The Ealing Trailfinders hooker started three of the five Six Nations games and featured in the other two as a replacement, but his path to further caps has been blocked by the exceptional competition for the number two shirt in Treviso where Wales have been competing in the U20 Six Nations Summer Series.
Exeter Chiefs’ Oli Burrows and Cardiff Rugby’s Efan Daniel have been duelling for the starting spot and Veness has found that three into two doesn’t go. Prior to the team announcement for tonight’s final showdown against South Africa he was the only member of the 2022 squad who hadn’t featured in any of the previous games against Scotland, Georgia and Italy.
For every team selection the players are not informed beforehand. The entire squad watch a video clip on a large monitor in the team room. The players are revealed one by one, starting from loosehead prop up to fullback then the replacements. As each passing sub was named, Veness’s hopes of gaining a coveted spot dimmed particularly as Daniel was already named at 16. Numbers 17,18, 19, 20 passed by, then 20, 21, 22, and 23 and Veness’ hopes had drastically faded but then a moment of sheer joy as his name came up.
Veness concedes it has been frustrating watching the team from the side-lines but head coach Byron Hayward has been open with him throughout the selection process and he’s now eager to repay the faith shown in him.
“I didn’t actually know until the meeting I was going to be selected,” recalled a relieved Veness.
“I had a bit of an inclination before from the chat I had with Byron the day before. I didn’t know whether I would be in the squad or not and then obviously when it comes to the meeting you are getting further and further down the numbers on the bench and you’re starting to get a bit worried.”
With Daniel and Burrows dominating the hooking roles for the opening games against Italy and Georgia games were running out for Veness to add to his five caps.
“After the Georgia game I had a good chat with forwards coach Richard Kelly but that was more about the Six Nations where he said he trusted me as a player, and he hoped I get my chance to play but I was up against tough competition this time around.
A long time coming…@mogsv finally gets to play in the #U20SummerSeries and gets the biggest cheer during jersey presentation
His seletion ensures every member of the #WalesU20s squad has featured in the tournament 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/CoI3MEl8OY
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏉 (@WelshRugbyUnion) July 11, 2022
“He said just keep working hard but he couldn’t promise anything. I then had my first chat after Italy with Byron and he just said about how impressed he was with my attitude out here and what I’ve done supporting the boys and keep going despite the negativity of not playing.
“He said he hopes he could get me a chance but he can’t promise anything and it’s about doing what is right for the team so I just had to keep my head down basically.
“It’s been tough not being involved but I have enjoyed supporting the boys. Seeing boys like Ben Williams getting his cap, I was chuffed for him as he hasn’t exactly come in via a traditional way so I was very happy to see him get capped. And it’s been good seeing some of the other boys playing like Mason [Grady] coming back from his injury. I’ve known Mason for years now so seeing him do well is great and now I’ll hopefully get a chance to play with him.”
Hayward has been spoiled for choice at hooker with Daniel, Burrows and Veness offering him real selection headaches but he has been impressed in the way Veness has taken the disappointment of missing out on selection.
“He has been fantastic – what an example to the rest of the squad. He hasn’t played a minute and hasn’t been involved in any of the games because of the level of hooker he has in front of him in his position,” said the Wales U20 head coach.
“He started three games in the Six Nations for us so he is a very good player himself but he is just unfortunate the two other boys have gone so well in front of him, but he has been so positive within the group.
“He’s been helping the analyst’s film on the wide angles on match day, he’s even swept out the sheds. He’s been such a positive influence when it could have been so easy for him to drop his head and be disappointed.
Morgan Veness powers into the heart of the Italian defence during the U20 Six Nations
“It’s always difficult for the boys who don’t make the match day 23 or 26 in our case, they can get demotivated, a bit home sick because they are not involved but he has been a 100 per cent team member and an integral part of our success here and he deserves his opportunity.”
Veness has taken the setbacks in his stride as he has already accomplished more than he had anticipated at the beginning of the season.
“If you had told me at the start of the season that I would have five involvements in the Six Nations but I’d come out to Italy and I wouldn’t play but still have those five caps I would have bitten your hand off so for me it’s about keeping the boys going and helping where I could,” he said.
Veness still recalls the moment he was asked to attend training with the Under 20s prior to the Six Nations, initially as covid cover.
“I was just happy to be involved and getting my training shirt – I was buzzing. I had a shirt with the three feathers on it. I was loving it, so I was buzzing to have that.
“That was a big moment for me. When Phil [kitman, McArdle] gave me that he said can you hand that back to me when you’re done, and I replied you’re not getting that back!”
So with just one big game left against South Africa in Treviso tonight, Veness will remember something his mother said to him when he was younger as he gets off the team bus and enters the stadium.
“My mum always said to me when I was younger that if I was not being selected you want to be the best sub there is and make an impact so if I do get that chance I’ll do my best. I’ll just I’ll take my chance and do what I can for the team.”
