Josh Adams (rugby union)

Joshua Huw Adams (born 21 April 1995) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Cardiff and the Wales national team.[1]

Josh Adams
Adams representing Wales during the Six Nations Championship
Full nameJoshua Huw Adams
Date of birth (1995-04-21) 21 April 1995 (age 29)
Place of birthSwansea, Wales
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight95 kg (209 lb; 14 st 13 lb)
SchoolYsgol y Strade
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Fullback, Centre
Current team Cardiff
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012–2015 Llanelli 30 (49)
2013–2015 Scarlets 3 (0)
2014 Carmarthen Quins 2 (0)
2015–2019 Worcester Warriors 65 (195)
2016Cinderford (loan) 7 (15)
2016Nottingham (loan) 1 (0)
2019– Cardiff 41 (130)
Correct as of 16 March 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2015 Wales U20 14 (40)
2018– Wales 59 (105)
2021 British & Irish Lions 1 (0)
Correct as of 16 March 2024

Club career

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Adams began his career with Llanelli and made his debut against Pontypridd in 2013. He went on to make a total of 30 appearances for the club, scoring 9 tries.[2] He made his only Scarlets appearance in the Anglo-Welsh Cup defeat to Cardiff Rugby in 2014.[3] He is also a previous Wales U20 international.[4]

In May 2015, it was announced that Adams would move to Worcester from the 2015–16 season.[5] In February 2016, Adams moved on loan to National League 1 side Cinderford until the end of the 2015–16 season.[6]

On 22 December 2017, Adams scored two tries in a 23–8 win over relegation rivals London Irish, making him the top try scorer in the Premiership around the close of December 2017.[7]

On 19 March 2019, Cardiff Rugby announced the signing of Adams on a long-term contract from the start of the 2019-2020 Pro14 season.[8]

International career

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Wales

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Adams playing for Wales in 2019

In January 2018, Adams was called up to the Wales senior squad for the 2018 Six Nations Championship,[9] and on 30 January he was named in the starting line-up for Wales' opening game at home to Scotland.[10]

On 23 February 2019, Adams sealed a Six Nations third round win for Wales against England at the Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. A cross field kick from Welsh teammate Dan Biggar was gathered in the air by Adams and grounded. It was Adam's third try for Wales and meant England were all but defeated in the match. With Wales moving to first, heading into the fourth week of the 2019 Six Nations Championship.[11] Wales won the Six Nations grand slam.

On 9 October 2019 Adams scored a hat-trick in a 29–17 win over Fiji at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[12] The win secured Wales's place in the quarter finals. Adams ended the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan as the top try-scorer for the competition.

On 1 February 2020 Adams scored a hat-trick for Wales in the 42-0 Six Nations win over Italy.[13]

Adams was chosen for the 2022 Six Nations Championship, achieving tries against both England[14] and Italy.[15] He won Man of the Match against Italy, but gave his medal to Ange Capuozzo after the game.[16]

British and Irish Lions

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On 6 May 2021, Adams was selected to represent the British & Irish Lions in the 2021 tour to South Africa.[17] At the time of selection, Adams' wife Georgia was heavily pregnant.[18]

On 26 June 2021, Adams made his Lions debut in a pre-tour warm up match against Japan at Murrayfield.[1] Adams scored the opening try of the game as the Lions ran out 28-10 winners.[19] Adams was then selected to play in the first provincial game of the tour against the Sigma Lions on 3 July 2021. Adams finished the game having scored four tries, becoming the first Lion since Shane Williams in 2005 to do so.[20] Following Covid complications, Adams was drafted into the side for the following tour game against Cell C Sharks. Starting in an unfamiliar role at fullback, Adams maintained his strong start to the tour by scoring a hattrick of tries, taking his total to eight from three games.[21]

Career statistics

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List of international tries

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No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 June 2018 Estadio Estanislao López, Santa Fe, Argentina   Argentina 11–0 30–12 2018 Wales rugby union tour to Argentina and the United States
2 9 February 2019 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy   Italy 17–10 26–15 2019 Six Nations Championship
3 23 February 2019 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales   England 21–13 21–13 2019 Six Nations Championship
4 9 March 2019 Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland   Scotland 5–0 18–11 2019 Six Nations Championship
5 23 September 2019 Toyota Stadium, Toyota, Japan   Georgia 20–0 43–14 2019 Rugby World Cup
6 9 October 2019 Bank Dome, Oita, Japan   Fiji 5–10 29–17 2019 Rugby World Cup
7 12–10
8 22–17
9 13 October 2019 Egao Kenko Stadium, Kumamoto, Japan   Uruguay 12–6 35–13 2019 Rugby World Cup
10 27 October 2019 Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan   South Africa 14–16 16–19 2019 Rugby World Cup
11 1 November 2019 Ajinomoto Stadium, Tokyo, Japan   New Zealand 15–35 17–40 2019 Rugby World Cup
12 1 February 2020 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales   Italy 14–0 42–0 2020 Six Nations Championship
13 19–0
14 40–0
15 27 February 2021 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales   England 8–3 40–24 2021 Six Nations Championship
16 13 March 2021 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy   Italy 8–0 48–7 2021 Six Nations Championship
17 20 March 2021 Stade de France, Paris, France   France 25–17 30–32 2021 Six Nations Championship
18 26 June 2021 Murrayfield, Edinburgh, Scotland   Japan 5–0 28–10 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa
19 26 February 2022 Twickenham Stadium, London, England   England 5–17 19–23 2022 Six Nations Championship
20 19 March 2022 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales   Italy 19–15 21–22 2022 Six Nations Championship
21 9 July 2022 Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa   South Africa 11–12 13–12 2022 mid-year rugby union tests
22 10 September 2023 Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France   Fiji 8–0 32–26 2023 Rugby World Cup

as of 10 September 2023

References

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  1. ^ a b "LIONS V JAPAN UPDATE". Lions Rugby. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Llanelli RFC Player Profile". Llanelli RFC. 14 March 2016. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Capital city clash a learning curve for young Scarlets". Scarlets. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Wales U20 Player Profile". Welsh Rugby Union. 14 March 2016. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Wales U20 wing Josh Adams to join Worcester". BBC Sport. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Warriors youngsters go out on loan". Worcester Warriors. 5 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Premiership: Worcester Warriors 23-8 London Irish". BBC Sport. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  8. ^ "Josh Adams: Wales wing to join Cardiff from Worcester Warriors". BBC Sport. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Six Nations 2018: Wales name James Davies and Josh Adams in squad". BBC Sport. 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Six Nations 2018: Josh Adams to make Wales debut v Scotland; Rhys Patchell starts". BBC Sport. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Wales 21-13 England: Hosts fight back to seal record-breaking win in Cardiff". BBC Sport. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  12. ^ "Fiji vs Wales BBC Sport". BBC Sport.
  13. ^ Adams hat-trick against Italy
  14. ^ Calvert, Lee (26 February 2022). "England 23-19 Wales: Six Nations 2022 – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  15. ^ McVeigh, Niall (19 March 2022). "Wales 21-22 Italy: Six Nations 2022 – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  16. ^ "A 'beautiful moment' - Wales' Adams gives man-of-the-match medal to Italy's Capuozzo". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Lions pick Simmonds but no Billy Vunipola". BBC Sport.
  18. ^ "Josh Adams reveals emotional goodbye as he makes huge personal sacrifice". 14 June 2021.
  19. ^ "British & Irish Lions 28-10 Japan: Alun Wyn Jones' injury mars comfortable victory at Murrayfield".
  20. ^ Mairs, Gavin; Coles, Ben (3 July 2021). "Josh Adams scores four tries as British and Irish Lions start South Africa tour with a bang". The Telegraph.
  21. ^ "Lions overcome Covid uncertainty to win". BBC Sport.
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