Hawkins still has Wales in his sight
JOE Hawkins insists he still harbours dreams of representing Wales again at international level.
With five Test caps already to his name, the 22-year-old is seen by many as one of his nation’s brightest stars.
However, the Exeter Chiefs back is currently ineligible for selection by Warren Gatland as players who are plying their trade outside of the Principality are currently required to have at least 25 caps to their name.
Hawkins made the switch to Exeter in the summer of 2023 from the Ospreys, but remains adamant that his decision to test himself outside of his homeland remains the correct one and that he has already learned so much off the likes of Henry Slade, right.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’d still love to play for Wales,” said Hawkins. “However, I had to weigh up what’s best for me. I wanted to come down here and fulfil my potential and just enjoy my rugby,
“I didn’t want to be just thinking about international windows and thinking I’ve got this many games and then back in to play for Wales.
“I’m still only 22, so I’ve still got a lot of years left ahead of me and, hopefully, if I’m good enough, then who knows what will happen down the line with Wales.”
Gatland himself has spoken publicly about how the ruling is causing a disadvantage to him when it comes to selection – and highlighted Hawkins as a prime example of someone he would love to select, but is unable to at this time.
“I’d love to have him involved,” said Gatland. “We’d love to have someone of Joe’s ability and give him the opportunity to have more Test matches. Unfortunately, we’re restrained by the regulations within the union at the moment.”
For now, though, the focus for Hawkins is on the new season and playing his part for a youthful Chiefs, who surprised many last season, especially early on, following a glut of high-profile departures.
“We maybe caught teams off guard at the start of last season, but we have got to take a step on as a team, you can’t always be the underdogs,” said Hawkins. “You’ve got to be able to deal with expectations and grow with it.
“That’s the challenge this season, especially if we want to be a top four team. We need to be able to handle the pressure, deliver in the big games and bang in some wins.”
A decent enough pre-season helped set the tone for the Chiefs, but Hawkins acknowledged consistency will be the key to their fortunes following their last-minute defeat at Leicester last weekend.
“We’ve all learnt from last season,” added Hawkins. “Personally, I feel stronger and fitter and my understanding of my role is a lot clearer, but like the team I need to get that consistency in my game each week. There’s no point producing one good performance and not backing it up, you have to do it four, five, six games in a row.
“I’ve learnt so much since I came here and I’m adding to my game all the time. Playing alongside someone like Sladey you just pick up so many learnings from a guy like him. Just the way he applies himself, he never misses a training session when he’s fit, he leads by example, and all that hard work he puts in is reflected in how he plays.
“I’ve learnt how important backing up days of training and having consistent training weeks are because it allows you to perform on the weekend. If you’re missing the odd session, by the time you get to Saturday you’re not always quite ready to go. The Premiership is relentless, so you’ve got to be able to back things up week after week.”
