Adam Beard: Wales lock hopes to avoid World Cup 2019 nightmare
- Published
Adam Beard was a member of the British and Irish Lions squad on the 2021 tour of South Africa
Wales lock Adam Beard is hoping his World Cup journey runs a bit more smoothly this time around.
Four years ago his preparations were brought crashing down to earth just as Beard was set to fly out to Japan.
Hours after feeling stomach cramps at Heathrow he was having keyhole surgery to remove an inflamed appendix after returning to Wales while his team-mates boarded the plane.
Beard, 27, would join up with the squad later and play four games as Wales reached the semi-finals.
Now, on the verge of a second World Cup in France, Beard says he is the fittest he has ever been and hopeful to stay that way.
"I definitely know my appendix won't go this time, that's already gone so I should be okay this time," joked Beard, who has played 46 internationals for Wales.
"It was a bit of a whirlwind [four years ago] so hopefully, touch wood, nothing like that happens with the lead up to this World Cup.
"I remember the night just before travelling and coming down with stomach cramps and I thought nothing of it, thought it might be a bit of trapped wind, but it got progressively worse and I had my appendix removed as soon as I got back.
"I ended up playing four games at that World Cup, which, if you asked me when I was coming off the operating table from the appendix I probably said I wouldn't have played that World Cup.
"I was lucky that the coaches gave me that chance and had the belief in me to come out there and perform for them."
Beard lines up in the second row this weekend for a much-changed Wales as they take on England at Twickenham, a week on from their 20-9 victory over the same opposition at the Principality Stadium.
"It's exciting to get back going, I've had a good, long, tough preseason so far so it'll actually be nice to be playing a game of rugby," said Beard.
"There's no bigger test than going to Twickenham and seeing their side it's pretty fully loaded.
"It's going to be a great opportunity for our boys to go up there, a lot of changes from the side from last weekend so it's a great opportunity to go up and showcase what we can do as a squad."
Ospreys bond
Six of the Welsh pack on Saturday lined up for the Ospreys last season and while Tomas Francis has now joined French side Provence and Dan Lydiate has switched to the Dragons, Beard is looking forward to lining up with his teammates, including Rhys Davies in the second row.
"We've got a front five of Ospreys, it's nice to play with those boys, we play with them week in week out so it'll be a good challenge to go up there and prove a point," said Beard.
"Rhys Davies is a pretty quiet bloke, quiet about how he goes about his business but he's one hell of a player.
"There's nothing too flash with him but he's just a dog that works hard.
"You see his physicality around the park in attack and defence and he's just someone who's going to give 110% for you every single time."
Another member of the Ospreys contingent is Dewi Lake, who is set to captain Wales' senior side for the first time.
"You know what Lake brings, he brings that physicality, brings that presence around the park, for such a young man he's a great leader and he's shown that through the age grade," said Beard.
"He's taken to the captaincy well this week, he's led from the front, he's spoken really well when he needs to and he's a captain that leads by example and shows it on the pitch.
"He hasn't overdone it. Sometimes when guys go into that leadership role they feel like they have to speak a lot but when Dewi speaks people listen and I think that's definitely a good show of his character.
"He'll definitely be driving those standards and leading by example."