VERSATILITY could count heavily in favour of Will Harries when Wales coach Warren Gatland names his squad for the Six Nations tournament on Sunday.
The Newport Gwent Dragons player starred on the wing during the second half of last season and his blistering form, scoring eight tries in one seven-game spell, earned him a call-up for Wales’ two-Test visit to New Zealand.
But the serious leg injury suffered by Martyn Thomas in the penultimate game of the season left the Dragons without a specialist 15 going into this campaign, and Harries was called on to fill the gap.
After playing the first two matches on the wing, he moved to full back and made six appearances in a row there up to Wales’ autumn series.
He made his first start in the opening fixture against Australia, though that was back on the wing, after which he was largely overlooked.
Since then a combination of a flu bug and the problems brought on by the bad weather restricted his appearances for the Dragons, though he has been back at 15 in the last three games.
Sunday against Glasgow at Rodney Parade in their final Heineken Cup pool game could be the decider for Harries with Gatland due to announce his squad soon after the final round of matches are completed.
And the Dragons player’s ability to occupy two different position could be the deciding factor.
Harries doesn’t believe it will come down to just the Glasgow game.
“If I have a stormer it should put me in good stead, but I’m sure they will also have a look at the games before, it’ll be more about that really,” he said.
“Obviously I’d like to be in the Wales squad for the Six Nations and for the World Cup, but first I’ve got to have some good games for the Dragons and maybe have a run on the wing again and see what will happen after that.
“I enjoy playing at full back as well, though. You are more of a try scorer on the wing, but occupy a more defensive role at full back, it’s a more positive thing when you are scoring tries and I’m probably more comfortable on the wing.
“But injury to both full backs (Matt Evans damaged knee ligaments in addition to Thomas’ misfortune) has helped my game, it’s more of a kicking role there and defending and sweeping up.
“I also like the competition, especially in training, it’s how you improve. You learn a lot of things training with the Wales squad, but you always want game time.”
Harries, along with the rest of the Dragons team, will be glad to get back to Rodney Parade again on Sunday though they did play Connacht there in their last home match, but that was after a month of postponements and playing a Heineken Cup tie against Wasps at Cardiff City Stadium.
“It’s difficult getting consistency in training, but we dealt with it well training at the barn (Vale of Glamorgan),” he said.
“We played Connacht at Rodney Parade which was the first time for a month, the crowd factor there is important.
“Even though we are out of the Heineken Cup and we play Glasgow a lot, we want to get one up on them.
“People say we did well against Toulouse and though we did get our pride back it was still very disappointing to lose the game.”
Harries has another year to run on his contract with the Dragons after this season, and admits he is content with his move back to Wales.
“This is a good club to play for, and I get on well with the boys, too,” he said.
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