Leigh Halfpenny still has unfinished business as a player with the Scarlets and Wales — a point he is at pains to stress as he looks ahead to next season.
Approaching the one-year anniversary of the devastating knee injury he suffered while playing for his country against Canada, he said: “It’s been a while and I can’t wait to get back on the field with the boys.
“It’s a big season ahead and I still have ambitions for both club and country, so my focus now is on the rehab and working hard to get back on the field with the Scarlets and helping to contribute to the team. We’ll see how things go from there.”
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The roof fell in on Halfpenny’s sporting world on July 3 last year when he sustained knee ligament damage which has kept him out of action ever since. Some feared they might not see him in playing action again.
But the little big man from Gorseinon has made significant strides along the recovery road with the hope being that he will return early next term — possibly around the mid-autumn mark, though such matters are never a precise science.
He has kept busy by honing his skills as a coach. Three years ago, with the likes of Justin Tipuric, James Hook and Bradley Davies, he was one of 10 players selected for the Welsh Rugby Union’s Player to Coach programme, an initiative which has gone from strength to strength despite the pandemic.
A lot of the initial work was done over Zoom amid the restrictions on socialising. But earlier this year the union’s performance coach boss Dan Clements invited Halfpenny to work with Byron Hayward’s Wales U20s set-up. Helping the likes of Dan Edwards, Josh Phillips, Cameron Winnett, Harri Houston and Iestyn Hopkins with their kicking has proven a hugely beneficial experience for Halfpenny, as well as for the players involved.
“I started at the beginning of January when the boys came in for their Six Nations campaign,” the 33-year-old explained to the Welsh Rugby Union’s website.
“I loved working with Byron and the coaching team. They were great in terms of allowing me to come in around my rehab schedule. They made me feel so welcome and I learned so much by spending time with them in meetings, watching sessions and having conversations with them. They were brilliant and a pleasure to work with. The boys have been outstanding, too.
“It’s been an amazing experience and I’m really thankful for the opportunity. It’s given me a real insight into coaching and it’s definitely something I would like to pursue after I finish playing.”
That shouldn’t be for some time yet, though, with Halfpenny ramping up his rehab of late. This isn’t a player in a hurry to call time on his playing days.
But he also knows from first-hand experience how important good coaching can be, having been fortunate to benefit from coming under the wing of Wales kicking coach Neil Jenkins early in his career.
“I have been extremely fortunate to have worked with Jenks since around the age of 16 when I was coming through the academy system,” he said. “He is one of the best there has ever been. His record speaks for itself and I feel lucky to have been able to learn from him over the years and continue to learn from him. It’s been an absolute privilege.
“He’s taught me a huge amount, he’s world-class and such a great bloke. I can’t speak highly enough of him. He’s had a huge impact on my career and I’m grateful for everything he has done for me.
“To be in a position to be able to pass on the knowledge and work I’ve done with Jenks to the boys is a huge honour and if I can help to make a small impact on their development then it has all been worthwhile.”
That is the mindset of a quality coach in the making.
But, before he commits fully to that role, Halfpenny has other matters to concern himself. One of the great Welsh rugby playing careers isn’t done yet. Far from it.
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