Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Aaron Wainwright delivers timely November boost for Wales

By PA
Wales' Aaron Wainwright (Photo by Ian Cook/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright looks on course to be fit for the autumn internationals as he continues his recovery from a serious hamstring injury. The back-rower was hurt during the closing minutes of Wales’ first Test defeat against Australia in July, which was also his 50th cap, and subsequently underwent surgery.

ADVERTISEMENT

He has not played since, but in a boost for Wales boss Warren Gatland ahead of facing Fiji, Australia and South Africa next month, the signs appear promising. “I got some contact and a bit of sprinting this week,” Wainwright said.

“I don’t want to jinx anything and put a game or a date on it, but, yes, in the next couple of weeks hopefully. The thing I am sort of battling with at the moment, being my first big major injury and first surgery, just having those conversations with the physios and just trying to battle back and forth with them.

Video Spacer

WATCH: Chasing the Sun Season 2 Trailer | RPTV

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 1:28
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 1:28
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    WATCH: Chasing the Sun Season 2 Trailer | RPTV

    The brilliant Chasing the Sun 2, charting the inspiring story of the Springboks at Rugby World Cup 2023, can be watched on RugbyPass TV

    Watch now

    “They are the guys that are there to dictate when I come back and they are the ones who are in charge. An ideal scenario, I would try and play for the Dragons before anything else. I don’t think I would be too comfortable, if selected, to go straight back in and play international rugby, but I am just focusing on getting the body right and going from there.”

    Wainwright was comfortably Wales’ most consistent performer last season, which has been recognised in him being named Welsh Rugby Writers’ player of the year. While Gatland’s team are on a run of nine successive defeats – they have not won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup – Wainwright is confident that fortunes will change.

    Fixture
    Internationals
    Wales
    19 - 24
    Full-time
    Fiji
    All Stats and Data

    “The way you have seen the (Welsh) regions start in the United Rugby Championship is incredibly encouraging,” he added. “If all four regions are performing and playing well, then it will add to the international standard and how we are playing and training as a group when we go into camp.

    “If you look back, there were a lot of games we’ve been in and close to winning and two that stick out in my mind are Scotland – lost by one point – and England – lost by two points – in last season’s Six Nations.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “It is building and, if the regions keep performing and playing well, those guys there get that experience of winning and what it takes to win and hopefully that feeds into the international squad.”

    Wainwright, meanwhile, retains a strong and active role at grassroots level with Whiteheads RFC in Newport, helping to coach the Division Four East club. “I played youth rugby (for Whiteheads), played seven or eight games of senior rugby and played in a final at Rodney Parade which we lost and I got a yellow card,” he said.

    “I’ve got my level two (coaching). I don’t think I could see myself doing anything more serious than this at the moment. It’s good just to come down and have a laugh with some of the boys and have a bit of a chat with my mates.

    “It is just seeing some of the younger guys, how they progress and if I can help contribute to that and give them bits of detail and different tips I’ve picked up over the years. I have always said after I finish playing (professional rugby) that I want to come back and play here, so that is a goal of mine.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Hopefully I can do something like that, come back and play for a couple of games, which will be quite interesting.”

    Related

    Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 tickets

    The Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 is coming to England. Click here to buy tickets.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

    Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

    New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

    Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

    The Rise of Kenya | The Report

    New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

    The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    I
    IkeaBoy 5 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

    Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

    So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


    “I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

    I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

    Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


    “I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

    So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


    “lol u really need to chill out”

    Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

    171 Go to comments
    f
    fl 5 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

    Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


    To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


    I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


    I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


    I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


    “Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

    lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

    171 Go to comments
    I
    IkeaBoy 6 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


    His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


    How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


    Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


    His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


    Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


    Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


    Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

    171 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ Munster-ROG reunion a ‘love story’ but no return likely for La Rochelle boss Munster-ROG reunion a ‘love story’ but no return likely for La Rochelle boss
    Search