Harri Deaves means business. The trademark mullet has been shorn and a regulation American marine buzz cut is bristling as the autumn sun cascades through the skylights at the WRU’s National Centre of Excellence.
Of course, for those of you who have followed the 23-year-old’s fledgling career, they’ll be more accustomed to him flying around the field with a lime green scrum-cap, like a pinballing Exocet, wreaking havoc on the opposition, with his piston-like leg drive, truffle-hound nose for a turnover or bravery in throwing his entire being into felling weightier opponents.
For now, however, he’s standing still – not his natural disposition – being bombarded with questions after a breakthrough season in which plaudits have rained down on him with regularity. With the Ospreys media officer in close proximity for moral support, Deaves is being coerced into some introspection. “I feel it’s going alright. I’ve come on a lot, like”, he says, looking into the distance. “I’m putting a lot more effort into the rugby side. I like to have a laugh and a joke, but when I go into training, or a match, I flip the switch. I’m a hundred per cent every time I train. The boys call me ‘Test match Tuesday’. I’m like two different people sometimes.”
Harri Deaves gained the trust of the Ospreys coaches in a breakthrough season and earnt a new contract (Photo David Fitzgerald/Getty Images)
‘Deavesey’, as he’s known within Ospreylian circles, is known for his intensity and fearlessness, with the outgoing Nicky Smith lauding him for the honesty and grit he added to the O’s mighty pack. Deaves doesn’t mind admitting he’s target driven, and he has a few milestones to tick off in his little black book. “This season I want to make 50 appearances for the Ospreys – I think I’m 15 off – and enjoy my rugby.” Then in more hushed tones. “Obviously I would love to play for Wales.” Elaborating, he says. “I haven’t had any communication with the Wales camp as yet, but I have asked for some feedback, so I know what I need to do. It’s a dream of mine to one day play for my country.”
This admission at yearning to play for his country is unsurprising and comes at a time when one of the greatest opensides of his generation, Justin Tipuric, has formally notified Ospreys ranks of his intention hang up his bright blue scrumcap at the end of the season. While Wales are well-stocked for opensides, with Ellis Jenkins also retiring, it feels like a changing of the guard is in motion. While Jac Morgan has been installed as captain and the likes of Taine Basham and Tommy Reffell covet the Wales No 7 shirt, Deaves is growing in confidence. “I guess, I’ve grown up a lot in these last 12 months, even though I’ve just turned 23 and still consider myself still a child. I played 20 games last year, which was a lot than before,” he says, pausing with a smile, “But I now feel one of the older heads in the squad. I’m maturing fast.”
I’ve done a bit of manual work to make ends meet. Some bricklaying, a bit of plaster boarding here and there but roofing has to be up there as the worst.
With his happy-go-lucky demeanour and easy smile, Deaves is something of a throwback, a working class hero, who like former scaffolder Liam Williams, has tasted the sharp end of civvy street by working as a roofer, to top up his modest Academy contract until last year. “Yeah, I’ve done a bit of manual work to make ends meet. Some bricklaying, a bit of plaster boarding here and there but roofing has to be up there as the worst. The weather in South Wales makes it tough. If it’s too hot you can barely go on the roof. If it’s too wet, it’s really dangerous and if it’s too cold it’s pretty grim. The Ospreys weren’t too keen on it, but I wasn’t on the best money back then. Thankfully, with a new contract, I don’t have to do it anymore – and if anyone sees me on a roof, it’s my body-double!” he chuckles.
With Ospreys legend Adam Jones calling him ‘relentless’, the last year has been transformative to his outlook. “I guess the coaches needed to know they could trust me. That’s the big thing. I needed to show them in the way I trained and the way I conducted myself that I could go out there and do the job on the weekend. I felt like I did that last year. It’s about doing the right things to evolve, but also not losing the instincts that make me the player I am.”
Harri Deaves hunts down Sale Sharks’ Tom Roebuck in the Champions Cup (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
His natural game, honed at Pontyclun RFC, has been refined with the Ospreys, and his game intelligence nurtured by Toby Booth, who has thrown a paternal arm around his shoulder. “Boothy has done a lot with me. He talks about going into the red, going back to blue and making the best decisions for the team. I feel like I’m improving my decisions at ruck time and not making the same mistakes constantly. If last season showed anything, it was that I’ve shown I can listen and learn.”
Some of Deaves’ charm lays in his down-to-earth nature. He doesn’t have a hint of arrogance and there is an innocence in the purity of his love for rugby. Indeed, when he’s not with the Ospreys, Deaves is back at his community club, Pontyclun RFC, where a certain Martyn Williams – who shakes Deaves’ hand warmly when spotting him during the URC content day – was another former openside who played at the Brewery Field. “I’m up the club every day, I coach the youth on Tuesday and Thursday and I play Pontyclun RFC darts on the Monday. I love it.”
They say don’t meet your heroes, but he [Tips] is an unbelievable bloke and the smartest player I’ve ever played with. My bronco is decent, 4.42 secs – but at 35 Tips is still clocking 4m 37 secs – he’s ridiculous.
With a mischievous glint in his eye, you wonder if Deaves was a handful at school, but he’s playing a straight bat. “I was a good boy, promise, but I left at 16 and went to Bridgend College. I would have liked to have gone to university and tried to get a degree. I love numbers you see, so maybe engineering, or an accountant. Maybe one day.”
Rugby however, has always given him a sense of purpose and in his formative years, many will be surprised to learn Deaves was a wing until 16, idolising Shane Williams, before switching to the backrow when his competitive zeal became more apparent. “I’d say Pontyclun local boy Lloyd Rose was a role model closer to home but I can’t not mention Tips. They say don’t meet your heroes, but he is an unbelievable bloke and the smartest player I’ve ever played with. My bronco is decent, 4.42 secs – but at 35 Tips is still clocking 4m 37 secs – he’s ridiculous. I’m excited to see what he can do as defence coach. The way he sees defence is the same as Boycey (Mark Jones). He likes us to get off the line, shut down the space, give the opposition no time and ramp up the pressure. That’s the way I like to defend.”
Deaves has the benefit of learning from two Welsh back rows in Jac Morgan and Justin Tipuric, who will retire at the end of the season (Photo /Getty Images)
Similar to James ‘Cubbyboi’ Davies, one criticism of him that he can do nothing about, is his size. Standing at 6ft in boots, and 98kgs, he is no behemoth, and it’s no surprise he namechecks the ‘explosive’ Michael Hooper in dispatches. “I’ve been on the small side my whole career but I’m filling out. I’d like to think I could carry a few more kgs but the Ospreys aren’t keen because they like the amount of ground I cover. I don’t feel like it’s affecting my game and I’ve always punched above my weight – it’s because I’ve got mental hardness that comes from not having a very big brain”, he says, self-deprecatingly. Asked if his attitude is nature or nurture, he says it is an embedded family trait. “The work ethic I’ve got is from my parents because all they’ve ever done is grafted. On the pitch, I’ve always been the same and when I moved to openside at 16, everything fell into place.”
With the succession plan firmly in place, Deaves says he’s happy to play alongside Morgan, if needed. “I’ve played 6 for the Ospreys but my role is just the same, I play left and right. Jac is a phenomenal player and a cracking bloke. He is mental over the ball and when he speaks to the boys, they listen. He’s a natural leader, but I will fight for my position and won’t back down. He understands that but off the pitch there’s mutual respect.”
The Ospreys, the highest-placed Welsh region in the United Rugby Championship last year, are fit and ready to inject some much-needed excitement in the domestic game, with a hostile opener at Rodney Parade today. The Ospreys, however, are not lacking in motivation. “Of course, it was a shock to hear about Boothy leaving but we now have a chance to do him proud this year. The buzz is there within the squad. You can see how tight we are on our pre-season documentary. I can’t wait to get back out there.”
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