He’s been there, done it and got the T-shirt, according to his club coach. So is Rhys Priestland now about to swap that T-shirt for the Wales No. 10 jersey against New Zealand?
It would be some story if he did when you consider everything he has been through doing a career of highs and lows, twists and turns.
It is five years since he last started a Test for Wales, versus Georgia in November 2017. Even more startling, it is eight years since he last did so against a tier one nation, against England in March 2014.
There was good reason to believe his international career was over during four years in the wilderness, having become ineligible under the 60-cap rule on re-signing with Bath. You would have forgiven him for not losing any sleep over that, given the abuse and flak he received from a minority of so-called Wales fans towards the end of his time with Warren Gatland’s squad.
Life in the west country, away from the unforgiving glare of the Test arena and the intense scrutiny from the Welsh public and pundits alike, may well have come as a welcome contrast after what he had been through. But now, with international ambitions clearly still burning in his mid 30s, he has dived back into the goldfish bowl and is very much in the mix to start against the All Blacks.
Having joined Cardiff last year, he became eligible for Wales once again and had a couple of outings off the bench last autumn, notably landing the match-winning penalty after coming off the bench for his 52nd cap against Australia. He didn’t get any game-time during the Six Nations and missed out on selection for the summer tour of South Africa. With his 36th birthday coming up in January, one once more wondered if he had reached the end of the international road. Think again!
With regular fly-half Dan Biggar out of the November Tests and Gareth Anscombe not having played for a month due to a rib injury, there has to be a decent chance of Priestland wearing No. 10 at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, November 5. It would come 10 years to the month after his one previous start against New Zealand.
He is certainly odds on to be in the match-day squad, especially having shown his versatility in the early weeks of the season by slotting in at full-back for Cardiff. But it was when he switched to his more accustomed fly-half berth against the Stormers just over a week ago that he really put his hand up.
At a rain-soaked Arms Park, he delivered a tactical masterclass, showing all his years of experience and rugby know-how with the way he dictated the game through his kicking out of hand. He repeatedly pinned the visitors from Cape Town back with raking touch-finders and set up tries for wings Theo Cabango and Jason Harries with pin-point cross kicks. There were also six successful shots at goal amid a 20-point haul as he played a central role in ending the reigning champions’ 15-game unbeaten run, earning the man of the match award in the process.
Stormers coach John Dobson was positively gushing in his praise for the 35-year-old, saying he was “absolutely sublime”, going on to call his display superb and magnificent. As for Cardiff director of rugby Dai Young, he is clear in his own mind in terms of Priestland’s readiness to take on the All Blacks if handed the job.
“He has been there, done it, got the T-shirt really,” said the former Wales and Lions prop. “You don’t get 50-odd caps by accident, do you? We are grateful to have him and he won’t let anybody down. If he gets selected, I am sure he will do a great job.
“Rhys is a true professional. He knows the game inside out and knows what is required to play at that level, all the hard work behind. His work is second to none. He will always know what is required of him from a game-plan point of view. He has a calm head out there, which is important. Players like playing with him because he is nice and calm. He gives clear instructions and he showed against the Stormers what a quality operator he is with the way he controlled the game really well. I thought he was excellent.”
Cardiff backs coach Matt Sherratt works with Priestland day in, day out, so is also well qualified to provide an insight into what he brings to the table.
“I think his biggest strength is his game management and how assured he is," said Sherratt. "He has a calming effect on players around him. The biggest compliment I can pay him is other players like playing with him."
What of the players’ perspective then? Cardiff wing Jason Harries benefited from Priestland’s precision against the Stormers, touching down off a kick pass from the veteran fly-half. “It was such a well-weighted kick from Rhys," he said. "It was right on the money and all I had to do was just finish it. Credit to Rhys, he is good and he has done it for years. He knows how to control a game with his kicking. He has brought the old spiral bomb back in! The practice he puts in during the week comes to fruition in the game.”
So, has the moment arrived once again for Priestland, 10 years on from helping Wales win the 2012 Grand Slam? All will be revealed in the coming days.
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