Aaron Wainwright delivers timely November boost for Wales

Wales number eight Aaron Wainwright looks on course to be fit for the autumn internationals as he continues his recovery from a serious hamstring injury. The back-rower was hurt during the closing minutes of Wales’ first Test defeat against Australia in July, which was also his 50th cap, and subsequently underwent surgery.

He has not played since, but in a boost for Wales boss Warren Gatland ahead of facing Fiji, Australia and South Africa next month, the signs appear promising. “I got some contact and a bit of sprinting this week,” Wainwright said.

“I don’t want to jinx anything and put a game or a date on it, but, yes, in the next couple of weeks hopefully. The thing I am sort of battling with at the moment, being my first big major injury and first surgery, just having those conversations with the physios and just trying to battle back and forth with them.

“They are the guys that are there to dictate when I come back and they are the ones who are in charge. An ideal scenario, I would try and play for the Dragons before anything else. I don’t think I would be too comfortable, if selected, to go straight back in and play international rugby, but I am just focusing on getting the body right and going from there.”

Wainwright was comfortably Wales’ most consistent performer last season, which has been recognised in him being named Welsh Rugby Writers’ player of the year. While Gatland’s team are on a run of nine successive defeats – they have not won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup – Wainwright is confident that fortunes will change.

“The way you have seen the (Welsh) regions start in the United Rugby Championship is incredibly encouraging,” he added. “If all four regions are performing and playing well, then it will add to the international standard and how we are playing and training as a group when we go into camp.

“If you look back, there were a lot of games we’ve been in and close to winning and two that stick out in my mind are Scotland – lost by one point – and England – lost by two points – in last season’s Six Nations.

“It is building and, if the regions keep performing and playing well, those guys there get that experience of winning and what it takes to win and hopefully that feeds into the international squad.”

Wainwright, meanwhile, retains a strong and active role at grassroots level with Whiteheads RFC in Newport, helping to coach the Division Four East club. “I played youth rugby (for Whiteheads), played seven or eight games of senior rugby and played in a final at Rodney Parade which we lost and I got a yellow card,” he said.

“I’ve got my level two (coaching). I don’t think I could see myself doing anything more serious than this at the moment. It’s good just to come down and have a laugh with some of the boys and have a bit of a chat with my mates.

“It is just seeing some of the younger guys, how they progress and if I can help contribute to that and give them bits of detail and different tips I’ve picked up over the years. I have always said after I finish playing (professional rugby) that I want to come back and play here, so that is a goal of mine.

“Hopefully I can do something like that, come back and play for a couple of games, which will be quite interesting.”