WillGriff John: 'Genetically gifted' Scarlets prop aims to power into Welsh side
- Published
WillGriff John spent four seasons at Sale before leaving for Scarlets
He is the "genetically gifted" prop aiming to win his first Wales cap this season after being so cruelly denied his first international appearance by Covid-19.
New Scarlets prop WillGriff John has joined from Sale hoping to impress Wayne Pivac, 18 months after he had been named for a Test match that never was.
John has long been regarded as one of the most powerful men in the gym. So is that myth or reality?
"My [bench press] record when I was about 22 was about 230 kilos, so it is reality," explained John.
"I'm genetically gifted in that sense."
In March 2020, that power had been recognised when John was preparing to win his first cap in a Six Nations match against Scotland in Cardiff.
John had finished the final session before he was preparing to run out in front of 74,000 at the Principality Stadium - but 24 hours before his dream debut, the game was called off because of the coronavirus crisis.
The match was rearranged for October 2020, but John was not included in the autumn campaign or 2021 Six Nations squad.
He has since featured in squads, but a first cap has so far eluded him.
"It was difficult to deal with, being the last game of the campaign and pretty much the country shut down days after," explained John.
"But soon after I was back with my family. It was a lot easier to comprehend, returning to my partner and to have her by my side really helped."
The 28-year-old admitted the experience has whetted his appetite as he targets a place at the 2023 World Cup in France.
The Welsh Rugby Union's 60-cap policy meant Rhondda-raised John wanted to play his domestic rugby in Wales to start his international career.
"It's a very big reason why I wanted to return home, to push on and play for Wales," added John, who left Sale Sharks to pursue that ambition.
"After being involved in that first camp with Wales it's been even more of an ambition to do that, since getting a taste of it.
"The opportunity to come back home, firstly, because of my family, and to play for the [Welsh] team that's probably been the most successful over the last few years.
"There's going to be a lot of rugby played by the time the next World Cup turns up, so it's definitely something that I'm aiming for.
"To be involved as soon as possible within the Welsh squad and keep pushing for that World Cup spot."
John will first have to cement his place in the Scarlets front-row ahead of Samson Lee and alongside British and Irish Lions duo Ken Owens and Wyn Jones.
"There are a lot of good players here, especially in the front row," added John.
"It's a good thing because the boys are going to keep pushing each other to get better and better.
"There's a lot of experience to be around. It's definitely going to help me."
John is set to make his first Scarlets appearance in the opening pre-season game against Nottingham in Llanelli on Saturday (14:30 BST).
Scarlets team: Ioan Nicholas; Ryan Conbeer, Joe Roberts, Steff Hughes (capt), Corey Baldwin; Dan Jones, Harri Williams; Kemsley Mathias, Shaun Evans, Javan Sebastian, Josh Helps, Morgan Jones, Tom Phillips, Dan Davis, Sione Kalamafoni.
Replacements: Daf Hughes, Steff Thomas, WillGriff John, Aaron Shingler, Caleb Salmon, Archie Hughes, Sam Costelow/Angus O'Brien/Tyler Morgan, Johnny McNicholl/Steff Evans.
