There are three Welsh qualified players at Bristol Bears worth keeping a close eye on
Pat Lam has backed three Welsh qualified players at Bristol Bears to successfully make the step up to Test rugby if called upon.
One of those is former England U20s wing Jack Bates who qualifies for Wales courtesy of his grandmother who hails from Cardiff. Bates has been in electric form for Bristol this season scoring five tries, including a sensational individual score at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle.
Warren Gatland’s successor will undoubtedly look to increase the strength in depth in Welsh rugby and Bates is somebody who should be considered.
Lam also rates Welsh qualified centres James Williams and Joe Jenkins very highly. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
“Put it like this, they have the ability to go to the next level is probably what I’ll say,” Lam told WalesOnline’s Welsh Rugby Podcast, which you can listen to here.
“Jack’s journey has been an interesting one because he’s an athlete but his one was about his confidence and his ability to communicate really well. That’s what he’s been working on and he just took off this year.
“He’s strong and fast. The main thing is around him looking after his body because he picks up niggles now and again.
“But he has the ability to go to the next level. It’s more around his belief than his ability.”
Wales aren’t short of talent in midfield with the likes of Max Llewellyn, Joe Roberts, Eddie James, Mason Grady and Keiran Williams, among others.
But powerful Bristol centre Williams is the glue of the Bears midfield and the 28-year-old is one of the unsung heroes of Lam’s team.
“There’s probably more talented players, without a doubt, but one thing I’ll back Jimmy on is he will compete and fight for everything,” Lam told WalesOnline.
“He’s probably like the Roy Keane of our team attitude wise. He won’t give in and he’ll fight for everything.
“My twelves are really important. They need to be able to play 10, drive the game and have second eyes.
“He’s another reject who was playing in the Championship. He was at Sale but got let go there and went to Hartpury.
“I saw him when we played them in pre-season and I thought who is this guy? They almost beat us and he was the one driving it.
“But I watched him closely and the way he controlled everything, so I offered him a contract. He’s taken that opportunity very well.”
Jenkins is a player worth getting excited about with the 21-year-old highly rated by the Bristol management and is also being closely monitored by the WRU.
Despite being born in Halifax, Jenkins is eligible to wear the red of Wales thanks to his father’s Llanharan roots. The young talent, nurtured at Monmouth School, vied for a spot with the Dragons U16s and, though initially unsuccessful, was scooped up by Bristol’s keen eye for potential.
Jenkins etched his name in Bristol Bears history when he became their youngest ever starter in the Gallagher Premiership, facing off against Saracens in November 2022 aged just 18. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
Back in February 2023 former Wales U20s head coach Byron Hayward claimed Jenkins’ goal was to represent the country of his father at senior international level.
“I spoke to Joe’s dad back in November because he is definitely a player we are interested in,” revealed Hayward back in February 2023. “He’s Welsh-qualified. He said Joe felt obligated to England because he’d come through their U18s programme, and they had rehabbed him through a knee injury which is totally explainable. I understand and quite admire his loyalty.”
“He is 100% Welsh and assured me that Joe wants to play for Wales at senior level and sees himself as a Welshman. However, at this moment in time he felt a loyalty to England because they’ve looked after him.”
And Jenkins’ club coach Lam believes the powerful centre has heaps of potential.
“Joe is a big man,” Lam told WalesOnline. “You look at Max Llewellyn and Mason Grady, they breed big centres.
“Joe is another one. When I arrived here he was coming off the U18s but he had a serious knee injury.
“I looked out of my office and I kept seeing this kid doing his rehab by himself with the trainers and medical team. I thought jeez this is tough but this is going to bring the best out of him.
“He’s a tough character as well. The big thing around him is learning the game as best as he can. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
“Centres don’t really mature to the best centres until past 25. He’s on his way as far as his development is concerned but he can certainly hit someone too in the tackle.
“He’s a physical lad. It’s just about him being a leader and an influencer driving the game as well.
“That’s going to take a bit of time too.”
