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The Alun Wyn Jones mistake that has led to Nick Tompkins getting a Welsh nickname
Nick Tompkins has described life with Wales as “a nice distraction” following events at crisis club Saracens. The Saracens centre will make a first Wales start in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations appointment with Ireland.
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It follows a memorable try-scoring debut off the bench when Wales beat Italy 42-0 last weekend. Reigning English and European title holders Saracens will be relegated to the second-tier Championship at the end of this season.
It follows salary cap breaches that saw them docked 35 league points – and then an additional 70 – plus a £5.36milion fine. And asked on Thursday if his new Wales situation had proved a welcome relief, Tompkins said: “Yeah, it is.
“I still keep in touch with all the boys (at Saracens) and hear what the mood is like. It has been a nice distraction because it’s been pretty tough over there. I am here and focused on this.”
Tompkins, 24, played for England Under-20s and England Saxons but Wales boss Wayne Pivac was the national coach who came calling, knowing that his potential midfield newcomer was Welsh-qualified through his Wrexham-born grandmother.
(Continue reading below…)
Nick Tompkins can’t wait to start for Wales against Ireland
“No. There wasn’t any contact from Eddie (Jones),” Tompkins added. “I just had contact with Wayne. He called me, and I was more than happy to meet him and get the opportunity. I couldn’t have accepted it quick enough.”
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For a young man, he’s a seasoned professional. He handles himself very well. He is very impressive. I wasn’t expecting to play for Wales at international level, but then I don’t know if I was expecting to play international rugby at all. But when it came along, there was no chance of me saying no to it.”
Tompkins has even been in the Wales camp long enough to land a new nickname – albeit one that was handed to him in confused circumstances. “At the moment, it’s Neil,” he said. “Alun Wyn (Jones) got it wrong at the captain’s (Six Nations) launch when he spoke to Owen (Farrell).
“He said ‘Neil’s a good lad’. Owen got very confused and didn’t understand what he was talking about until it dawned on him that he got my name wrong. It’s sticking now, unfortunately.”
Your teams for Saturday's clash at the Aviva Stadium. #SixNations2020 #Ireland #Wales pic.twitter.com/rbkevRozti
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2020
Tompkins will partner Hadleigh Parkes in midfield on Saturday, while George North – a centre starter against Italy – moves back to his familiar wing position, replacing Johnny McNicholl.
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And Pivac said, of Tompkins: “It was a very good piece of business! But what the public saw on the field on the weekend, we’ve been seeing in training every day, and the way he conducts himself off the field. For a young man, he’s a seasoned professional. He handles himself very well. He is very impressive.”
Switches among the replacements see McNicholl being joined by prop Rhys Carre, who is available again after being banned following his sending off in Saracens’ Champions Cup victory over the Ospreys last month.
One change to Wayne Pivac's XVhttps://t.co/nAkziNPbKK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2020
Scrum-half Gareth Davies and Gloucester back Owen Williams are also on the bench, together with Ospreys lock Adam Beard, who replaces an injured Cory Hill. Wales head to Dublin on the back of a Welsh record-equalling eight successive Six Nations victories since losing to Ireland two years ago.
But they have not won a Six Nations game at the Aviva Stadium since 2012, which underlines the challenge facing Pivac’s team. “They [Ireland] are a very physical team, and if you let them get on the front foot they are very dangerous,” Pivac added.
“We’ve got to be careful with the areas in which we play and make sure we match that physicality that is going to be there. We know it’s not an easy place to go – the record speaks for itself there.
“It’s going to be a big challenge, but we certainly have to front-up physically and make sure we play at the right end of the field.”
– Press Association
WATCH: The Rugby Pod sets the scene ahead of the second round of Guinness Six Nations 2020 fixtures
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments