Jamie Adamson on NSW Waratahs contract

There was never an ambition to play professionally in Australia. Adamson simply wanted to enjoy the game again after suffering a string of injuries while playing sevens back home in England.

“I didn’t know the previous year they’d [Easts] come 10th. My flatmate from back home said it was a really good club, really good boys, so that’s why I was keen to go. I just wanted to get back to enjoying the game, enjoying playing it,” Adamson said.

And then, we got halfway through the season, we’re looking around and thought, you know, we can actually do something here.

“When I came to the last couple of games that went right down to the wire, it was unreal. Those three days of celebration afterward were pretty cool.”

McKellar’s pre-seasons are renowned for their toughness. Players are not only challenged physically, but mentally. The coach had a good idea of the player he was bringing back for an opportunity at pre-season, but also knew there were no guarantees the breakaway could hack it at the Waratahs.

“Until he turns up here, you’re not sure,” McKellar said. “But I’ve given a lot of players like that chances over the years … it’s nice to want to be a professional rugby player, but are you professional?”

“As an amateur player, you’ve got to do a lot of the work behind the scenes, on your own. He’s clearly done that and had that self-discipline. That was something that I liked.”

Adamson knew that his pre-season trial came with zero guarantees of a full contract. Every day he was competing on the training paddock against Wallaby Rob Leota and club mainstay Charlie Gamble in the back row. Gradually, Adamson gained confidence that he wasn’t out of place, and earned a spot in the side for a pre-season clash in Japan against Kubota Spears.

“Once I found my feet, probably four to six weeks into the pre-season, I didn’t think I was too much off the pace,” Adamson said.

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“Then that pre-season game out in Tokyo that we played was a bit of a confidence boost for me … just a bit of assurance I could keep up and manage at that level. It’s probably after that game that I thought I could give this a crack. And then, obviously, Dan let me know that they were keen to keep me, which is amazing.”

McKellar revealed that he wasn’t “expecting to be offered the Wallabies job” and is confident that his squad will not be distracted by speculation linking him to the role.

“I’d like to think that the players can see the commitment that I’ve got to the group and the organisation, from one day to the next,” McKellar said.

“That shows that there won’t be a distraction, and where my loyalties and where my energy and efforts are going to be put over the next period of time. So that’s the reality, and we’ve not discussed it as a playing group and I haven’t felt the need to.”

Meanwhile, Wallabies captain Harry Wilson has signed a new four-year contract with Rugby Australia. Wilson played one Test in 2022 before missing out on the 2023 World Cup squad under Eddie Jones.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt made Wilson captain against Argentina last August and he retained the role throughout the Rugby Championship and November tour. Wilson is expected to lead the Wallabies against the British and Irish Lions.

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