Graham Price: Don’t let Jamie Roberts become Gravell Mk II

Jamie Roberts has been warned not to fall into the same trap as legendary predecessor Ray Gravell.
Prop forward Graham Price was part of a Wales side that won four Championship titles in five years in the mid-Seventies and lauded for their style and flair.
But their free-flowing rugby was centred around the solidity provided by the physical presence in midfield of Gravell. Not that the Llanelli centre was content with his crash-ball reputation.
Legendary Grav was even dropped by head coach John Lloyd for pleading his case.
Now Price fears Roberts is in danger of being tarnished with the same brush and has urged the 77-cap star to take a leaf out of Sonny Bill Williams’ book.
Price, 64, who won 41 caps for Wales and a further 12 with the Lions, told The Rugby Paper: “Years ago I used to share a room with Grav on Wales duty and when he was brought back into the side, he was labelled as a crash-ball merchant.
“He hated it because he didn’t want to play that way and had so much more to offer.
“But he had do it because that’s what the coach wanted. In the end he was dropped again.
“Jamie Roberts is in danger of being labelled in the same way but when you watch him playing for Harlequins, he shows he’s capable of so much more than that.
“I’d like to see him doing the Sonny Bill Williams trick of standing up in the tackle and off-loading to bring the likes of George North and Liam Williams into space.”
That could prove the difference for Wales who were made to pay at the World Cup for failing to take their chances.
And Price, twice a winner at Twickenham, insists the current crop can burst England‘s Grand Slam hopes next weekend there and take a major stride towards another Six Nations title.
He said: “Our scrum wasn’t as good as it ought to have been at the World Cup, but we seemed to have solved that now with Samson Lee at full fitness. I thought the French would test us out more in that but they didn’t, and our lineout is OK.
“But we have so much potential behind the scrum that I’d like to see us using it a bit more. We have the personnel to go there and win.
“With our defence we can hold them out and then anything can happen – like the World Cup. But we need to find a spark.”
Price also voiced his regret at the loss of two forwards who will feature for England at Twickenham next week.
He said: “Just think what a side Wales could have had if the two Vunipolas had stayed.
“When Billy played with Mako and Taulupe Faletau for East Wales U11s against West Wales, he was two years younger than all the other kids.
“But he could always handle himself and look at how he has developed.
“He has been making so many metres for England but I would like to see Toby being given the chance to play wider.
“He’s incredibly athletic and powerful runner. Wales need to use him more.”
MATT LLOYD