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'I had to listen to the politics above me' - Josh Adams on Wales or Worcester and his undecided future
Last season might have been his breakthrough campaign, but Josh Adams shows no signs of complacency as he gears up for a potentially career-defining year for both club and country.
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Buoyed by his first international try, scored as Wales secured a 2-0 Test series win against Argentina in Santa Fe, and re-energised by a five-week break that included a well-earned trip to Mexico, the Worcester Warriors wing returned to pre-season four weeks ago determined to prove last season was no one-off.
Should Adams, the 2017-18 Gallagher Premiership’s joint top try-scorer, enjoy an equally prolific campaign this time around then a place in Warren Gatland’s Wales squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup would be well within reach. But securing a place on the flight to Japan is not the 23-year-old’s sole focus.
Adams has entered the final year of his contract at Sixways, and with his fledgeling international career just six months and four caps old he must return to Wales from next season if he is to remain eligible for Test selection.
Despite reported interest from the Dragons, the former Scarlets academy player insists there have been “absolutely no discussions” with any of the four Welsh regions yet.
“Obviously, everyone is aware of the rule,” he tells RugbyPass. “It is what it is, I’m just fully concentrating on starting the season as best as I can for Worcester.
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“I’m going to have to cross that bridge when it comes to it and it’s going to be a difficult decision.”
To many outsiders, it might seem like a pretty simple choice. Test rugby is the pinnacle of the sport and it would seem like an act of near-heresy to turn your back on the chance to represent your country, were the opportunity available.
Yet, that does not take into account the bond between Adams and Worcester. It was the Warriors who offered him the chance to pursue a career in professional rugby when the Scarlets did not, and he has put himself in this position by performing on the platform they provided.
Moreover, Adams has progressed into the first team alongside fellow academy graduates Jack Singleton, Jamie Shillcock and Perry Humphreys. The lure of playing in the same Wales back-three as school-friend Steff Evans is a strong one, but beyond this season it will come at the expense of running out every weekend with some of his closest mates.
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“Worcester took a chance, saw something in me and obviously brought me over the bridge and I’m super, super thankful for that because without Worcester just seeing that little something or giving me that opportunity who knows what I’d be doing right now? I couldn’t tell you,” Adams explains.
“So, it is difficult. I’ve made some terrific friends here and I can easily say they’ll be close friends for life now.
“It’s been pretty cool because when I joined the academy there was a group of us who came through together. Singo (Singleton) now has broken into the England set-up and he’s doing terrifically well and we’re playing regular, Shilly (Shillcock) is playing regularly in the Premiership, Pezzer (Humphreys) is doing the same and then you start to see people like Kitch (Andrew Kitchener) breaking through now, Ted Hill again will come through.
“It’s like that first group of lads that I got to know and sort of live with, when I first moved here, we’ve all come through together and we’re all still playing together.
“So, I think that would be a difficult thing, not to be able to run out with them because we have got quite a close bond.”
Adams’ teammates in Worcester understand how tough the next few months will be for the wing. “Whatever Josh decides it has no impact on how we regard him as a man, as a player, it’s not a personal thing,” Warriors stalwart Chris Pennell told RugbyPass.
“So, I don’t envy the decision he has to make but what a great position to be in.”
It is possibly not a scenario Adams would have envisaged being in when Sam Vesty convinced the Warriors hierarchy to hand him an academy place as the Scarlets were preparing to let him go three years ago.
A spate of injuries at the start of 2018 opened up a space in the Wales back-three, and his form at Worcester – he has scored 30 tries in 48 first-team appearances for the Warriors – elevated him into Gatland’s starting XV for the opening two matches of the Six Nations.
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Adams lined up against Scotland and England on the opposite wing to his friend and former centre partner at Ysgol Gyfun y Strade in Llanelli, Steff Evans.
“I would never have said we’d both start for Wales together on the wings,” Adams says. “Growing up, playing school rugby together I was a centre, maybe on the wing and Steff was a centre or full-back.
“He obviously transitioned very well in the Scarlets and he made his breakthrough on the wing, and he’s done terrifically well since. So, to obviously start together, schoolmates if you like, on the wings was actually pretty cool and a special day for us.”
It was an injury to Evans that handed Adams his chance in Argentina, after the Worcester man had been withdrawn from the original squad once Premiership Rugby Limited refused to release English-based players for the opening game of the tour against South Africa in Washington DC.
Adams found out about his axing as he scrolled through social media at the Premiership Rugby Awards, where he picked up a gong for finishing atop the league’s try-scoring charts. He understood the reasons behind the decision.
“I had to listen to the politics above me and there was nothing I could do, but I was very grateful to get the opportunity to go then to Argentina,” he says. “I sort of slotted in seamlessly if you like, it wasn’t long after the Six Nations so the plays and stuff were quite fresh in my memory, it was just a matter of going over them again and I absolutely loved the two weeks I was out there.
“I was actually really grateful to be given the opportunity to start in both Tests, and happy to get a try in the last one as well.”
His experience in Argentina could prove to be an important one for both Adams and Wales. “It was one of those things that once you get into it and get that belief in yourself that you can actually play and compete at that level it’s sort of just like playing Prem again,” he says.
“But it did take me one or two games for me to feel that, and those were the two games in the Six Nations. I did feel a more confident in myself and a lot more comfortable in the environment in Argentina.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
7 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
72 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
19 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
7 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
2 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
19 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
19 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
3 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
19 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
2 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
19 Go to comments