Young star hailed as a ‘hybrid’ of two contrasting Wales legends

Jac Morgan has received a ringing endorsement of his all-round quality as he prepares for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final appointment with Argentina.

Wales co-captain Morgan is expected to skipper the side, as he did for critical pool-stage victories over Fiji and Australia, against the Pumas in Marseille.

The Ospreys forward has arguably been Wales’ outstanding player of the tournament and it has earned him acclaim after displaying similar attributes to former back-row stars Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric.

Warburton was 22 – a year younger than Morgan – when he captained Wales to the 2011 World Cup semi-finals and similarities have often been made between the two.

Morgan, though, has also shown the attacking skills and footballing ability that Tipuric, who announced his retirement from Test rugby earlier this year, was renowned for.

“There is a work ethic there, a hunger to be the best, all those similarities,” Wales assistant coach and former international back-row forward Jonathan Thomas said.

“It is really interesting, because you had quite contrasting players in Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric.

“Both world-class players, but quite contrasting in their styles. Jac is probably a bit of a hybrid of both, if that makes sense.

“Jac is pretty physical, hard-working – characteristics that Sam had. But he has also got a good skill-set, a bit like Tips, with some of those nice kicks he has done.

“He is obviously young and he will be learning and growing through his experience as well.

“He is a really humble kid and he will know he is not the finished article at this stage, but he has got a really good balance to his game.”

Morgan will feature in a reshaped Wales back-row following a tournament-ending injury suffered by number eight Taulupe Faletau against Georgia last weekend.