It doesn’t seem almost two decades ago since a 20-year-old Welsh forward ripped huge holes in the All Blacks defence during an unforgettable World Cup encounter in Sydney.
“The Wales No. 6 was something else,” said a member of New Zealand’s coaching team afterwards. The 6ft 5in, 17st 5lb Jonathan Thomas did indeed merit such a description, shocking the Kiwis with not only his energy back at the global tournament in 2003 but also with his tackle-busting power.
He has been out of Welsh rugby for close on a decade, having decamped to England to finish his playing career and start a new life as a coach. But he will come out of retirement as a player next month to feature in his old pal James Hook’s testimonial game.
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The match will take place at The Gnoll on June 10 with a James Hook Select XV taking on a Classic Lions XV. Shane Williams and Mike Phillips will figure for Hook’s team, with Thomas joining them. Colin Charvis, Nick Williams, Ma’ama Molitika and Aled Brew are also involved.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Thomas tells WalesOnline. “James was a great team-mate over the years and has remained a brilliant friend.
“As a player he could do things on the pitch that were extraordinary. He was an entertainer but he knew how to win games as well. Covid took away his chance of saying goodbye in an Ospreys shirt. But this game gives him a chance to bow out on proper terms and it’s a privilege for me to play for his team.”
Thomas himself bowed out as a player in 2015 after being diagnosed with a form of epilepsy brought on by head traumas. But his condition has improved.
He went into coaching for four years with Bristol Bears and became head of team affairs at Worcester Warriors before departing earlier this year. Unable to comment on his exit from the Sixways club, he is taking time out from rugby but is only 39 and still has ambitions in the game.
“I still think I have a bit to offer as a coach,” he said. “It’s a competitive market but if there are any opportunities then I’ll consider them and will always listen to what people have to say.”
Thomas was capped 67 times by Wales but it was never clearly explained why the 2008 Six Nations Grand Slam winner’s Test career ended. Warren Gatland had told him after the tour of South Africa that summer that he was heading in the right direction to make the Lions squad for South Africa the following year, but Thomas developed a groin problem which took a long while to clear up.
“These things happen in rugby,” said Thomas. “I played my last game for Wales in 2011. The irony was that by then my groin problem had started to improve, but Wales had been through a difficult run of results and Gats was under a bit of pressure. He decided to go with youngsters at the World Cup and the likes of Sam Warburton, Taulupe Faletau and Jonathan Davies did him proud. After that, it was hard to get back into the set-up.
“But I’m not bitter in the slightest. I had eight great years with Wales and I was at the Ospreys for more than a decade and made friends who’ll last a lifetime. My early days with Swansea, playing in a team that contained the likes of Scott Gibbs and Colin Charvis, were also special. It’ll be good go catch-up with some of the Ospreys boys, like Shane and Mike, in James’ game.”
Tickets are online only and can be purchased at jameshooktestimonal.com and neathrfc.com.
