HOW YOU see him, now you don’t. There was consternation when Aaron Wainwright forgot to show up for his Zoom interview with Rugby World, but it proved a false alarm. “I think the physio was winding me up!” says Verity Williams, the team’s communications manager, as Aaron’s smiling face appears on our screen. In the right place at the right time, as always.
There’s a certain déjà vu to the proceedings. Four years ago we spoke just after the World Cup in Japan, when the Dragons back-row was adapting to life under Wayne Pivac after Warren Gatland called time on his 12-year reign as Wales head coach. Now the wheel has come full circle, with Gatland back in situ and restoring Wainwright to favour after Pivac went cold on him during his final year in charge.
What’s changed? Well, Wainwright has 20 more caps, an extra stone in weight and, on occasion, a new playing position after starting at No 8 in the World Cup warm-ups. Taulupe Faletau was absent but
