Jonathan Thomas: You can’t always predict the future. It’s where rugby is at the moment
Jonathan Thomas has likened the current situation facing Welsh Rugby to 2003
©PA
Assistant coach Jonathan Thomas is confident Wales can steady the ship and turn their fortunes around both on and off the field.
After a poor start to the Six Nations, Wales are currently sat bottom of the pile with no wins from three having been hammered against Ireland and Scotland, and then beaten comfortably by England last weekend.
They face off against Italy in Rome next Saturday before going to Paris for the final round of the tournament. The dreaded wooden spoon is looming.
Their performances on the pitch - as well as a tumultuous time of it - have made it a difficult period for Welsh Rugby in recent months. Reports that some Welsh internationals such as Josh Adams and Liam Williams are looking to leave their regions due to impending wage cuts is just the latest example.
Thomas insists that peaks and troughs are part and parcel of international rugby and he likened this period of adversity to the Welsh team of 2003 as well as this season when English clubs Wasps and Worcester Warriors were forced into administration.
He said: “It’s the landscape of rugby at the moment. I’ve been involved in English Rugby for the last few years (Head Coach at Worcester Warriors) and there’s huge adversity over there with the clubs as well.
“It comes with the territory and you can’t always predict the future. It’s where rugby is at the moment. Rugby goes through these cycles. My first cap in 2003 was off the back of a disappointing Six Nations. The players threatened to strike.
“It’s almost like history repeating itself. Rugby, as with any business or any sport, there’s peaks and troughs and there are politics that comes into it. As a coach, I don’t get involved with any of that stuff because it’s none of my business.
“All I can do is be positive, be upbeat and bring good energy to my role and try and be there for the players if they need me.”
Twenty years ago, Wales finished in last place in the Six Nations and with similar threats of player strikes, there are current comparisons that can be made to 20 years ago.
After that wooden spoon tournament, Wales turned it around later in the year and reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup before going on to win the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2005.
Thomas is confident Wales can get back to their best and outlines how they can do that: “Hard work, cohesion, being aligned, being really clear on our identity on and off the field. Being really clear about what the expectations are. Working hard at the basics, that’s probably some of the things that have let us down.
“In international rugby, the margins are really small. When you win, you’re never as good as you think and when you lose you’re never as bad as you think. In Welsh Rugby, we’ve been here before. You’re never as far away from turning the corner as people from the outside think you are.
“It’s important that we stay focused on ourselves. In sport, there’s external noise and that’s always going to be the case and it comes with being a professional player and that’s fine.”
Wales are tasked with Italy when the Six Nations resumes next Saturday and the Azzurri look to be in strong shape compared to previous years. They ran the French close in round one in a game that they easily could have won before going well again in round three against Ireland.
Their win over Wales in Cardiff last year will give them huge confidence, and Thomas said: “It [Italy's squad] is probably one of the best I’ve seen. It’s really impressive how they’ve grown and developed.
“They’re a proud group of players and they’re physical. They look like they’re well-coached and well-drilled and it’s going to be a tough test.
“For us, we can’t be afraid of failure. We want to play with passion. When you put the three feathers on, it’s about representing your country and putting smiles on people’s faces and doing the jersey proud.”
