Josh Hathaway played for both England and Wales in the Under-20 Six Nations. But as he prepares for his first senior Championship, there is no doubt where his allegiances lie.
‘It was always going to be Wales,’ the 21-year-old wing, who is part of a revived Gloucester side in the Gallagher Premiership this season, tells Mail Sport.
‘Growing up in a little town like Aberystwyth, to be honest I didn’t really understand there was any other country! I lived in the middle of nowhere really.
‘Shopping centres were an hour away on the train. I had a stint playing for England Under-20’s and it massively helped me in my career.
‘I’ll always be very grateful to England and Alan Dickens, who was my head coach, for that.
‘I’ll never say I wish I hadn’t done it. It’s been a part of my journey, but I’m equally grateful to Warren Gatland and Rob Howley for calling me in with Wales. I can’t thank them enough.’
Josh Hathaway tells Mail Sport about his excitement for the Six Nations with Wales and what Gloucester can achieve this season
Last May, after enjoying his breakthrough season with Gloucester, Hathaway’s full international future was unclear. But Wales head coach Gatland moved quickly and gave him a Test debut against Australia in July. A second cap followed in November against back-to-back world champions South Africa. Hathaway is learning on the job.
But his talent is obvious. He is impressing with Gloucester, who are fifth in the Premiership this term ahead of Saturday’s clash with fourth-placed Leicester at Kingsholm.
Hathaway was nearly lost to Wales after moving from the Scarlets to Gloucester because he was studying at Hartpury College.
He will look to continue his progression by winning a third Wales cap in the Six Nations.
Gatland’s side open up their Championship with a daunting trip to Paris to face France on Friday night. If involved, it will be another step on Hathaway’s upward curve.
‘There are big differences between club and international rugby in things you don’t really see until you’re in it – the speed of the game, the intensity of the training, the physicality,’ Hathaway says. ‘I’ve been playing with some players who were my icons growing up and the coaches have been really good. They’ve challenged me a lot.
‘I’ve always had to push myself more in order to learn more. To get the chance to go out to Australia last summer and play international rugby topped it off really.
‘No matter what job you’re in, it’s always difficult at first when you start learning up and progressing. But the thing with rugby is you’re always learning.
The 21-year-old earned his first couple of caps for the Welsh national team last year
‘There is always competition and stuff to improve on. My debut in Australia was surreal.
‘I can’t remember anything about the game. I can remember before, signing the anthem, and afterwards, but I can’t remember a single thing about the 80 minutes. It’s just a blur.
‘It feels like a dream. I had to slap myself a few times to tell myself “This is really happening” but the Wales boys have been so accepting of me. It’s what I’ve always dreamed off.’
When he made his Wales debut in Sydney, Hathaway lined up to sing next to Liam Williams, his childhood hero.
It was confirmation of his arrival at the highest level.
‘It was nuts,’ Hathaway says. ‘We had a photo taken together when we were stood next to each other singing the anthem in Australia. It was emotional.
‘We’d also had a picture more than 10 years previously when Liam was making his breakthrough season with the Scarlets and I was a 10-year-old boy! To me then he was ‘Sanjay’ – one of my Welsh rugby heroes. Now I think I’m making him feel old!
‘He’s still carving up in the Premiership though now he’s had the opportunity to go back to Saracens. He was one of my idols growing up. When I see him on the pitch next to me or he’s giving me a word of advice, it’s really cool for me. People might look at me and think I’m in the Wales squad now, but it’s still amazing for me to be alongside him in the same team.’
He said it was ‘nuts’ playing alongside his childhood hero Liam Williams (pictured together in both images)
Williams is back in the Wales squad after missing the Autumn Nations Series through injury
Hathaway is part of a strong Welsh contingent at Gloucester.
His fellow Cherry and Whites backs Gareth Anscombe and Max Llewellyn might have been surprisingly left out of Gatland’s squad, but Tomos Williams and Freddie Thomas have been selected alongside Hathaway. Last season, Gloucester won the Premiership Rugby Cup and reached the final of the European Challenge Cup, but struggled badly in the league.
This time around, they are revived domestically after their director of rugby George Skivington ripped up his playbook and introduced a more attacking style of play.
Gloucester have won five of their 10 league games. But their free-flowing approach has seen them take a four-try bonus point in seven of those matches.
‘We’re running the ball a lot more now with Gloucester and it’s bringing out the personalities of the boys on and off the pitch. We’re all really enjoying it,’ Hathaway says.
‘We’ve had some good wins, as well as some games we feel we’ve been a bit unlucky with, but we’re sitting pretty well in the Premiership table and looking forward to pushing ourselves for the rest of the season. I’ll never be comfortable. You can always be better.
‘There will always be someone coming for you. I feel I’ve been getting a lot of experience with Gloucester and Wales that has been a big help to me. It’s making me more confident.
‘I feel I can now adapt my playing style to different situations. I just want to play as much as possible. The biggest thing for me at my age right now is to get as much experience and learning as I can each week.
Warren Gatland’s Dragons side are looking to turn the tide after a torrid 2024 campaign
‘Leicester are just above us in the table and are a really tough, physical and competitive side. Hopefully, it gives me a chance to show my physicality as well. Some people might think I’m a bit too young, but I want to prove to people I’m ready. I need to show that now.
‘We’ll 100 per cent be looking for a top-four spot, maybe even higher. We’re backing ourselves. We have depth to our squad and some unbelievable talent. No-one was expecting the win we had over Sale. The belief we have all around Gloucester as a club is huge.
‘It’s the same with Gloucester-Hartpury – the women’s team. We have confidence we can do something special this season.’
At Gloucester, Hathaway is one of what his team-mates call ‘the butts’ – a jokey term for the Welsh internationals at Kingsholm.
Wales endured a more-than-tough 2024. Gatland’s youthful side have lost their last 12 Tests and are desperate for a return to winning ways after their coach survived a review into his position at the end of last year.
Williams is likely to start at full-back in Paris with Josh Adams on one wing. The other wing spot is open, with Hathaway rivalling Blair Murray and Tom Rogers for it.
Like Murray and Rogers, Hathaway can also play full-back which makes him a good option for matchday involvement – possibly as 23rd man.
That is the role he will fulfil for Gloucester against Leicester on Saturday as the two teams compete for the Slater Cup. The trophy is named after Ed Slater, the lock who played for both clubs who is now battling the awful cruelty that is motor neurone disease.
Hathaway sticks a chance of involvement with Wales simply because of his versatility
‘We were gutted for Gareth and Max not to be involved in the Six Nations, but Warren makes the decisions and we’ll back him,’ Hathaway says.
‘We have a little Welsh bond here which is always good. With Wales, we believe with the side we have and the depth we have that we can push ourselves to the max, whether that’s going for the title or pushing to win the games we believe we can win. We feel we can progress this year as a Welsh squad. We want to be one the fans want to watch and want to back.
‘My biggest Six Nations memory is Wales’ 30-3 win over England in 2013. I was at my uncle’s wedding and as a family we were all watching it in the reception afterwards.
‘Every year, the Six Nations is what every little boy or girl who loves rugby looks forward to and it’s the tournament everyone wants to play in. It’s the same for me. I can’t wait.’
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