In Their Own Words: Summer Tour 2017

Roberts: In April of that year I’d missed out on the Lions tour. It was one of my career lows because I’d been on the tour in ’09 and ’13. I started for Wales in November 2016 but had a poor game against Australia in Cardiff. I paid the price for that poor performance, got dropped and spent the rest of the season on the bench for Wales. I didn’t play well enough to get picked for the Lions, so as gutted as I was, on reflection I didn’t deserve to travel. I got a slight inkling that maybe my time with Wales was coming to an end, because I was on the bench regularly in the Six Nations, where previously I’d been starting for the past nine years.

Jones: I’d been with the Scarlets for a while but not really had too much game time, but that season I played every game. We won a lot and I had confidence from playing all those minutes. I had no inkling I’d be selected for the summer tour though. It was the most nervous I’ve ever been before a squad selection. People were coming up to me and saying ‘you’re bound to go on tour’, but I didn’t know till about five minutes before the squad was announced to the public. You dream of going, but you think ‘they won’t pick me, they won’t pick me’.

Roberts: I was in Valletta watching one of my friends winning his 50th cap for Malta against Israel. Robin McBryde rang me while I was sat having a beer with a couple of mates and said, “Jamie, would you be open to captaining Wales on the summer tour?” I accepted without a second’s hesitation. It was a huge moment in my career. I’d always felt like a leader in the team with Wales, but under Warren, who liked to have a forward as captain, I never got asked to do it.

On reflection, being given that role was a bit of a parting gift because I wasn’t really picked for Wales again after that [bar an injury call-up in November 2017]. It was an amazing feeling to be asked to lead this young group. I take huge pride in responsibility; it’s something I’ve always thrived on. Unless I’m really involved I can feel quite distant from something. So it was a combination of two things: firstly, to help bring this younger group through. Robin and I spoke about how he was picking squad of players who, whilst playing well at the time, they felt could also play for Wales for years to come. Secondly was the chance to tour Samoa, because when else in your career will you get the chance to go there?

The Wales squad held their pre-tour training camp in North Wales, staying in the Quay Hotel in Conwy and training at the nearby Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay.

Williams: It was a fantastic period in North Wales. It gave the tour a strong foundation for us as a new coaching team and a lot of young international players to come together, set out our principles, and start enjoying working together and sharing each other’s company. The Quay Hotel and Parc Eirias were brilliant facilities for that early phase of the challenge. Being immersed in the environment opened me up to so much learning on a number of fronts. Working with Robin, Shaun Edwards and Matt Sherratt was invaluable. But as well as the technical elements of the coaching team, just seeing how the physical and medical staff operated in conjunction with the coaches in such a large management group was brilliant.

Roberts: We had a great week’s training up in North Wales. It was a big thing for myself and Muccers [Robin McBryde]: him in charge of the national side while Warren Gatland was away with the Lions, and for me the first time I’d captained my country. So despite being quite experienced up to this point, it was novel thing for me.

Jones: At 7am the morning after we’d won the league [beating Munster 46-22 in the PRO12 final], the Scarlets players selected in the Wales squad flew from Dublin to Manchester, then caught a bus to Colwyn Bay. It was a bit different! We had a tour to New Zealand and Samoa coming up, so the last place you’d expect to prepare would be Colwyn Bay. But it was a really enjoyable camp getting to know everyone. We went up Yr Wyddfa [Snowdon] on one of our days off, which was great.

Roberts: In our first training session at Parc Eirias, Shaun blasted off at the lads. It was like he’d forgotten that only three or four of us had been in the environment with him before! I remember having a chat with him and from that point we tailored our approach a little. He was great on that trip.

Jones: I’d been called into Wales camp during the previous Six Nations for the last week of the campaign because they were short of looseheads, so that was my first insight to Shaun. He was ranting and raving at the boys, so I kind of knew what to expect come the summer tour because I’d had a two-day taster. He always demands high performances and wants the best out of everyone.

The training camp in North Wales culminated in a match against Welsh Premiership side RGC, where Wales ran in 14 tries (including hat-tricks for Tyler Morgan and Cory Allen) and got to mingle with local fans after the match.

Jones: For me it was the first chance to put a Welsh shirt on, and it was nice just to get to turn out and play alongside all these guys I didn’t know so well. Getting to play with the likes of Jamie Roberts was a big thing for me back then.

Roberts: That game in front of a packed-out Parc Eirias was great fun. I threw an intercept pass and one of their players ran in a try under the sticks. I felt like a bit of an idiot! Robin did really well in managing the squad, making sure nobody played too many minutes. We just wanted a hit-out after a week’s training to prepare us for what was to come. I was aware as skipper that everyone there had different motivations: some were frustrated, some were delighted to be there. Gareth Davies was someone who was probably disappointed to miss out on the Lions, while Steff Evans hadn’t featured much for Wales and wanted to prove a point. What was great to see in North Wales was the guys who’d been in and around the Wales squad for a while but not had their shot – I’m talking about the likes of Gareth Anscombe, Ellis Jenkins, Cory Hill, Josh Navidi, plus Seb Davies, who trained really well that week – taking the bull by the horns and taking charge. There was a huge amount of progress throughout that week.

The flight from Heathrow to Auckland, via Dubai, took almost 24 hours. Wales would play Tonga as part of a double-header at Eden Park, to be followed by the All Blacks v Samoa.

Williams: It was a good chance to educate some of the boys about the rigours of a World Rugby Sevens Series campaign and the long-distance travel it entails. I had worked with a few of them as part of the sevens programme, so they knew exactly what it was about. Having just finished a full season of a 10-tournament World Series before coming straight into the national squad programme, it was all very fresh for me. That experience enabled me to better understand the boys’ needs on arrival with regards to training with jet lag and travel fatigue.

Roberts: We stayed stayed in Takapuna on the North Shore of Auckland. There was a lovely little beach café on corner. We had ten days’ prep before the Tonga game, and it was pretty clear the threat they would pose. We were playing at Eden Park, one of the greatest Test venues in the world, so you couldn’t need any more motivation. Wales had never won there, albeit having only played there in World Cups or against the All Blacks. My memories of there were always of losing: the 2011 World Cup semi-final against France, and then the first Test against New Zealand the summer of 2016.

Williams: Auckland is an amazing rugby city. It was fantastic to immerse myself in the match-week training regime, the analysis work around the team room, and the continued development of the young squad moving forward to the first Test match of the tour. I think the city gave us a good balance in preparing the team on the field, and relaxing away from it.

Jones: Jamie took control of the tour and it worked it out really well. He made sure that on our days off we had loads of activities planned, all these committees, which were important because the tour was at the end of a very long season. We’d go out for food and everything was planned ahead of time. Thumper [Alan Phillips] is a very experienced team manager, and between him and Jamie they really took charge and made it an enjoyable tour for everyone.

Roberts: During the week we made sure we took the lads over to Waiheke Island on the ferry. That’s just a magical place. We had a bit of food and maybe a glass of wine. Then Thumper and I made sure that the day after the Tonga Test we could get on kayaks and paddleboards. A lot of these players might have known each other a little bit beforehand, but an important part of a tour is bonding and socialising. So when we’d go out for food, we chopped and changed the groups to make sure everyone got to know each other. That’s a massive thing for me because it underpins everything about the game. You’ve got to want to be able to put your body on the line for your mates in rugby – that’s hard to do without a social connection. Even when I look back now, more than any tackle or try or whatever I did in the game, what I most remember are things like paddleboarding or swimming in the bay; these social events and good times with friends. I’m sure the younger players will look back one day and feel the same.

On a rainy evening in Eden Park, the game finished Tonga 6-24 Wales. Anscombe and Alex Cuthbert combined well early on for the wing to score Wales’ first try, before McBryde’s men were awarded a penalty try in the last minute. Debuts: Aled Davies, Seb Davies, Ryan Elias, Steff Evans, Ollie Griffiths, Wyn Jones, Dillon Lewis, Owen Williams, Thomas Young.

Jones: I’d never been to Eden Park before. Some might say it would have been nice to make your debut at home with more friends and family around you, but I’d have played anywhere in the world to get my first cap. I remember me and Eli [Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias] were sat on the bench with not too long left on the clock. We looked at each other thinking, ‘we’re not getting on here’. But 10 seconds would have done for me. And then the moment I finally got called on there was no stopping me. I recall there being a bit of confusion after the game about who got what cap number because a few of us got on at the same time. There weren’t many Welsh fans there, but four girls from back home in Llandovery were out there travelling and came to watch, so it was nice to see some familiar faces.

Williams: It was the proudest moment of my coaching career. Coaching at Test match level for Wales is the dream of any Welsh coach, and Eden Park was everything we could have wished for as a venue.

Roberts: We were one from one, but we knew a tougher test was to come.

That night, following the cap presentation, an announcement was made that four Welsh players were being called up to the British and Irish Lions tour – increasing the difficulty of Wales’ next challenge. The following day, they made the four-hour flight to Apia, the Samoan capital.

Roberts: We had no idea what to expect in Samoa. I’d never been to any of the Pacific Islands before. You knew it would be humid, but Jesus… when we got there it was so muggy, like nothing I’d experienced before. We drove to the hotel in darkness and you could see people watching TV under their canopies, graveyards in people’s front gardens. But the place is a paradise.

Jones: It was a bit of an eye-opener going there. The training facilities were considerably smaller and after training in the local gym or at the ground we’d go back to the hotel to shower. You could call it a reality check: I’d just been to the Aviva where we’d won the league, got my first cap in Eden Park – both world-class, modern venues – then gone to Samoa for my second cap. But was a unique place to visit. We knew how much it meant to the Samoans because the welcome we had was unbelievable. I think the whole of Samoa came out to watch the game.

Williams: The heat and conditions were an interesting factor throughout the week. Then, on the day of the match, the heavens opened and we had a torrential amount of rain, so the team needed to adapt for the actual fixture. We were very aware of the threats across the Samoan team and knew the danger they posed and the energy they would have in front of their home crowd. Being aware of this, as well as trusting in our processes and appreciating the talented players we had ourselves, were key focuses for our week.

Jones: If I’m honest, one of my abiding memories will be the diarrhoea and sickness we all got out there. Literally everybody was ill. It was daunting going into the game feeling quite weak because I’d lost a considerable amount of weight due to being sick. All the boys were in the same boat though. We didn’t actually manage to train much that week because of it. We just dug deep. In that sense I’m glad I was sharing a room with an experienced player like Balders [Scott Baldwin]. He advised me not to push myself too much in training: “There’s nothing you can do, boy. It won’t affect selection anyway: we’re all ill.” He guided me through that a bit, told me not to rush, because I probably would have tried to train and it wouldn’t have been the best of ideas.

Roberts: The food was lovely out there but the water hygiene was awful. You were almost guaranteed to get diarrhoea on that trip. That was a huge part of the week, and we had to take rehydration sachets with every drink leading up to the Test. It came to fruition during the game. As soon as we came in at half time in the match, half the team rushed to the toilet either due to the vomiting or diarrhoea. I just remember being in a real rush to congregate in the changing room before the second half started, and the only words I could muster were: ‘Whatever it takes. We have to find another level now and dig in’.

Williams: These setbacks can happen, and I’ve experienced that type of situation a number of times. The key element when you’re faced with that sort of situation is the group’s mindset and ability to adapt. As a squad, we did that really well and got the job done effectively.

Roberts: The game itself was brutal. The weather was awful, humid and the rain lashing down, and Samoa had point to prove after their All Blacks hammering. I had [Cardiff Blues centre] Rey Lee-Lo opposite me, and Aaron Mauger was their coach. It was an amazing game in a way. It was the best I’d seen our scrum-half, Aled Davies, play. He controlled the game so well with his kicking game. It was one of those where you just want to win in any way possible. I felt empty at 60-70 minutes, because I was one of those guys who’d been rushing to bathroom at half time.

Williams: We knew it would be a tight affair, and the conditions added to that on the actual day. But a lot of young players really put their hands up that day, and it was a proud Test victory that the team deserved. It was a great environment to put the team into: very testing conditions, with quality individual players as opposition.

At full time, it was Samoa 17-19 Wales. A brace from Steff Evans saw him continue his fine form in what had been a breakthrough season for the Scarlets wing. Three penalties from fly-half Sam Davies helped seal the deal for Wales. Debuts: Adam Beard, Rory Thornton.

Roberts: Shaun said it was the biggest win of his career because of the adversity we’d faced with such a young squad, and it felt like that to me too. There were a lot of new caps on that tour who have gone on to be regulars at regional and international level. A few lads toured but didn’t receive a cap, but that experience of supporting the group and being in a Test environment was invaluable. I hope in the years to come they’ll see it as a really good step in their development.

Jones: As we were leaving we gave a lot of kit to the Samoan people, and you could see how much that meant to them. That was probably my fondest memory of our time there.

Williams: I’m not at all surprised how many of those young players have kicked on since that summer. It was a clear strategy of the tour to start increasing depth towards the 2019 World Cup. A number of players took their opportunity to prove themselves not only on the pitch, but off it as well. Tomos Williams is a prime example: he didn’t play at all, but what he showed in training and his demeanour around the squad, he was going to be a serious contender for the World Cup. And the squad was full of stories like his with their own twists.

Jones: Maybe it’s opportunity you need more than anything else. Players like myself and Dillon Lewis were lucky to get that opportunity and felt quite comfortable in the environment. Sometimes some people fit in better than others, and there’s a lot of luck involved in that too.

Roberts: Having played in England and in France, I noticed that young Welsh lads can be quiet. I’m not quite sure why, but I wanted to give responsibility to the young players. I learnt a huge amount on that tour about people’s motivations, and about how to delegate that responsibility. Rugby’s the perfect environment to do that, whether it’s asking someone to read out their Joke of the Day or to do laundry duty. On the surface it might seem quite trivial, but in the context of what’s going on, it proves important to development. I learnt a hell of a lot that summer and was hugely honoured to captain Wales on tour. It was a lovely, lovely finish to my international career. Touring each country brings with it something different, and that was one of the most unique experiences of my career.