Jac Morgan has returned to the Wales squad after more than seven months away and immediately observed a marked evolution in the team's environment under head coach Steve Tandy. The back-rower, who was the only Welsh player involved in last summer's British and Irish Lions Test series against Australia, missed the last eight Test matches through injury but says the growth in the squad is clear.
Morgan's return and observations
Morgan was forced to watch from the sidelines while Wales rebuilt during a challenging run of fixtures. On his return, he noted the progress. "It's been great to be able to watch because you can see how Steve and the coaches want to implement the game," said Morgan. "You could see the identity we were trying to bring through. Every game, the boys were building."
He added: "I'm pretty chuffed to be back in camp with everyone. I've noticed a big difference. I was unfortunately only there for the first week or two under Steve to begin with. It was early days back then, but you can just tell how much the group has grown over the last few months."
Captaincy support for Dewi Lake
A key part of the evolving Wales set-up is the captaincy. Head coach Steve Tandy opted to keep Dewi Lake as skipper this summer, starting with the win over the Barbarians in London. Morgan and Lake were initially named co-captains ahead of the 2023 World Cup, but Lake retained leadership duties during Morgan's spell on the sidelines following a dislocated shoulder against Argentina last November.
Morgan briefly took over the armband in the second half after Lake was substituted but insisted his focus is on supporting his close friend. "I'm just looking forward to backing Dewi up," said Morgan. "He's a great captain, a great leader and someone you'll always follow into a game."
Tandy's praise for Morgan
Tandy himself has been impressed by Morgan's attitude on returning to camp. "I had a conversation with Jac," said Tandy. "I think it tells you everything about the character Jac is. He was like, 'I'm just honoured to be back in the squad.' He's a class human being and he'll be right there alongside Dewi."
Morgan will now be a key figure for Wales as they prepare for a demanding summer schedule against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa, as Tandy continues to shape his evolving squad.
