Having spent much of the past two months carrying tackle bags, James Ratti is now back doing a very different type of carrying and sending out a reminder of just why he made the Welsh squad in the first place.
The uncapped 24-year-old became something of a forgotten man during the Six Nations campaign, not featuring in any of Wales’ five matches. In fact, you hardly saw him on a rugby field for the best part of ten weeks, as he was limited to just 22 minutes for Cardiff in the whole of that period, only once being released from Wayne Pivac’s squad to play for his region.
The rest of the time he would have been involved in training duties, no doubt taking on the bibbed role of opposition, complete with tackle bag, as Wales prepared for their Championship outings. He will have clearly learned a lot from the experience of being in the international environment for the first time and would have been pleased to be on board at all, having been something of a bolter selection. You can read more about his unusual rugby journey here.
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But, at the same time, he must have been straining at the leash to get some game-time and to have the ball in his hands once more. That was abundantly clear from the manner in which he returned to action for Cardiff against Glasgow on Saturday.
His stats alone from a thrilling 32-28 comeback victory at the Arms Park are impressive enough. Packing down at No 8, he made 16 carries for 36 metres and also put in 16 tackles, as well as winning some valuable lineout ball just when that creaking set-piece needed shoring up. But to get a better idea of the workaholic nature of the Dunvant RFC product it’s worth considering his contribution to the passage of play that culminated in the hosts securing their victory-sealing penalty.
It came with 76 minutes on the clock. Given Ratti had only had one sub’s outing in the previous two-plus months, you could have forgiven him if he were puffing a bit. But far from it. Instead, he proceeded to have no fewer than six key involvements in a sequence that ultimately drew an offence from Glasgow.
He was the man who started it all off, leaping high at the tail to claim possession at an attacking lineout just outside the opposition 22, moving to the spearhead position in the resulting maul which made good ground. Extricating himself to be on hand for the next phase, he provided the clear-out after centre Garyn Smith punched the ball up, enabling quick recycling.
Then, as play moved left, he was there again and ready to demonstrate just what an effective carrier he is. He took the ball pretty much standing still from a ruck, but still made some seven or eight metres, as he got his legs pumping in the contact, taking centre Kyle Steyn and giant lock Richie Gray with him for a ride. It was pure power.
Two phases later came another carry and then a latch onto Matthew Screech to assist in the lock’s surge. He wasn’t finished yet though. As the momentum mounted, so he made himself available once more, ploughing forward in the shadow of the posts, occupying two defenders. Then, just seconds later, came his final decisive intervention. Carrying the ball up yet again, he sucked in two more Glasgow players and one of them - prop Ollie Kebble - ended up falling on the wrong side, conceding a penalty.
After getting to his feet, Ratti briefly bent over with his hands on his haunches, re-filling his lungs. It was little wonder because it had been a remarkable piece of sustained endeavour from the big man. But that’s what you get from this converted second row - non-stop effort. His work ethic is hugely impressive, as is his appetite and his willingness to take the ball up time and again.
With Ratti, what it says on the tin is what you get and what it says is “serial carrier”. At a time when Welsh rugby is sorely lacking in players who can cross the gain-line, he is a rare and valuable asset. If you want someone to take you forward, he’s your man. Clocking in at 6ft 4ins and 18st 6lbs, he has the physical attributes and he makes full use of them, with his repeated and relentless surges. As he acknowledges, it’s a role he relishes.
“My favourite part of the game is just getting hands on the ball and getting some go-forward off 10, off 9. These days, No 8s have got to be ball carriers. The expectation is you’ve got to get your hands on the ball and give go-forward, so that’s my main focus,” he says.
Dai Young’s decision to switch the former Ospreys boilerhouse man from the second row to his old junior rugby position of No 8 is looking more inspired by the day.
“When I arrived here, people kept telling me we needed a ball-carrier and James fitted that mould, big and strong and mobile,” said the Cardiff director of rugby.
“He was already our best ball carrier regards collision dominance from the second row, so my thought process was to move him back and try and get the ball in his hands as much as possible. Trystan Bevan, our head of physical performance, has to take a bit of credit for it as well.
“When we were sitting down and looking at the stats, James pretty much ticked all the boxes with what we were looking for from an 8. We felt he could fill that role and then we sat him down and discovered he’s actually played there before, so it wasn’t completely new to him. I said to the coaches ‘I think this is a project we should give a whirl to see if it suits him and suits us as a team’. He hasn’t disappointed. It’s been a real good move.”
Indeed it has. It’s seen him called up for Welsh squad duties for the first time and it may well earn a spot on this summer’s tour of South Africa as back-up to Taulupe Faletau at No 8 and just maybe an opportunity to carry the fight to the Springboks at some point on the trip.
