Former England prop Henry Thomas didn’t truly settle into his pursuit of a Rugby World Cup spot with Wales until the banter. And light-hearted teasing among his teammates began One of the initial players to change their national allegiance following the new Rugby World Cup regulations.
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The tighthead prop didn’t experience a chilly reception before those initial jests quite the opposite. A decade after his England debut which occurred as a substitute in Salta during a 32-3 victory over Argentina. Thomas entered a camp where he was warmly embraced perhaps a bit too warmly.
he remarked that when I first joined the team here, it was almost eerie how friendly everyone was. I didn’t truly feel like I belonged until I started receiving some good-natured ribbing from my fellow players. Once that banter started flowing, I began to relax more. That’s what I’m more accustomed to and it’s the essence of the team environment.
It was a tad too nicey-nicey at the beginning. Thomas points out the primary instigators of breaking the ice stating that I’m fairly certain. It was either Corey Domachowski or Dan Biggar as he singled out his fellow front-rower and the experienced fly-half. Interestingly, Dan Biggar wasn’t even around for the first few weeks I was here.
Thomas’s story is one of the extraordinary tales in the Rugby World Cup
So, he wasted no time in joining in but eventually, we all got there. Among the 20 teams competing in France, there will be players who have embarked on remarkable journeys to reach the RWC 2023 starting line. Not only is the 31-year-old among the earliest to switch allegiances under World Rugby’s new eligibility rules.
Which were approved in 2021 and allow a player to represent a different country of birth after a three-year waiting period. But he has also tenaciously overcome career-threatening injuries. His daring move from Bath to Montpellier acted as a catalyst for an impressive comeback. Rugby World Cup fans can buy Wales Rugby World Cup Tickets from our website.
Thomas reveals that after a highly successful season with Bath, I suffered a severe hamstring injury that tore off the bone. I spent six months in rehabilitation only to tear my ACL in my first game back marking my second ACL injury. This happened amidst the backdrop of the Covid pandemic which like most people presented various challenges and low points.
But it also provided me with ample time to work on my rehabilitation and get back into peak physical condition. And reflect on my career one thing I regretted was not being able to play more Test rugby. Having said that I didn’t hold out much hope of making a comeback especially when a year later I decided to move to France.
Clearly with the regulations concerning playing for England relocating to France was an acknowledgement that I needed to set different career goals. The intense focus on set-piece plays in the Top 14 league played a significant role in shaping Thomas who clinched the championship with Montpellier in 2022. A year later he had the opportunity to add to his seven caps earned with England.
Thomas’s father Nigel’s roots outlined back to Swansea
It was Thomas’s father Nigel whose roots traced back to Swansea casually mentioned the prospect of representing Wales under the revised eligibility rules. Thomas however remained cautious primarily concentrating on his commitments with Montpellier. Ironically it was a surprising phone call from a former England forwards coach that changed everything.
Thomas explains that it came out of the blue for me. Richard Cockerill was transitioning to Montpellier reached out to catch up. He mentioned that Wales coach Jonathan Humphreys had inquired about my contact information. A few days later Humphs got in touch expressing Wales’s interest in having more competition in the tighthead position. Rugby World Cup fans can buy Rugby World Cup 4th Quarter Final tickets from our website.
They had a selection meeting the following Monday, and although he couldn’t guarantee my inclusion, he asked if I was interested. My response was an unequivocal yes. There were challenges to navigate with Montpellier. Thomas admits that things got complicated for a while and initially he had to choose between his club. And the opportunity to vie for a spot in the Rugby World Cup squad.
However, even without any assurances beyond a place in the initial training camp, he remained committed to Wales. Subsequently, discussions with senior figures at Montpellier have helped smooth things over. And it’s understood that Thomas will continue with the club for the next season.
Nigel had witnessed his son play in a white shirt against Wales
But before his return, there’s a campaign under Warren Gatland that Thomas’s father Nigel eagerly anticipates. Thomas reflects that my dad is a passionate Welshman and has always tried to guide me towards that path as the most significant sporting influence in my life and a prominent role model. He once took me to Wembley for Wales vs France in 1998.
He even bought me a flag though unfortunately, I didn’t get to wave it too often because we lost 51-0. That probably didn’t do much to advance my Welsh cause at the time. I attended a Welsh Exiles camp at London Welsh and went for academy trials at Newport Gwent Dragons.
My father did make an effort to steer me in that direction but I ended up in boarding school and became a part of the English system. Fate has a curious way of playing tricks and it was rather fitting that Thomas’s second Test debut would be against England. To read more about The All Blacks scored their way to glory as the top 10 greatest tries in Rugby World Cup History.
He observed as Henry came off Gatland’s bench for the final half-hour of a warm-up match on August 5. England’s scrum found itself outmaneuvered and overpowered resulting in a 20-9 victory for the hosts. Thomas’s impact in that game along with his performance in the prop depth chart earned him a spot in Wales’s 33-man squad.
Georgia had a solid presentation in Cardiff last autumn with their scrum supremacy
As someone well-versed in resilience Thomas predicts that Wales will be a formidable opponent in a captivating pool featuring Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal. Georgia had a strong showing in Cardiff last autumn with their scrum dominance defining the game. Thomas takes immense pride in his journey so far and understands that more hard work lies ahead.
He emphasizes that you have to excel in your primary role and for me that’s scrummaging. It’s an aspect where I believe I can lead and I’ve conveyed to Gats and Humphs that I relish that responsibility. In all of those group matches the scrum will be of paramount importance.
It’s an area where we’ve had challenges against Georgia in the past and they are formidable opponents. We’ve invested significant effort in it over the summer. Rather than merely competing our goal is to assert our dominance against other teams.
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