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29 - 12

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Thursday

12:00

How Wales have rated Josh Adams on his return to training following two-game ban

Liam Heagney

18 Feb 2021

(Photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images)

Josh Adams has been described as “excellent” in training since his return to the Wales set-up this week following his suspension for the first two rounds of the Guinness Six Nations. The 25-year-old, who has scored 14 tries in his 29 Test appearances, fell foul of the Welsh squad over two weeks ago after it emerged that he had broken the strict virus protocols surrounding the Wayne Pivac’s squad.

Adams attended a gathering with his immediate family present on January 31, the day after the full Wales squad were released from camp ahead of their Six Nations opener with Ireland.

The squad linked back up on February 2 at their Vale Resort base and the Welsh Rugby Union reported that the breach was immediately raised and acted upon, resulting in a two-game ban for Adams.

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His absence didn’t affect Wales as they went on to win their opening two games versus Ireland and Scotland, with 20-year-old winger Louis Rees-Zammit emerging as a try-scoring hero on both occasions.

Adams has now returned to training with Wales ahead of the February 27 round three game at home to England and assistant coach Stephen Jones has given his approval regarding the quality of the input so far from the winger now that his ban is over.

The inside track from Gloucester on the intriguing Rees-Zammit vs May head-to-head on the wing which has the potential to hog the attention when Wales host England on February 27#SixNations #WALvENG #PremRugby
https://t.co/0tVOPaxISx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 18, 2021

“Excellent. He has been superb,” reported Jones on Thursday. “He has worked incredibly hard as you would expect from Josh, he is a great person. He has trained incredibly hard. He is desperate to put the Welsh jersey on, as is everybody in the group. He has been superb.”

Top try-scorer at the 2019 World Cup and one of the first names on the Wales teamsheet in recent times, Adams has come back to the mix with a huge job on his hands to regain selection as Rees-Zammit and Liam Williams impressed at Murrayfield.

“Top try scorer in the World Cup, which is superb credit to Josh. Competition for places is what we want,” Jones continued. “It’s healthy and as we challenge ourselves daily to improve, results are starting to come now and it’s great. Strength in depth is what we want. Selection headaches, whatever way you want to term it, that is exactly what we want as coaches.”

Wales had to overcome a huge injury list to emerge unbeaten from the opening two rounds of the Six Nations. Jones has now given an update on many of those injuries, starting with concussed trio Hallam Amos, Johnny Williams and Leigh Halfpenny.

“Hallam and Leigh are still going through the protocols. Johnny Williams is good,” he said. “I’m not sure of the medical situation (regarding George North’s foot), but the good thing is he back training. Those boys (North and Jonathan Davies) took part in training and (were given) what I believe is full green light. Same for Josh Navidi (neck).” Tomos Williams remains out of the reckoning, though.