The giant Beard made his international debut on the 2017 summer tour when he played against Samoa in Apia.
Since then he has gone on to win 22 caps and helped the side to win the 2019 Grand Slam.
Beard’s presence in the Wales team certainly seems to help. He won each of his first 13 appearances at Test level and boasts a win percentage of 72.72 from his Test career so far.
Here, Beard talks about being back in the Wales environment, the win over Ireland, and Saturday’s clash with Scotland…
Question: You must be delighted to be back in the team?
Adam Beard: “It’s been great. Looking back on the past the year or so, I haven’t had much international rugby under my belt really.
“To get a good run of games with the Ospreys, put in some good performances to get back into the squad, and get a first start in the campaign was a really good feeling for myself and something I’m proud of.”
Q: Did you change anything about your game?
AB: “The main thing for me was consistency of performances at regional level. Looking back over the last year or so, I probably had one good game and then one average game so it was about me being more consistent.
“I had to replicate the work-ons the guys up here gave me in my regional performances. I feel like I’ve been doing that which has got me a spot back in the squad.”
Q: How has fatherhood changed you?
AB: “It’s been great. I have a little one now and the missus is due again soon. It’s kept me grounded and made me really enjoy my rugby as well.”
Adam Beard wins line-out ball for Wales against Ireland
To get a first start in the campaign was a really good feeling for myself and something I’m proud of
Q: How do you reflect on the win over Ireland?
AB: “International rugby is hard work. I know I’d rather win ugly than lose pretty. International rugby is all about momentum and it was massive to start the game with a win.
“When I was on the bench [at the end] it was a little bit of squeaky bum time, but even though there was that last little five-minute blip from the boys, we were still confident we would get the job done.”
Q: What about facing Scotland on Saturday?
AB: “It’ll be a massive challenge come the weekend. Those boys are good operators in the line-out so we’ll have to be on good form. You could see Scotland have been improving over the past year or so and have definitely become a really good team, one we are definitely wary of.
“They are definitely a team that prides itself on defence now. Steve Tandy has gone in who is someone a lot of us are familiar with here. He’s been massive. You can see that with the way they have been defending. We’ll watch that this week in training and hopefully we can counterattack it.
Adam Beard (left) with Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones
Scotland have been improving over the past year or so and have definitely become a really good team, one we are definitely wary of
Q: Wayne Pivac wanted you to improve all round, how’s that gone?
AB: “The big work-ons for me, being a big guy, were around getting my height low and speed into contact.
“I’ve had a good coach at the Ospreys help me in Toby Booth as well as Duncan Jones with the forwards.
“It’s been great for me at regional level and helped me get back into the squad.”
You can keep in touch with both camps as we head for round two of the Guinness Six Nations for the Scotland v Wales clash on Saturday – we’ve got interviews, videos and social posts covered right here.
