Rhys Carre: Cardiff Blues and Wales prop aims for regular number one role

Rhys Carre training with Cardiff Blues for the resumption of the 2019-20 season at their temporary base at Pentwyn Leisure centre

It has been a strange year for most people. But for Wales prop Rhys Carre the last 12 months have proved a remarkable rollercoaster ride that has come almost full circle back to the start of his journey.

In July 2019, Carre was selected to be part of Wales' World Cup training squad after not long announcing he was leaving Cardiff Blues to join Saracens.

Carre was a surprise choice to be part of Warren Gatland's 31-man final party but went onto impress in five replacement appearances in Japan.

However, on his World Cup return, his Saracens career never took off.

As soon as he arrived at his new club in November 2019, the English and European champions were docked 35 points and handed a £5.36m fine for salary cap breaches before the later sanction of being officially relegated.

• Rhys Carre's rollercoaster year - Scrum V podcast

A three-week ban for a red card against Ospreys, almost two months away with Wales for the 2020 Six Nations and the coronavirus crisis limited Carre's appearances to eight games before he found himself returning to Cardiff Blues.

"It has been a hectic 12 months," said Carre.

"If you had told me all that happened I would not have believed you."

Carre, 22, outlined why his Saracens time was cut short.

"Everything that went on at the club at the back end of last year made it more inviting for me to come back," Carre explained.

"I was always going to return here after two years but I'm back a year early and am happy.

"Being at Saracens speaks for itself with the players and coaches they have, and how they train. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of the Vunipola brothers, George Kruis and Maro Itoje has made me a better player.

"Saracens also understood my ambitions to want to play for Wales and I had joined them in a bit of a rough patch.

"The Blues were welcome to have me back and it went pretty seamlessly."

Lockdown life

Carre's plan was to see out the season with Saracens before returning to Cardiff Blues this summer. It was not to be that simple.

He was stranded in London for 10 weeks in a top floor flat after the country was locked down because of the pandemic.

"I was stuck in my own in my flat for 10 weeks without seeing anyone," said Carre.

"When I decided to live on my own I was expecting to be training four days a week and then going out for a coffee with the boys so it would not be too bad.

Rhys Carre in action for Wales against England at Twickenham in March 2020 which was his eighth Test cap and seventh as a replacement

"To spend up to 10 weeks on your own in the flat was not great but I was trying to use Facetime and be on the PlayStation to pass the time.

"It has been quite tough because I did not have any access to any sort of equipment.

"I was just running around the park outside my house and doing bodyweight exercises, so I was still getting the training load in."

Blues return

Carre's comeback was eventually confirmed in June and he says he was welcomed back by Cardiff Blues head coach John Mulvihill.

The Australian had expressed his disappointment in April 2019 Carre had chosen to leave the region last year.

Carre insists it has been an amicable return and he always planned to return to the region after two years in England.

"With all that was going on with Welsh rugby at the time and the regions not being able to offer contracts. I just thought it was a great opportunity for me to go away and become a better player," said Carre.

"It (the Cardiff Blues return) was handled professionally. I did not feel like I had left because it has been such a short amount of time.

"I had a chat with him (John Mulvihill) and ironed out what had happened before and just got on with it."

Rhys Carre made 19 appearances for Cardiff Blues in his first spell with the region

Cardiff Blues are set to resume their season with a couple of local Pro14 derbies on the final two weekends of August before starting the 2020-21 season in October.

The region are set to play those two initial matches away from the Arms Park home which is part of the Principality Stadium field hospital that is still being kept because of coronavirus fears.

Carre can not wait to add to his tally of 35 senior appearances with many coming off the replacements bench. Regular starts is what he is craving.

"I have missed playing rugby like you would not believe," said Carre.

"It has felt like the longest three or four months.

"This will be almost my first proper season as a professional. I have only played just over 30 senior games and 80 per cent of those have been off the bench.

"Everyone wants that number one starting jersey and if I can get that shirt consistently it will show I am working hard and playing well.

"I can't wait to get back out on the pitch with the boys. It seems like it was only yesterday I was here so I don't think anything will have changed. It feels like I never left."