The 21-year-old Dragons openside has trained with Wales in previous squads and is a strong contender to finally win his first cap against Canada or Argentina at the Principality Stadium next month. He has long been considered one of Welsh rugby’s brightest prospects but a broken arm suffered in January stunted his progress.
But he impressed in the Rainbow Cup with a series of outstanding performances, and he is determined to force his way into Pivac’s plans for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. “Everything is about building towards the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France,” said Basham.
“Wayne mentioned that he’s used over 50 odd players so far so that he can have a look at them. It’s all about putting my hand up and trying my best to get on the trip in 2023.
“Whether I’m starting or coming off the bench I need to make an impact, put my best foot forward, and put my hand up. The arm injury was a bit of a setback and then the boys at the Dragons, who also have a very competitive back-row, played well.
“I had to find a way to get back to form and hit top gear when I was back. Towards the end of the season with the Rainbow Cup that was a great opportunity for me to get some game time and get back into it.”
Basham has always been a player who catches the eye around the park, with his destructive ball carrying and his classy handling marking him out as someone with x-factor. But he has recently added more strings to his bow with his impact at the breakdown impressing Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan in recent months.
“I want to get my hands on the ball a lot so I can carry and get over the gain line for the team and put my best foot forward for the boys,” said Basham. “It’s been about focusing on the fundamentals of the game like the set-piece, my defence, and the contact area.
“It’s also been about improving those areas for me and those are areas which may differentiate you from other people. It’s about having a good all-round game which allows you to play well.
“Simon Cross the Dragons defence coach has also really helped me a lot throughout the season with the breakdown and how to analyse a game. With Dean at the Dragons it’s all about the fundamentals of rugby, defence and attack, and collisions. He’s kept things simple, and I’ve really benefitted from that.”
