By Paul Jones
New Wales flanker Jac Morgan admits playing at Twickenham next week would be special given the historic rugby rivalry between England and Wales.
Morgan won his first cap on Saturday as the reigning Six Nations champions bounced back from a Dublin drubbing against Ireland to beat Scotland 20-17 in Cardiff.
The Welsh-speaking Ospreys openside says he was so nervous before kick-off that he almost forgot the words of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.
It’s always a dream to play for your country from a young age,” said 22-year-old Morgan.
“Growing up England is one of the biggest games with the rivalry between the two countries over the years.
“Everybody knows how big the game is with the history between the two sides.
“It was amazing to win my first cap and have all my family there in the Principality Stadium. It was a great honour and to top it off with a win was brilliant.
“There was loads of emotion with the anthem and the nerves were terrible.
Brynamman must be a proud West Wales village today. Da iawn Jac Morgan.
— Edward Bevan (@EdBevanCricket) February 10, 2022
“I’m a Welsh speaker but I nearly forgot the words halfway through with everyone being so loud!
“But I saw my mother in the stand as she was in the front and that helped me cool down a little bit.”
Morgan produced an impressive debut display as Wales revived their Six Nations title hopes before heading to England on February 26.
Wales, however, have not won at Twickenham in the Six Nations Championship since 2012, with England enjoying four successive victories.
Morgan said: “The boys were disappointed after the first game but plenty of work has gone on and it was a good win against Scotland.
“There’s still a lot of work for us and we’re excited to see how it goes next week. We reviewed the Ireland game and a lot of the boys have been in plenty of camps before.
“There’s a lot of leaders in the team and we knew the improvements we had to make.”
Morgan led Wales during an age-grade Six Nations Championship and played at the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina in June 2019.
Episode 2 | Who Am I?
Wizards scrum-half Rhodri Geraint and Wales U20s captain Jac Morgan play a round of ‘Who Am I?’
Watch NOW ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5gBaQWVxFn
— Aberavon RFC (@AberavonRFC) January 22, 2020
But he almost gave up on the ambition becoming a professional player later that year as he found it difficult to combine academy rugby with an engineering apprenticeship.
He said: “I was working more in the afternoons and the evenings and it was quite hard.
“There were a few training camps in the October after the World Cup in Argentina, and I was weighing up whether I could do it again.
“But I decided to give the Under-20s another shot.”
While Morgan gets set for his first Twickenham trip, Liam Williams is preparing to earn his 77th Wales cap.
He is also refusing to dwell on “internet trolls” who have attacked him following news of his Scarlets exit and is focused instead on Wales’ Six Nations title defence.
The British and Irish Lions star has found himself in the firing line on social media since it was announced last month that he is to join Welsh rivals Cardiff at the end of the season.
Williams played 111 games for the Scarlets – including the Guinness PRO12 final victory – between 2011 and 2017 before joining English powerhouse Saracens.
Liam Williams!
Wales 14-17 Scotland
Live on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and Online
Commentary on @BBCRadioWales FM (ex. SE & NE from 3), AM, DTV & Online via @BBCSport & @BBCSounds
Follow here: https://t.co/EXOuRJkq7e pic.twitter.com/vBXdXUOB4u
— BBC ScrumV (@BBCScrumV) February 12, 2022
But the 30-year-old full-back or wing has made only four appearances since returning to west Wales in 2020, and news of his move to Cardiff has not gone down well with some Scarlets supporters.
Asked about social media attacks on him, Williams said: “You always get these internet trolls who sit behind a keyboard.
“I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed about it, you always get these. I was there for six years before I left the first time and over the past two years not much rugby has been played.
“I’m still with the Scarlets until the end of the season and I’ll give 100 per cent down there. What can you say? I’ll do my best until the end of the season.
“I actually quite like heading up to London and playing at Twickenham. I know the crowd gets on your back, but obviously that’s part and parcel of home and away games.
“I’ve had a good couple of games there and a couple of good wins too. For me personally, I don’t get intimidated by any stadium.
Stick the kettle on and go and smash the day like @Manutuilagi smashes defenders! #SharkTime pic.twitter.com/J584xN3o1C
— Sale Sharks (@SaleSharksRugby) February 16, 2022
“I try and get energy from that and the boos and when you’re driving in, the guys flicking the v’s at you and all that. I try and get some energy from that and take it onto the pitch.”
Manu Tuilagi has returned to the England squad after injury and could start at 12 as Eddie Jones’ side seek to build on their 33-0 win in Italy.
Henry Slade has impressed at inside centre, partnering Elliot Daly in the first game and Joe Marchant in the second, but will likely move to 13 if Tuilagi plays.
Williams said of Tuilagi: “There’s only one way that bloke goes and that’s straight.
“He’s a good player for them. He’s been injured for a little while, but I saw him play for Sale a couple of weeks ago and smash that 12 from Harlequins (Andre Esterhuizen).
“He’s a big name and he’s a big player for the English team. But we’ve worked hard this week and there’s a lot more to come.”
