Just a few short weeks ago, Joe Thomas was questioning whether he had a future as a professional rugby player.
Now he is going to be a team-mate of the likes of Manu Tuilagi, George Ford and Ben Youngs.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the 23-year-old centre, who was shown the door by the Ospreys a couple of months ago.
Without a job, he took the bold step of moving to New Zealand to try and get his career back on track.
Working in a timber yard out there, while playing club rugby, the former Wales U20s Grand Slam winner wondered if his pro days were over.
But then fate intervened and he is now ready to embark on life in the English Premiership, having been signed up by Leicester.
“It’s been probably the craziest couple of months of my rugby career,” said the Morriston youngster.
“It was obviously a disappointment to leave the Ospreys because I had been there since I was a kid.
“All my friends were there and I had put a lot of hard work in over the years.
“I was told I wouldn’t be required anymore and I was a bit down and a bit gutted.
“But it’s business I suppose and obviously the funding wasn’t there.
“I didn’t get any good offers on the table after that, with the market how it was with Project Reset.
“So I was just questioning what was next and doubting what was going on in the future.”
It was then that New Zealand entered the equation.
“A friend of my dad’s who he used to play with, Steve Hale, asked if I would like to go down there to play some rugby and see if I could spark some interest,” he explained.
“That sounded like the best option.
“I wanted to go and express myself in the best country in the world and see where that took me.
“I didn’t want to stay in Wales and have my career go stale.”
So it was that Thomas headed to the other side of the world to link up with the Otorohanga club in King Country, Waikato.
“The rugby was really good,” he said.
“You were playing against guys from the Chiefs wider squad, so it wasn’t like a walk in the park, it was a test.
“It opened my eyes up to a different kind of rugby.
“It was all about speed, accuracy and how to put defences under threat.
“I found I had to change and adapt quickly because the pace of the game was so fast.
“It was about playing for space, beating people and running off each other. I loved playing that sort of rugby because it suited my game.”
However, while he was enjoying his time on the field, his future as a pro was looking pretty bleak.
“I was working in a timber company with a lot of the boys who played for the club,” he said.
“I had to get a job just to tide me over.
“I was working there and thinking that’s me done with professional rugby.
“I was never doubting I could play at pro level. I knew I was good enough. I just thought the way things had panned out, I was just unlucky.”
That was when former Wales international Rob Appleyard, now an agent, came into the picture.
“I parted ways with my old agent and then I had a phone-call off Rob,” explained Thomas.
“He said there was a position up for grabs at Leicester and would I like to put my name in the hat.
“I said, yes, I would be all for it and it went really quickly from there.
“He asked me if I could send some of my highlights over to them and then the next day he got back in contact to say it was looking promising.
“That was on the Friday and by the Monday it was all done.
“The contract was sent over, I signed it, scanned it and sent it back.”
So after two months out in New Zealand, Thomas cut short his planned season-long stay and headed home to Wales a couple of weeks ago.
“I went to have my medical at Leicester last week and I start this week,” he said.
“It’s a bit crazy.
“I guess it shows you should never give up.
“It was a case of taking one step back to take two steps forward.
“The move to New Zealand has definitely paid off.
“Normally, I’m quite a shy person and stay in my shell and go with the flow.
“I feel I have become a better player for it and a better person for the experience.
“I have definitely grown up, on and off the pitch. I am more self-reliant now.
“I suppose everything happens for a reason.”
Looking ahead to life with the Tigers, he said: “I’m just excited to get going up there now and to get back into pro rugby.
“It hasn’t been a long time out. I definitely haven’t lost anything, I’ve just gained if anything.
“I’m not nervous, I’m excited. I’m confident and I just can’t wait to get started.
“I am looking to take what I’ve learned with the Ospreys and southern hemisphere-wise and put them together and see what I can do.
“There will be a lot of competition, but that brings out a good side in me.
“I am excited because I know what I can do.
“I just can’t wait to get the opportunity to put that Leicester Tigers jersey on and show everyone in the English Premiership who I am and what I can do.”
Leicester head coach Geordan Murphy said following the move: “Joe has a very good skill-set, he was highly rated on his way through the ranks in Wales and now he is keen to come in here and take on a new challenge with Leicester.”
