The Tip of the Iceberg

Friday 27 January 2012

Like many young men plying their trade in professional rugby in Wales recently, Justin Tipuric has experienced something of a whirlwind eighteen months representing his club and region. In 2010 the Neath-born openside flanker was attempting to make the grade in the Welsh Premiership down at the Talbot Athletic Ground with Aberavon RFC, whilst leading his country at junior level with the under 20s.

Fast-forward two years and the 22-year-old has firmly established himself as one of the most promising back-row talents Wales now has at its disposal. Since August 2010, Tipuric has represented the Ospreys 44 times, contributed 5 tries - including one memorable score against Edinburgh last season whilst playing at blindside - now captains his region and is very much on the radar of national head coach Warren Gatland, having been selected in Wales's preliminary training squad for the 2012 RBS 6 Nations.

It would be hard to argue that it has been a meteoric rise from youth player to nationally-recognised sports star in a matter of months and it is no mean luck that Tipuric has come so far in such a short space of time.

To the surprise of many the back-row first wore the armband for his region in the absence of Alun Wyn Jones in a narrow loss away to Leinster in January of last year and since that time has not looked back. He has been an integral part of the change in philosophy at the Ospreys that has, out of choice or necessity, discarded a host of high-profile, big-earning international stars, to instead invest time and money into the region's youthful promise.

Being the focal point and leader of not only a rugby team but also a lucrative franchise would be a burden for any rugby player, but to place this pressure on one of such tender years and relatively little experience illustrates the attitude, maturity and determination to succeed that Tipuric possesses.

For too long Welsh rugby has been awash with average players unwilling to test or push themselves to progress in the sport but happy enough to accept their pay packets at week's end. Tipuric, along with others at the Ospreys like Ashley Beck, Rhys Webb and Hanno Dirksen display a new breed of player in the Principality that hold a mentality, desire and enthusiasm to be as good as they can possibly be with aspirations to go toe-to-toe with the very best in the world. Wales's recent efforts at the Rugby World Cup demonstrates that this ideology is not the Ospreys' alone, but Tipuric embodies the emphasis placed on building a team ethic and support at the region that previously prevented the side from achieving the success that a squad with such quality should have attained.

His endeavours on the pitch at the Liberty Stadium were recognised by Gatland and his coaching staff in early August which saw Tipuric selected for the initial 45-man Rugby World Cup training squad. Despite making his international debut as a second half substitute in the warm-up game against Argentina, he eventually missed out on the tournament - due mainly to the presence of a certain Sam Warburton. His qualities have not been forgotten, however, and the former Aberavon Wizard made his second appearance for his country off the bench against Australia in Shane Williams's farewell performance last month.

Tipuric's rugbying talents that mix strength, grit and guile have won many plaudits and admirers thus far in his young career, and they are qualities that many other emerging back-rowers in the valleys share. The likes of Rob McCusker, Josh Turnbull, Aaron Shingler, Lewis Evans and Josh Navidi have all displayed a great deal of skill and ability for their regions that have them knocking on the door of now-established internationals Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau and Warburton.

From the dark days of post-2008 Grand Slam when Wales could barely rub three back-rowers together the country seems now blessed with talent that particular division. Envigoured youth is off-set by the experience of seasoned internationals such as Ryan Jones and Jonathan Thomas that provide a perfect blend of excitement and know-how that can prove essential in the country's drive for glory on the field.