Natalie Vaughan

“I’m 100% happy with my decision.”

That’s the assessment of Wales centre Joe Hawkins when asked about life at Exeter.

The 21-year-old has been one of the most talked about young starlets in Welsh rugby since his debut for the national senior side in November 2022.  

He then earnt four further caps in the following years’ Six Nations but made the decision to move from Ospreys to Exeter at the end of the 2022/23 season.

That move made him ineligible to play for his country due to the 25-cap rule which means if a player has received a Welsh cap and has less than 25 caps they cannot move to play outside of Wales and continue to play for the national side. That is the basic rule although there are several caveats.

Hawkins’ decision came amidst the backdrop of great upheaval in Welsh rugby, before just his fourth start for the national side against England there was the threat of a players strike which eventually saw the 60-cap rule reduced to 25.

Despite being a former Wales u20s captain and seemingly destined for a bright future on the international scene Hawkins has no regrets for moving away from his country, despite missing the 2023 World Cup and this years’ Six Nations.

“I understand that playing for Wales is a huge thing and it was something I loved doing and I’d love to still be doing it, I think everyone would,” says Hawkins.

“It was a decision for my personal development as a player but as a person as well, moving away from home, if I’d have stayed in Wales that wouldn’t have been the case.

“I’m still young so whether the 25 cap rule stays or goes, hopefully one day I’ll play for Wales again, but at this moment in time I’m happy focusing on Exeter and establishing myself down here and getting better.

“I wasn’t surprised when Daf was asked to be captain in the Six Nations and I knew going into it he wouldn’t let anyone down because that’s just the type of guy he is.”

‘Daf’ is Dafydd Jenkins of course. Hawkins’ Exeter teammate and a player he played with for Wales u20s who went with the senior side to last year’s World Cup in France before being named Wales’ captain during the recent Six Nations.

“He’s just a grafter, nothing flashy about him but he’s the same here in Exeter,” says Hawkins. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him miss a training session and that’s quite a big thing the way he puts his body about on weekends.

“At 20, 21 it is hard to back up weekends after weekends and be so consistent so that’s a big testament to him to back up performance after performance and get his body to go every week.

“I’m really happy for him as well. The tournament didn’t go the way everyone would’ve hoped but I thought he came out of it with a lot of credit.”

Hawkins has recently bought a house “round the corner” from Jenkins and is looking forward to living near each other for “god knows how long we’re at the club.”

The pair, along with Wales’ Christ Tshiunza, are part of a crop of youngsters coming through at Exeter, with almost half of the starting XV selected by Rob Baxter which faced Toulouse in the quarter finals of the Champions Cup aged 23 or younger.

“It’s nice for us boys having that backing,” says Hawkins.

“It’s almost easy to please him [Baxter] in a way because what he wants from us is simple, he just wants us to put it all out on the field and go out and play.

“Keep moving, keep doing things, high work rate, it’s probably underrated how hard that is to do but as long as we’re doing that he’s normally pretty happy.”

For Hawkins that has been as a 12 this season, or off the bench, after Wales’ kicking coach and former fly-half Neil Jenkins touted Hawkins as a future 10 for his country.

“Definitely at the minute I see myself as a 12, I played outside-half growing up at Pontardawe and loved it,” says Hawkins.

“There was a bit of chat about me being a 10 long term and I’d certainly be open to that, but I see myself as a 12 who can play 10 rather than vice versa.

“But it all helps. If I play 10 then I understand what my centres need of me or if I play 12, I know what my 10 needs from me, so there’s a lot of crossover.”

Hawkins is having to come to grips with a different style of play at Exeter along with a change in his role.

“Exeter have made quite a big transition going towards playing with a bit more pace,” says Hawkins.

“They used to be a multiphase team, keeping the ball for long periods of time, now we want to play fast for two or three phases and then we might use the ball or look to kick.

“When we have the ball, we’re looking to make sure we’re using it well and having real quality in our play, I think it definitely suits my play because there are lots of opportunities to get my hands on the ball.”

That process has not been smooth, with Hawkins admitting he is “still finding” his way for Exeter.

“The biggest challenge for me this season is playing with someone like Henry Slade who’s a really creative player and I need to understand my role if the team needs go forward or gainline,” says Hawkins.

“It’s something I’m still learning because I like to be creative myself it’s just understanding what the team needs and doing that consistently.

“I’m probably not 100% happy with how that’s gone at times, but I understand I’m a young guy, learning my trade and I’m just trying to enjoy the process of it all.

“There’s always going to be ups and downs in careers and quite often the best careers have really low lows, but it’s everything I wanted it to be, everything I expected it to be and more and I just try and enjoy the processes.

“Not being 100% happy with the playing style I think is down to the fact I’m being pushed more than I have and there’s more being demanded more of me as a player than there has been before.

“I think; ‘Am I better now than I was in the first day of the season?’ and the answer for me is yes which I’m happy with.”

For Hawkins now it is about getting his head down and concentrating on life outside of the Welsh bubble in Exeter, however he admits he still can’t get away from the discussions on his future on social media.

“You obviously see things, regardless of what players say, everyone sees things,” says Hawkins.

“You have to pay no notice to it because no one knows the full story. The only people who know my circumstances or the scenario are me and my family and the average supporter doesn’t know the ins and outs even though a lot of them like to think they do.

“You have to take people’s opinions with a pinch of salt.”

Six Nations Review with Wales’ record cap holder and former Lions captain…Alun Wyn Jones.

When Wales lost to France, no matter which ex-pro you talked to, everyone was emphasising two things…the gainline battle and physicality.  

The adage that rugby is a game for all shapes and sizes, seemed to be a relic of the past with pundits queuing up to say how international rugby is won and lost on the gainline.

While Wales’ record cap holder agrees on its importance, he feels that barging your way through isn’t the only way.

“The gainline is like anything in life, you can’t look back you have to look forward,” says the former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain.

“Back when I was playing, it was play harder not smarter, now, with different rule changes, I think it’s the opposite, there’s more room for clever play.

“Growing people physically takes time, but it’s not always about growing size, it’s about having a clear pattern or shape to the style of your attack.

“Look at the World Cup at some of the tier two nations. Portugal played some of the best rugby in that tournament, they didn’t have the biggest team, but they found a way to play some really nice rugby.”

The day after Wales’ loss to Italy, which consigned them to a first wooden spoon since 2003, Warren Gatland admitted that with hindsight, he might have asked his young charges to be more direct, rather than developing their game and trying to be expansive.

Wales did show how that expansive style can work, the second half against Scotland, and the first against France prime examples.

For Jones, it’s important that Wales learn to have more strings to their bow.

“I think Wales definitely have the players to play a more expansive type of game, but it takes time,” says Jones.

“I think talk of style of play sometimes forgets to mention that you need to have multiple styles, it’s dangerous when you solely hang your hat on one.

“You look at the great South Africa, New Zealand and Australia teams, they could always play in different ways to find a way to beat you if one style didn’t work.”

While the cold hard facts of five losses cannot be overstated, it’s important to remember that this is still a young group.

When Wales’ squad was announced, they had an average age of 25, Ireland the eventual winners were three years older. After several years of the Welsh rugby team being a who’s who of Northern Hemisphere rugby, many casual fans were simply asking ‘Who?’

However, several of those youngsters shone, with Jones keen to praise Wales’ young back three players and their new captain in particular.

“I think Wales exceeded expectations in the first two games with young guys surprising people,” said Jones.

“I thought Rio Dyer, showed good continuity from his performances at the World Cup while Cameron Winnett carried his domestic form straight into the international shirt.

“I also thought it was good to see Mackenzie Martin having a run, though he’d be disappointed not to have more time in the saddle, and I also thought Owen Watkin performed well, even though it was a fleeting Six Nations for him.

“Also, Dafydd Jenkins showed ability to be able to play in the middle four and cut his teeth with the armband, he’s captained Exeter as well and he’ll grow as a leader, but I thought he came away with huge credit and showed good leadership qualities.”

Wales’ most experienced player in the Six Nations, George North, made the decision aged 31, to retire after the final game against Italy, after 121 caps, third in the record books for Wales behind Gethin Jenkins and Jones.

“He’s been one of the best athletes I’ve played with, the only thing which surpasses his playing ability is the person he is,” says Jones.

“As a person he’s the original man child, he was so young coming into that squad, no disrespect to anyone else but he was just physically more developed than everyone.

“Always smiling, but more than that he was always on the end of the phone and if he could help you out he would, he’d be disappointed with the way it with the result and injury, but hopefully he comes to realise it’s more important to be able to go out on your own terms.”

Seeing North being helped off was a sad end to the Six Nations for Wales, combined with the result of a second successive home loss to the Azzurri.

In contrast to Italy’s shock win at the Principality Stadium two years ago, their win this year was just a continuation of their good form, following a draw against France and a home victory over Scotland.

“I was surprised when Italy said they weren’t going to extend Kieran Crowley’s contract beyond the World Cup,” says Jones.

“Why would you do it when the succession plan with the under 20s and Benetton were improving? Then they had a poor World Cup, but since Gonzalo Quesada has come in, they’ve performed really well.

“A few years ago, there was a furore around Georgia coming into the Six Nations but now Italy should have had their joint highest ever finish were it not for that penalty hitting the post against France.

“They’re on a run of form now, the hard thing for now is it’s arguably the greatest expectation they’ve had for almost 20 years, so they need to continue that.”

While Italy will be looking to continue their momentum up the rankings, now in eighth, two places above Wales, the Welsh young guns will be hoping to turn things around.

If they need any inspiration, they should look no further than Jones, who won two of his first 11 games before being part of the Wales team which was knocked out of the 2007 World Cup to Fiji.

The following year he was part of the side which won the Grand Slam.

“I’ve been through some sticky situations myself in my playing career, but they can be proud of the effort,” says Jones.

“I think Wales need to stay the course, the results aren’t there, this team is young enough and has the quality to turn things round but there needs to be a transparent review of what happened.  

“Hopefully the fans can stay positive going forward for when the next generation come through and the injured players come back.

“It will be positive again, the only question and issue is going to be the time frame.”