Cardiff's Mason Grady shares verdict on his positional versatility

How best to utilise the undoubted talents of Mason Grady is one of the big debates in Welsh rugby. At 6ft 5ins and 17st 9lbs, with bags of pace and power, the 22-year-old Cardiff player has all the raw ingredients. He also offers real versatility.

He can play across the three-quarters, while he even joined the lineout during the BKT URC opener against Zebre Parma, leaping high to win the ball ahead of his team’s bonus point try. So there might be yet another position he can occupy!

Last summer he was employed at inside centre by Wales coach Warren Gatland for the two Tests against the Wallabies in Australia, but Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt views him as an outside centre or wing, the latter position being the one where he has started the opening two BKT URC games, scoring a try in Saturday’s 24-15 victory away to the Scarlets.

So what does Grady make of it all? “Honestly, I really don’t mind where I play,” he said. “I’m personally comfortable playing whatever position. It’s just a number on your back. I’m still going to try and do the same thing every game. For me, it’s just a starting position off of first phase and then you can get into the game however you want.

“I can do my best to pop up when I can and get my hands on the ball. There are different skills in each position, so I’m quite enjoying learning them all. At 12, I probably carry a bit more and like to get a bit more gainline. You step up at first receiver a bit more and organise the forwards more. Defensively it’s a little bit different as well.

“At 13 and on the wing, I have got a bit more space to get around people but I just enjoy playing rugby. That’s the main thing. I have been doing it since I was a kid, so if I wasn’t enjoying it, there would be something wrong. Every kid in Wales wants to grow up to be a rugby player, so I just remind myself that it is a really fun job. I am with the boys every day. I love it.”

The seven-cap Grady – the younger brother of former Wales three-quarter Cory Allen – also feels he is growing as a player. “I’m definitely more confident in my ability to play and back myself. The more I play, the more it comes natural. I don’t even have to think about that. I can look at things, scan a bit more, see where the space is.”

Grady puts much of his progress down to playing alongside veteran Samoan Test centre Rey Lee-Lo who is still showing his class for Cardiff at 38. “Honestly, he is such a legend and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to mentor me through my process of coming through,” he said.

“The biggest thing I have learned from him is the defensive side of the game, just making reads, staying calm, and probably his offloading game as well. Defence is one of my biggest work-ons and he is the best defender out there at 13. Every year is his last year and he’s still going. He is going to end up playing longer than me at this rate.”

Both of them were to the fore as Cardiff came from behind to claim a bonus point win at Parc y Scarlets on the weekend. “Obviously, it was a bit of a shock being 15-0 down,” said Grady. “But the message was just to stay composed and stick to the game plan.

“The big thing for us going into the match was playing the way Cardiff play. Against Zebre, we probably didn’t do that. I thought we played some good rugby and, in the end, we came away with the win. We have got individuals who can cause carnage with the ball, especially in open space. The more we can play the Cardiff way, the better chance we have of winning.”

That is now maximum points from the opening two URC games for the team from the Welsh capital who lie level with Leinster at the top of the table. “It just shows how hard the boys have worked during pre-season. They really deserve these two wins,” said Grady.

Next up, it’s the champions, with Glasgow Warriors the visitors to the Arms Park on Friday night. “They are a very good side, but again we are just going to stick to our game plan, concentrate on us and hopefully that will be enough to get the win.”