When Gareth Delve received the call from Rob Howley last week to replace the injured Toby Faletau in the Wales squad for the remainder of their tour of Australia, the Cardiff-born back-rower must have been thinking 'here we go again'.
Less than a year after being unceremoniously dumped out of head coach Warren Gatland's plans for the World Cup in New Zealand without being given a minute of game-time in the summer warm ups to prove himself, Delve yet again finds himself on the fringes of inclusion as a bit-part player for his country out of necessity rather than choice.
Delve's is a tale of ill fortune, bad timing and a succession of serious injuries that have all contributed in him never truly realising the early potential he showed to become a stalwart of the Welsh pack.
After graduating from Rumney High School, Cardiff in 1999, Delve was awarded a rugby scholarship with the prestigious Colston's Collegiate School situated the other side of the Severn bridge in Bristol; where notable alumni including Olly Barkley, Shane Geraghty and Tom Varndell have all since made a name for themselves professionally in the sport.
In the summer of 2001 aged 18, Delve signed his first professional contract with Bath after impressing consistently at schoolboy level; and despite being a fringe player initially, he enjoyed more regular game-time in the back-row at the Rec from 2005 as his stature, physicality and on-field presence grew.
A string of excellent performances in the Zurich Premiership (as it was then branded) had caught the eye of national selectors who had had Delve on their radar for a number of years and a life-long held ambition was realised in the 2006 6 Nations championship as the burly Number 8 made his debut as a replacement in the 28-18 victory over Scotland at the Millennium Stadium.
His good form continued for the remainder of the campaign and a spot on Wales' summer tour of Argentina was welcome reward for Delve's efforts - with the uncompromising back-rower appearing in both Tests and grabbing a try in the second fixture in Buenos Aires. Delve's international career started brightly, but little rugby in 2006/07 saw him drop out of favour. But despite this early promise in the international arena, Delve's career since has curtailed dramatically and been hampered frustratingly by a number injuries that have blighted his personal development and progress with Wales. Shoulder and knee problems beset his opportunities to play since that grueling tour to South America which prevented him from representing his country at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
After a season of little rugby and plenty of rehabilitation in the gym Delve decided to move to Gloucester in 2007 in the hope of a fresh start. Despite still being plagued by different knocks and niggles he was appointed joint-captain of the club along with fellow former Bath man Mike Tindall in 2009 following his decision to stay at home and concentrate on a full pre-season rather than joining Wales's summer tour of North America.
Since that snub of his country Delve has dwelt on the periferies of international selection. Disregarded for the 2009 Autumn Series and recalled only in March 2010 due to a startling dearth of options in the Welsh back-row that saw him parachuted in to the starting line-up for the 6 Nations defeat to Ireland in Dublin before being jettisoned back out just as quickly. His decision in the summer of the same year to reject the lure of home and the Cardiff Blues to up sticks and join the newest Super Rugby franchise - Melbourne Rebels - all but signaled the end of Delve's international aspirations.
As expected, his new team struggled for form, results in cohesion in their maiden season in the southern hemisphere's premier competition, but Delve was one character who stood out and his excellent performances in a shaky Rebels front eight won him numerous plaudits from the Australian media and the People's Choice Award for his powerful running and great work at the breakdown in 2011. But despite leading by example and taking over the reigns superbly as club captain from the injured Stirling Mortlock, Delve's ability and experience were ruthlessly cast aside as the Rebel was cut from Warren Gatland's final 30-man squad for last year's World Cup without being given any playing time in the warm-ups in the home and away Tests with England or Argentina in Cardiff.
That Gatland plumped for the abrasive but ultimately limited party-boy Andy Powell must have been all the more galling for Delve who has never been anything but the ultimate professional on and off the field; but with the new Super Rugby season the Number 8 has been given the chance to again demonstrate his prowess with more solid performances leading the Rebels.
His late call-up into the Welsh squad for the current tour of Australia seemed to be more out of his conveniently close location rather than congratulations over his current form. The fact that he has played no part in any of the Tests and featured only in a supporting role from the bench in the mid-week game against the Brumbies illustrates how Gatland, Howley and Edwards see Delve. Delve clearly thrives in his position as captain of the Rebels, his decision to play abroad has cost him dearly and geography will doubtless hinder him from adding to his 11 caps any time in the future. News leaked in January that suggested Delve had signed a pre-contract agreement with French money-men Toulon offered the possibility of a return to Europe and more regular consideration for national selection.
But as the likes of Dwayne Peel and Lee Byrne have found, playing outside of Wales currently, without provisions set to make players available for training camps and international fixtures, provides the men in charge with a suitable reason not to pick them. Further information that has come to light in the past few days alleges that Delve has reneged on his switch to the Top 14 in favour of staying in Australia to take over the captaincy of the Rebels full-time.
Some may question his motives and passion to play for his country; but on the one hand he is a nearly-man, starved of opportunities and frustrated by his lack of chances in a red shirt - on the other, a role model and hero of many and the leader of a budding franchise who would rather turn his nose up at one last big pay-day to stay and dig in to build the foundations of a successful future with his adopted club.
Just today it was announced that Gareth has signed a new one year extension with the Rebels, lucky for the Rebels with a strong squad forming together.
He sounds like someone I'd want in my team.
