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The change of tack that reignited Wales star's career
By Simon Thomas
Aaron Wainwright steps into the shoes of a Welsh legend this weekend for one of the biggest games of his rugby life.
But the Dragons back row forward is someone who has consistently shown he is able to rise to a challenge.
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He went to the last World Cup in Japan aged just 21, yet proceeded to establish himself as a first-choice starter, galloping away for a crucial try in the quarter-final victory over France.
Then, in more recent times, came a different kind of challenge. He was dropped from the starting line up and then the 23 altogether during the 2022 Six Nations, he missed out on the summer tour of South Africa through injury and was then omitted from the squad for the autumn internationals by coach Wayne Pivac.
Having been a permanent fixture in the Welsh set-up for some four years, it would have been a new and unwelcome experience to find himself surplus to requirements.
He was even struggling to make it into the Dragons starting line-up during the early part of last season.
But once again he responded to the challenge. He recaptured his place and his form at regional level and earned a recall to the Wales squad for the Six Nations from the returning Warren Gatland, making his first Test appearance in more than a year against France in Paris.
Since then, he has been a virtual ever present in the side. He shone at No 8 in the absence of the injured Taulupe Faletau in the victory over England in August – which Gatland described as his best performance in the red jersey – and he has been doing sterling service on the blindside flank so far during this World Cup.
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Now he is back at the base of the scrum for Saturday’s quarter-final clash with Argentina in Marseille, with Faletau once again sidelined, this time with a broken arm.
It’s a big responsibility for the 26-year-old, replacing a true Welsh rugby great, but he will thoroughly relish playing in his preferred position.
With 42 caps now under his belt – and highs and lows along the way – he is quite a different individual to the rookie who went to the last World Cup.
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“Going to Japan quite young and inexperienced, I definitely look back on it with fond memories, but I probably didn’t capture it as well as I would have liked to,” he says.
“I’ve been looking to take in the whole experience a lot more this time.
“I’m doing that maybe because of the lows I went through with selection over the past 18 months. That has driven me more to get better and succeed.
“It’s about enjoying the experience because you never know when your next game is going to come or what’s going to happen in the future.”
Wainwright has also changed his approach through working with Kiwi coach Gatland once again.
“Since Gats has come back, he has said he wants everyone to focus on what their strength is and keep improving that,” he said.
“Maybe over the previous 12-18 months, I tried to improve my defensive side, but that probably took away from what my strengths are, which is the attacking side of my game, getting my hands on the ball and trying to be direct and dominant.
“Gats has told me I am going to get selected on the things I am good at, so to keep working on those and get even better at them. That’s what I have looked to do.”
Schooled at Bassaleg Comprehensive, Wainwright initially looked destined for a career in football having been on the books of Cardiff City and Newport County during his teenage years.
He was offered a scholarship to stay on with County, but didn’t want to move schools and then came the switch to rugby as he started playing alongside his mates at the local club, Whiteheads RFC.
Going on to study sports science at Cardiff Metropolitan University, he starred in the pack for the college first team alongside future England international Alex Dombrandt.
Signed up by the Dragons, he made his league debut for them in October 2017 and just nine months later he was winning his first Welsh cap against Argentina in San Jose.
Five years on from that fast-tracking onto the international stage, he has matured as a player and is in the shape of his life.
“I am more experienced now and know what I need to do to get myself into games consistently and have better impact on games,” he says.
“And, on the back of the training over the summer, this is the best physical condition I have been in during my career so far.
“When you push yourself to the limit and go to those dark moments during games, you know you have more in you and that’s what the training camps were for.”
As for the shift across the back row for the knock-out meeting with the Pumas, well that’s something he will be very comfortable with.
“My preferred position is No 8 and I see myself playing there longer-term,” he says.
“I was able to get my hands on the ball quite a bit when I played there in the warm-up games. That’s when I enjoy my rugby more is getting my hands on the ball and carrying. I enjoy being in open space and able to showcase my skill-set.”
What better place to showcase that talent than in a World Cup quarter-final – just as he did four years ago.
