was I needed to be fitter. I was up there in terms of everything else.”
I was gutted and disappointed to be 24 hours away from winning my first cap
Former Wales Under-20 cap John – who has made it to the top via a stint in New Zealand – is now back in Gallagher Premiership action with Sale following rugby’s return.
He and his partner Esyllt welcomed son Macs into their lives in August following lockdown.
WillGriff John is a former Wales Under-20 international
John said: “It was nice to have a break really. I took the time to relax because I can’t remember the last time I had that much of a break. It was nice to take it as easy as I could.
“I definitely feel a lot better for the longest break I’ve ever had. The target for me is to get to a final with Sale, win that, and then in the following weeks hopefully I’ll be straight into international rugby.
“Something I want to be pushing for is to be named in the next Wales squad and get a chance to finally get my cap. I did do quite a lot of conditioning in lockdown as well as taking it easy.
“Some days I’d go pretty hard and I did put an emphasis on getting fitter during lockdown. Being naturally strong isn’t a problem for me so not having access to a gym wasn’t an issue.
“The main feedback from the Wales coaching staff was to get fitter so that if I do get picked for the next training squad I’ll be able to start it in a better place.”
WillGriff John evades a tackle from Rhys Webb in Wales training
John continued: “I’ve just had a little boy so there has been a lot of focus away from rugby.
“With my partner and her family being Welsh we wanted a Welsh name and there is no X in the Welsh alphabet.
Something I want to be pushing for is to be named in the next Wales squad and get a chance to finally get my cap
“That’s the reason for Macs’ name. All my education was in a Welsh school – the same one as Macauley Cook and Rhys Gill – Ysgol Gyfun Y Cymer.
“All my education was in Welsh, but I struggle to speak it now after leaving at 16. I can speak it and understand it quite well, but they asked me to do an interview in Welsh when I was with Wales.
“As soon as the interviewer started talking my mind went blank and I didn’t know what to say!”
