Jamie Roberts names 3 Welsh Lions standouts with message for rookies

“I’m speaking from experience.” A 21-year-old Jamie Roberts started the 2008 season with just three Wales caps to his name. He ended the season a British and Irish Lions player of the series. If anyone knows what a difference a year can make, the Welsh great does.

So, with Warren Gatland selecting 15 players with five caps or fewer for Wales’ Autumn Nations Series, there are many that find themselves in the same position that Roberts, a two-time Lions tourist, did heading into the autumn of 2008.

The 97-cap international therefore has a message to those players with the Lions tour of Australia on the horizon: “It can all change very, very quickly.” While he returned from South Africa in 2009 recognised as one of the most destructive centres in the game, it is easy to forget that Roberts was only just establishing himself as an inside centre at the beginning of that season, let alone a Test player.

Speaking to RugbyPass recently, the 37-year-old discussed the change in atmosphere in a Lions year, while singling out which compatriots he believes are likely to make Andy Farrell’s squad come the end of the season. While Wales, without a Test win in 2024, do not appear to be in a position where swathes of players will be sporting another red jersey in 2025, Roberts has three in mind.

Flanker Jac Morgan, scrum-half Tomos Williams and hooker Dewi Lake are the three that “stand out” to the former centre, who described the Ospreys’ Morgan as “truly one of our world-class players.” But he had plenty of words of encouragement for Gatland’s rookies who may feel a Lions tour is nothing more than a pipe dream.

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“I think Dewi Lake is in that conversation, a wonderful player who’s shown some great form” TNT Sports pundit Roberts said, adding “those are the three that stand out now.

“Dare I say it, but a couple of these two-cap lads can have a huge impact. I’m speaking from experience there. I had three caps going into the autumn of 2008 ahead of the Lions in 2009, it can all change very, very quickly.

“Warren will make sure he makes his players aware of that to these young lads- go out there, put your hand up, keep the jersey.”

But Roberts was quick to stress that it is a collective effort which will see Wales well represented in Australia next year, so arresting their nine-match Test losing streak will be of paramount importance over the next month with visits from Fiji, Australia and South Africa.

“You don’t do this enough alone,” he added. “You do it as part of a collective, you do it as part of a good side, playing well in a good side. So it’s definitely a carrot there for the players, but they have to do it together and it’s a great motivation for the lads.

“It gets me super excited, in those Lions years there’s always an extra motivation, every session, whether in the gym or on the pitch, there’s extra motivation because you know the reward that’s potentially on offer.”

Every match of 2024 Autumn Nations Series is exclusively live on TNT Sports and discovery+ Watch The Autumn Nations Rugby Show, free-to-air on Quest every Thursday at 10pm