Whisper it, but Wales have a young centre coming through who might just be the long-term answer to their long-time midfield conundrum.
Ospreys and Wales U20s prospect Joe Hawkins can not only break opposition defensive lines — anyone needing confirmation need only ask players from Scotland U20s, with Hawkins having reduced their rearguard to rubble a couple of times last Friday evening — but he can also pass a ball and kick it as well.
That ability with the boot is important.
Mark Ring last week bemoaned the lack of a midfielder in Wales who could fill what New Zealanders view as the highly specialised second five-eighth role, while Jonathan Davies — the genius fly-half from yesteryear rather than the steadfast 100-cap centre from the modern day — noted on Scrum V on Sunday that Wales “haven’t got a kicking centre, so a lot of pressure goes on the outside-half then”.
In time, maybe Hawkins could develop into that player.
He still has a lot to learn but the 19-year-old filled in for more than an hour at No. 10 for the Ospreys against Sale Sharks recently and did little wrong and a lot right in a severely depleted side who were up against it.
There is just a sense that there may be more to the 6ft, 15st 5lb centre than meets the eye.
Against Scotland U20s, Wales’ next generation laid down the foundations for victory with a hard-working show up front, led by the outstanding Alex Mann but with excellent support from fellow back rowers Tom Cowan and Ethan Fackrell and tireless hooker Efan Daniel.
But it was the No. 12 on the night who led the way behind. “Joe Hawkins was exceptional,” said head coach Byron Hayward after the game.
“He held things together well.”
Hawkins showed himself to have brains as well as brawn.
Early in the game he was content to pass the ball on to Eddie James outside him — the Scarlet had his best game for Wales U20s — and bide his time. Then, with the Scottish defence having been stressed through making many tackles, Hawkins decided on a change of strategy. “I’d distributed a lot early on and let others carry, so I guessed the Scots boys might expect me to keep doing that,” he said.
“But my thinking was that late in the game, with the Scots still expecting me to pass, those hard-running lines would open up.
“Luckily enough, one did open and I was lucky enough to score as a result.”
After Hawkins crashed through the gap, Jamie Roberts, a man who knows a thing or two about splintering opposition defences, felt moved to post his congratulations on Twitter, saying: “Love it! Beaut of a line @JoeHawkins121”. There were three hand-clapping emojis thrown in for good measure.
Hawkins followed it up, too, by powering his way through again near the end before unleashing a clever offload which allowed the 17-year-old Morgan Morse to claim a Wales U20s debut try.
“Identifying that the Scottish defence were going to tire and then switching to a more direct approach was quite subtle,” noted a pitchside observer at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay. “It showed Joe thinks about the game.”
To push on, Hawkins needs to continue to use his kicking game and carry on acquiring game-craft from others around him at the Ospreys like the vastly experienced Stephen Myler.
If he could develop a watertight defensive game, then that would be another plus.
For help on that front, perhaps he need look no further than Andrew Bishop, the former Wales and Ospreys centre, viewed by many of his peers as the toughest of the tough. Did the now-Ospreys academy coach miss more than a handful of hits during a 10-year regional career as a player? It’s a question that requires plenty of thought before answering.
The good news is that Hawkins is already a robust defender.
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
On Friday in Colwyn Bay, he showed maturity, as well.
“I’ve had a bit of senior experience over the past couple of seasons, so I tried to step up a bit and lead behind the scrum,” he said. “I enjoy taking on that role.
“Our pack deserve credit. A few new boys came in, the lineout went pretty well and so did the maul, and when the boys were carrying they really put us on the front foot. As backs we couldn’t have asked for much more.
“It’s always nice to score. I don’t get over the whitewash often but funny enough I scored against Scotland last year so they must be a lucky team for me.”
If he develops fully, it will be Wales’ good fortune as well.
