Ben Thomas says he is “trying not to overthink” his new role as Wales fly-half ahead of Saturday’s second Test against Australia.
Thomas was a surprise selection at No 10 for the opening contest of the two-match series as Wales went down 25-16 in Sydney last weekend.
The 25-year-old played almost all of his club rugby last season for Cardiff at inside-centre, but has been selected over Sam Costelow by Warren Gatland for both games in Australia.
Saturday’s second Test in Melbourne, live on Sky Sports Action at 10:45am, will be just a fourth international appearance for Thomas, with last weekend having been his first start for Wales after two substitute appearances in 2021.
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Watch highlights of Australia’s opening Test win of head coach Joe Schmidt’s tenure against Wales in Sydney
“It’s been pretty good,” he told Sky Sports News.
“I’ve had a lot of help, to be fair, from the coaches the last two weeks, because it’s been a pretty new challenge, but one I’ve enjoyed. It’s been really good.
“I think there can be a lot that comes with the Welsh 10 jersey, so for me it’s about appreciating what’s come before but also trying not to overthink it.
“It’s still rugby even though it’s a Test match. So, for me, it’s trying to keep a balance.”
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Wales worked their way back into the game courtesy of a penalty try
Thomas made just one start at fly-half for Cardiff last season, with his other 16 appearances coming in the 12 jersey, but he believes the nature of his role for his club has prepared him well for this opportunity.
“I’m pretty comfortable. The way I play for Cardiff in the 12, I find myself a lot at first receiver, so it’s not a massive difference for me,” he said.
“You definitely have a lot more time at 12, but I think probably for me, at 10, it’s about finding a balance between bringing that playmaking role but also driving the team around the field and putting us into the right areas.
“I think that’s probably going to be the challenge at 10, the game-management side of things. But I’ve enjoyed that challenge and it’s something I hope to keep improving on.”
‘Wales trying to flip losing habit’
Last Saturday’s defeat extended Wales’ losing streak to eight matches, a run that started with their final fixture at last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Several of those losses have been by tight margins, and the reverse in Sydney was the latest example of Gatland’s side coming up short in a fixture which they appeared capable of winning.
Thomas says that it’s “non-negotiable” for Wales to put an end to the streak on Saturday to break the “habit” of losing.
“I think we were all massively frustrated with how we let last week’s game run away from us,” he said.
“We had ample opportunities to win that game and ultimately we weren’t clinical enough. So this week it’s non-negotiable for us to win.
“I think that’s probably the main thing. When you start losing games it can become a bit of a habit, so we’re trying to flip that on its head and make winning a habit.
“So, I think we need to get over the line firstly and then hopefully we’ll start to learn how to see out these close games.”
Wales play Australia in the final Test of the series on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Action from 10.30am (10.45am kick-off) – with England vs New Zealand live on the same channel just prior. Stream rugby’s summer internationals in 2024 and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
