Teen Dragons lock Nick Thomas prepared to be patient in URC
The 19-year-old is currently preparing for the World Rugby U20 Championship after winning his fitness race to be named in the Wales squad.
Thomas will be a key figure after a successful return from a freak injury suffered in the Six Nations opener against France.
The timing was especially cruel after he had grasped his chances with the Dragons, who were suffering a lock shortage.
Thomas impressed after being called on for a debut in the early stages of the Challenge Cup win at Newcastle and then kept his place for festive fixtures against Cardiff and the Scarlets.
DEBUT: Nick Thomas came on for the Dragons in Newcastle (Image: Richard Sellers)
'It was a whirlwind. I hadn't even expected to play in pre-season but I played against Hartpury, Bristol and Bath,' he said.
'Then I had a good run of games for Newport and it all came so fast – never in a million years did I think that I would make my Dragons debut before December.
'The boys have been brilliant and it's amazing to learn from Ben Carter, Matthew Screech and George Nott before he left, watching how they train and look at the game.'
Yet it's producing the goods for the title-winning Black and Ambers that Thomas is focusing on rather than adding to his appearances for the Dragons, who have signed locks Seb Davies and Levi Douglas to join Carter, Screech and Steve Cummins.
'First and foremost I have to perform well in the SRC and then if I am needed because of injuries I will hope to step up,' said the lock, who is from Marshfield and went to Bassaleg School.
'I want to keep developing and performing well for Newport, where I have learnt so much from playing alongside the likes of Ben Roach and Josh Skinner and where [Dragons academy coach and former boss] Ceri Jones is in charge of the forwards.'
The 6ft 5ins forward will take time to add size as he matures – following the lead of full international Carter – but will provide Wales with a formidable presence at the World Cup.
That will be needed in group games against Argentina and France, with Thomas getting another crack at les Bleuets.
The game, which ended up a hammering, was tight when he suffered a freak injury landing on his left leg on the stroke of half-time in the Six Nations opener in Vannes.
TALENT: Dragons lock Nick Thomas in action for Wales U20s (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)
'I just landed straight on my ankle and completely tore the whole left side and ripped up the right, while there was also a fracture,' he said.
'It was a lovely pitch but a freak accident – I could do another 1,000 jumps and not do it again. I didn't even know what had happened, I just knew that my foot was killing me.
'I was really enjoying my season and that first 40 minutes in France was one of the most enjoyable of it; I felt good but these things happen in rugby.'
Thomas, who turns 20 during the tournament, made his return off the bench in the warm-up fixture against Italy.
'The Dragons set me a good foundation to get back and I worked really hard. Coming into Wales camp I felt a bit undercooked and I was a bit nervous but it was great to get out there and back to normality,' he said.
'Now we're all just looking to that Argentina game first up, get the win and hopefully we can kick on. We've got a similar pack to last year's tournament and that experience can help us in tough and tight games.'
Wales face Argentina on Sunday and then take on the French the following Friday before rounding off the group stage against minnows Spain.
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