Sam Wainwright last appeared for Wales back in 2022, but on Tuesday, when it was revealed he had been called up to Wales’ 2026 Six Nations squad, the tight-head vowed to play Test match rugby again.
However, following his last match for Wales against Georgia almost a year on, his father, Shaun, passed away in November 2023.
The Cardiff Rugby player will get the opportunity to add to his collection of caps that he and his father had planned to do since his last outing in a Welsh jersey.
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“Dad passed away two years ago, and we talked to each other and said that we’d get back to this position,” said Wainwright at the Vale Resort on Wednesday afternoon.
“It was a big thing in the back of my mind. I’ve always been hungry to get back in.
“My wife has been unbelievable, and she has supported me in everything.
“We have talked about never giving up on anything, and it’s nice to be given an opportunity.”
Wainwright made his debut for Wales in their historic and narrow 13-12 win against the Springboks in Bloemfontein, which is the nation’s first-ever triumph on South African soil.
The 27-year-old was a part of an incredibly strong scrum, which proved to be a catalyst for Josh Adams’ late score as Gareth Anscombe from the touchline secured the victory.
But, after securing a move from Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC) to Saracens, he stated that his father was extremely influential on his career.
“He was a huge influence,” added Wainwright.
“We were best friends, and he did everything with me. He was one of the biggest support networks for me, and when I got the call-up, I thought about him a lot; it was quite emotional.
“We’d speak about everything, and he’d watch every game. When I was at the Scarlets, he would tell me what to pick up on after every game.
“He was unbelievable for me, and that’s why getting this call-up was a bit emotional for me.”
Wainwright comes into Steve Tandy’s squad as a replacement for injured Keiron Assiratti, but has Provence’s Tomas Francis and Bath’s Archie Griffin ahead of him.
Wales face an almighty test as they aim to claim their first Six Nations triumph since putting aside Italy in Rome in 2023.
The Cardiff Rugby player has made seven appearances so far this season for the Arms Park side, but aims to showcase his improvements following his last outing for Wales.
“It’s great to get another opportunity to potentially show what I can do,” continued Wainwright.
“I’ve played a lot more rugby than when I was last in.
“I’d only played 20-something games for Saracens at the time and was then put into that environment.
“When I was here last time, it was a big learning curve for me, and I’ve played a lot of rugby in between with Scarlets and Cardiff.
“I had those caps early in my career, but I understood I still had a lot to work on.
“I was quite critical of myself, and I went away and worked hard.”
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