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By PA Sport
Last Updated: 06/09/19 4:27pm
Rhys Patchell admits he has endured “a challenging year” ahead of his return to the Wales Test team against Ireland on Saturday.
Scarlets fly-half Patchell last started for his country on the 2018 summer tour to Argentina, when he kicked 20 points as Wales beat the Pumas 30-12 in Santa Fe.
Concussion issues and a torn hamstring then combined to disrupt the 26-year-old’s international career, and put his place in Wales’ 31-man World Cup squad in question.
But an impressive try-scoring display off the bench during a 22-17 loss to Ireland in Cardiff last weekend served as a reminder of his quality.
“It has been a challenging year, that’s for certain,” Patchell said. “I won’t be looking back on it (last season) too many times.
“It was not the disaster many outlets made it sound like, but it was not the year you would like going into a World Cup.
0:55 “A couple of concussions were tough to deal with, and tearing a hamstring was not ideal. It stuttered any momentum I was trying to pick up during the season.
“Game one I was concussed, came back, started finding a bit of rhythm and got concussed again.
“I came back, tore my hamstring and you are forever chasing your tail. It is what it is and we are where we are. Thankfully, it has all worked out for the best.”
With Gareth Anscombe ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury, Patchell was competing with Jarrod Evans for the right to back up Dan Biggar in Japan, and they each had a final 40-minute audition at the Principality Stadium six days ago.
It was Patchell who won the coaches’ vote, meaning he avoided a repeat of missing out, as he had done for the 2015 World Cup when he was among an initial contingent cut from Wales’ expanded tournament training squad.
“He (Evans) dropped me a text after the announcement, and I replied,” Patchell added. “That was very good of him.
“Of course I felt for him. I could completely empathise with him, having been there myself four years ago.
“It is not an easy position to be in. That is sport, someone has to miss out. I felt for all nine of the boys who got a phone call or text.
“Jarrod and I were distinctly aware that as a 10 you have to do what is best for your team. You can only deal with what is in front of you.
“I was talking to friends and family on the Friday night saying ‘this is it, we will see how it goes’.
“It is difficult, trying to be as good as you can on the day. If the cards fall your way, great. If they don’t, that’s the way it goes.
“The focus was being as good as I could be for the team, trying to drive the team around the park and get us into good positions and get our shape going. Thankfully, the coaches liked what they saw, I suppose.”
