By Graham Thomas
For much of the past 30-odd years in Welsh rugby, you could rely on Welsh No.10s to do one thing well – kick their goals.
They may not have all been the most devastating broken-field runners, or soft-handed distributors.
Some were sloppy at accurate touch-finders and others fell off too many tackles, but the ability to put the ball on the ground and hoof it between the sticks always appeared within their grasp.
The dynasty probably began back in the early Nineties with Neil Jenkins, still Wales’ greatest ever goalkicker.
The torch was passed to Stephen Jones, James Hook, Leigh Halfpenny and then Dan Biggar and the points kept coming.
Even those who had to stay in the shadows of those regulars for much of their time – such as Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Priestland – had kicking stats that were among the best.
#TBT 11th April 1999. Everyone remembers THAT Scott Gibbs try, but how about the conversion from Neil Jenkins who took an individual haul of 22 points, a then Welsh championship record. pic.twitter.com/WW7OSOjsuW
— Welsh Rugby Union (@WelshRugbyUnion) April 19, 2018
Jenkins’ conversion against England at Wembley in ‘99? Nailed. Stephen Jones to secure a Grand Slam? Up and over. Biggar to help knock England out of their own World Cup? Let’s all do the Biggarena.
But now, suddenly, the kicking crown sits uneasily upon the head of the next Wales outside-half – whoever that may be this autumn.
Anscombe – by far the best kicker of the three outside-halves in the Wales squad for the November internationals – is currently not goalkicking at his club, Gloucester, because of previous groin injuries and is unlikely to change that stance with Wales.
Sam Costelow is a decent goalkicker for the Scarlets, but probably the least likely of the trio to start this autumn.
That leaves Ben Thomas, the Cardiff man who wore 10 for Wales in Australia this summer and kicked well enough against the Wallabies, even though it’s a role he rarely performs for his club.
Thomas actually kicked six successful goals out of seven attempts Down Under and has a pleasingly old-school simplistic approach to the job.
The kick that moved Leigh Halfpenny to 6th on the all-time Guinness Six Nations point scorer list, surpassing compatriot Neil Jenkins!
Chapeau, @LeighHalfpenny1 #GuinnessSixNations #WALvIRE pic.twitter.com/8H0P1ge5TD
— Guinness Men’s Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 7, 2021
He puts the ball on the tee and whacks it with all the timing and rhythm you would expect from a natural athlete.
He probably drives his golf ball in the same manner.
He says of his kicking style, “I used to look at Dan Carter and do the little shuffle, but it didn’t work out too well. Now it’s just the Ben Thomas hit-and-hope.”
He practices, but not too much that it clouds his mind.
Y Tîm | The Team @UlsterRugby
©️ Ben Thomas
6⃣ Changes to starting XV
Six Autumn Nations Series selections in squad#AlwaysCardiff ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/F7K8Hzub1H— Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) October 25, 2024
“I’ve probably got enough in the bank during the week that come the weekend, it’s good.
“It’s easy with no pressure so I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens in games.”
On Saturday, Thomas is again most likely to leave the goal-kicking duties to Callum Sheedy when Cardiff host Ulster in the United Rugby Championship at the Arms Park.
It’s a match Cardiff could do with winning – through tries or goal-kicks – since after opening their campaign with back-to-back victories over Zebre and the Scarlets, they have since lost three times on the bounce.
Bookmakers DragonBet reckon the chances of that losing tide turning are less than fair and make Ulster 4/7 favourites to win, with Cardiff at 6/4.
Before then, on Friday, the Scarlets have a chance to back-up their impressive victory over the Bulls last week by putting away struggling Zebre.
Costelow should have a chance to hone his kicking technique with some conversions as DragonBet make the Scarlets hot 1/14 favourites for the win, with Zebre priced at 10/1.
CYHOEDDIAD TÎM | TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT
Our Scarlets team to face @ZebreParma on Friday evening at Parc y Scarlets
@URCOfficial Rd 6
⏰ 19:35
Tickets https://t.co/WEkcCLUJCHTîm y Scarlets i wynebu’r Teirw ar nos Wener yn y Parc #SCAvZEB #YmaOHyd #BKTURC pic.twitter.com/VaPREjY4xj
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) October 24, 2024
In addition to Costelow, Scarlets coach Dwayne Peel has seven other players in the current Wales squad, including new boy Blair Murray and and says: “It’s the highest number we have had for a while. For us to have that is great.
“I also think it’s great for everyone else involved here because the players selected have got there on the fact that we have been competitive as a team and worked hard for each other.
“That’s probably the biggest positive I take from it. We have got eight in and I am pleased for them, but we could have had a few more.”
