RWC: Morgan hoping to reverse the fortunes of Wales' No. 13 shirt

Andrew Baldock 03:56 01/10/2015
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  • Tyler Morgan will make his World Cup debut against Fiji tonight, hoping that unlucky 13 does not strike again.

    Wales’ well-chronicled injury curse has removed players like Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Cory Allen and Hallam Amos from their World Cup plans.

    And 20-year-old Newport Gwent Dragons centre Morgan will now takes his place in Wales’ midfield after being called into the squad just nine days ago.

    Of the players who are absent, Davies would have worn the number 13 shirt had he not suffered a tournament-ending knee injury six months ago, while Allen had that number on his back when he damaged his hamstring against opening World Cup opponents Uruguay, then Williams took it for last Saturday’s Twickenham appointment with England and was carried off after suffering knee damage.

    Now it is Morgan’s turn to pull on a jersey that has proved unlucky for too many.

    “It’s a big opportunity for me,” Morgan said. “It’s been really unfortunate for the boys, and the 13 jersey has had a curse, but it does open the door for me to try to get my name in there as a starter.

    “I am playing in my own position of 13 on a massive stage with everyone watching. For the team, it’s really important to get another win after the England game. If we win, the pressure is on everyone else in the group.”

    Morgan made his Wales debut in last month’s World Cup warm-up defeat against Ireland, but he failed to make head coach Warren Gatland’s original 31-man squad for the tournament.

    “I had half an hour for the Dragons against Connacht in the PRO 12, then I was sat watching the Uruguay game, and a few days later I am starting against Fiji,” he added.

    “It’s been mad and a quick turnaround. At the end of last season with the Dragons, I was looking forward to the Under-20s World Cup. This World Cup was at the back of my mind, but I never thought I would be involved, given the likes of Jon (Davies), Jamie (Roberts) and Scott (Williams).

    “Before the Ireland game I was pretty nervous, but a lot of the boys have told me that the first cap is the worst and you just have to get it out of the way. On the day, there will be nerves – everyone gets them – but it won’t be as bad as against Ireland.”

    Morgan’s desire to perform tonight was given a timely boost by former world champion boxer and Welsh hero Joe Calzaghe, who stopped by to speak to the squad this week.

    A new film about Newport’s former two-weight and undefeated champion is out this week and Calzaghe treated the Welsh players to a special behind closed doors screening.

    “It was good for the boys to see the film, but also to talk to Joe and his father,” Wales assistant coach Robin McBryde said. “It came across strongly that he has been true to his roots. He was never-say-die, always saw himself as the underdog and trained as such. He thrived on that.

    “We’ve still got a bit of work to do after putting ourselves in a great situation in the group, and we know that we have sterner and stiffer challenges that we need to meet head-on. Joe stuck around and spent time answering the boys’ questions with his father. It was great for them to have some respite from rugby and to talk to one of the world’s finest sportsmen.”

    Wales’ success at Twickenham last Saturday kick-started momentum for Wales in the tournament, and McBryde admits there is a similarity between the current World Cup campaign and in New Zealand four years ago.

    “It is very similar to four years ago where we built up a head of steam,” he added. “After the Samoa game in 2011, things started to kick off. If we can get another win, that momentum will grow. That was a huge result last week. We have put ourselves in a good position, but nothing more than that. We’ve paid Fiji huge respect and put a lot of work in off the field.”

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