'You get stars that get all the attention, but I'm more than happy to just plug along, keep the head down and still succeed'
James Wilson knows the drill. Bath will play their final Premiership game of the season on Saturday and that will be that, his time at the club will be over.
It was exactly this same situation a year ago. Salary cap manoeuvrings meant Todd Blackadder couldn’t keep a spot on the roster for his fellow New Zealander. He was surplus to requirement, but wasn’t left in the lurch.
His forced exit from England generated the opportunity to nostalgically return to where it all would have started back in 2003, on the beat with his native Southland in the provincial championship. Blackadder, though, hadn’t deleted the Kiwi’s number and when injuries meant some emergency winter cover was required at The Rec, Wilson was only too willing to return.
“You never know what is going to happen around the corner, and you can take my example,” he told RugbyPass. “I wanted to stay, unfortunately I couldn’t… they [Bath] sort of play on the edge a bit (with salary cap) and unfortunately I couldn’t stick around.
“But I managed to get home and play some rugby, help out my province. I was very grateful for that opportunity and then Todd, with a few injuries, asked me back over. I was more than happy to help out.”
Family ? pic.twitter.com/n5KhZrIOEj
— James Wilson (@_JamesWilson_) April 29, 2019
Now comes a second parting of the ways – and again he won’t be at a loose end. A Top League offer from newly promoted Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars will mean he will celebrate his 36th birthday in July still playing away in Japan. Not bad at all for a utility back some would consider the epitome of a journeyman pro.
Thing is, Wilson knows his place in the pecking order and wouldn’t change a career that taken him all over the place. From the Brumbies in Australia to New Zealand’s Highlanders and Chiefs and onto Bourgoin in France before making England his home since 2012, his time at Northampton and Bath separated by a dabble in the Championship with Bedford.
He accepts the sport thrives on its star names, but his lengthy journey demonstrates it also has plenty job satisfaction for those below the big earners in the pecking order.
“I owe the game so much,” he said enthusiastically. “It has given me so many opportunities coming from a small town in New Zealand (Invercargill) and to get to play on the biggest stage over here in Europe, it’s unbelievable. You get the stars that come over and get all the attention, but I’m more than happy to just plug along, keep the head down and still succeed.”
His attitude has proven his biggest strength, the characteristic that continues to make him stand out in the crowded marketplace where so many southern hemisphere players aspire to getting contracts on the other side of the equator.
“For me it’s my work ethic,” he explained when asked the secret of his longevity. “I want to achieve and do these things and, simple enough, if I want to them I have to work to achieve.
“I have to look after the way my body is, especially nowadays. It’s definitely not what it was 10 years ago, but if you work on it and keep to maintained then you’re still going to be able to play the game that you love, do it every day and keep up with these guys. It’s just work ethic. It’s simple yet so effective.
“I have had my fair share of injuries and not being involved in teams or missing selections, everything like that, but I have just stuck to it really. I have just put the head down and just worked.
“I really enjoy playing rugby and it’s definitely a great thing. I absolutely love it and I still do – I still want to continue playing and do great things. I have made some great memories over the years and I’m fortunate to play with some fantastic players, some of the best in the world who would have gone on and won some great things.”
Wilson has done the rounds in Australia, New Zealand, France and England, experienced so many different cultures at his eight different clubs, yet is still fighting the good fight despite the regular upheaval. The moral of his story? The language of rugby is universal no matter where you play.
“I have experienced all these different cultures, but when it comes to rugby everything is just so similar. It’s the same values across the board no matter where you play and no matter what country. I’m moving to Japan at the end of this season, so it’s going to be another new experience, another new culture, but yet I know that it will be so similar and that is why I am comfortable doing it.
“Also, I embrace all these different cultures. I know the game like the back of my hand so on the field is fine. The off the field stuff is just settling in, learning the culture and the people and getting to know the community. As a rugby player the thing you really need to adjust to is just getting out there and experiencing all of that. It makes what you do on the field so much easier if you go out and do that.
The #TrainWithYourHeroes initiative saw @MelkshamRFC u11s get a run around with @bathrugby's stars? @SGUnderhill, @taulupe and @_JamesWilson_ at Farleigh House ?
Stellar support of grassroots rugby by @GallagherUK?
Stars of tomorrow learning from the #GallagherPrem's best? pic.twitter.com/ycJ3K4reoI
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) May 3, 2019
“Mitsubishi DynaBoars have just been promoted, so it’s going to be a fantastic challenge. It’s going to be great to experience Japan during the Work Cup, to see how the Japanese people take on board all the cultures that are coming over.
“They have got the Olympics there in 2020, so it’s like a warm-up for that, getting everyone from all around the world over to experience what is a new game for them. Rugby has been around there for a number of years, but to see it there on a massive scale is going to be some experience.”
What planted the seed to travel the world playing rugby and enthusiastically make Kanagawa his next stop was the presence of stardust in his isolated South Island upbringing. “I was a kid a long, long time ago, but I used to run on the field after the games and get signatures. It was great stuff.
“I remember Simon Culhane, who was local to my town. He was only small stature but he played well above his weight, that was for sure, and he went on and did great things with the All Blacks, especially in the ’95 World Cup. He was a star that I looked up and over the years we have become quite close friends.
“These things start young but if you continue to play rugby and have a career out of it, you make doing lasting friendships and meet some great people.”
Without hesitation, he would recommend to any wide-eyed Kiwis looking to travel and play to readily embrace the English way. “The Premiership is tough, very physical and the season is long. Super Rugby is fast but it’s short and isn’t as physical and taxing.
“There is the travel you have to do with the Super Rugby, which has pros and cons. You go away and see new places, but the body doesn’t really like to travel that much. It takes a toll that way, but the way they game is here, the way it is supported and the crowds you get in Europe, it’s just fantastic.
“It’s a great place to come and play rugby. I definitely would recommend it to everyone back home if they get the opportunity.”
Seven years after he first arrived in England, Wilson’s stay is now over and he will leave for Japan with regret that Bath haven’t done the business this season. Having finished in sixth last season with 11 wins in 22 matches, they had hoped to greatly improve this term and make the play-offs.
It’s time to witness more of these moments, because every minute counts…every moments matters.
Season ticket renewals for 2019/20 now live ?? https://t.co/iLer3LKXin pic.twitter.com/GyBuUa9pYO
— Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) May 8, 2019
However, that desired improvement hasn’t materialised and they head to Welford Road on Saturday clinging onto sixth place in a campaign where they have won just nine times.
“The inconsistencies are a frustrating thing,” shrugged Wilson, who hasn’t featured in Blackadder’s line-up since January as the casualties he filled in made their return. “We should have been a lot higher than we are. We aren’t happy where we are. We wanted to finish higher.”
WATCH: Part one of the RugbyPass documentary on what fans can expect at the 2019 World Cup in Japan
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments