Kicking ace Jenkins has taken Callum Sheedy to new level

CALLUM Sheedy is braced for a four-way tussle for Wales‘s outside-half jersey and believes his presence in the Bristol side that topped the Premiership last year will help him add to his four Test starts.

Sheedy, who is 26 next month, won 11 caps last season after making his international debut against Ireland in Dublin, one of two countries he could have played for through his parents – he had qualified for England on residency before opting for the land of his birth.

He was on the bench behind Dan Biggar in the Six Nations, but Gareth Anscombe is fit again after more than two years out with a knee injury and Jarrod Evans started Wales’s last match against Argentina in the summer.

“Competition can only be good for the side,” said Sheedy who kicked three penalties in Bristol’s defeat to Saracens on Friday.

“It is great to see Gareth back after such a long time out. He is a top guy no one has a bad word to say about. Whoever is playing well at the time will be picked and that is why I have to be at my best for Bristol.”

Sheedy had to adjust to the greater amount of kicking required by Wales with Bristol’s director of rugby Pat Lam preferring the ball to be kept in hand, and he has been guided by the national side’s kicking coach Neil Jenkins, a former outside-half who broke the international points scoring record before he retired.

“Meeting Neil and working with him is one of the best things that has happened in my career,” said Sheedy. “I knew I had to work on my kicking and game management and he is the expert in that field. He controlled nearly 100 games for Wales and the Lions and he has helped my game get to another level.

“Every side you play for has different ways they see the game, but there are many similarities with Wales and Bristol: it is not all chalk and cheese. Wayne Pivac (Wales’s head coach) and Pat have a number of ideas in common, but in international rugby you have to play the percentages a lot more. Being exposed to international rugby certainly helped my game with Bristol.

“It has been a whirlwind 12 months for me,” he added. “While I was fortunate to be part of Wales’s winning Six Nations campaign, I was disappointed the Bears didn’t secure the Premiership title and I hope I have a part to play in ensuring that we improve.

By PAUL REES