Welsh rugby’s biggest star almost lost his job but found his voice after an opportunity in Wales

Cardiff have had a difficult start to the Rugby United Championship season, winning just one of their opening five matches.

After a year of cuts, four professional clubs in Wales are operating with reduced budgets and squads. More than ever, they rely on young talents, which under normal circumstances could emerge in just a few years. They needed more experienced players to step up and lead the way. Receive the latest World Cup news by subscribing to our newsletter here

Only Corey Domachowski has experienced the rise and fall of Welsh rugby for some this year. In March, his future at the Arms Park was very uncertain: he was one of the players Cardiff were unable to offer a contract to.

He is now one of the most experienced members of the squad – a Wales international who is using experience from his World Cup debut to help lead the Cardiff youth team. Of course, this is a different experience for Domakhovskyi, but he talks openly about it.

“I would be lying if I said it didn’t affect (the players),” the 27-year-old said. “This year is very different to previous years, as you know with all the changes in Welsh rugby at the moment it is difficult for all regions.

“At the end of the day, you can’t just stop there, you have to work with what you have. There are a lot of promising young guys coming up right now and it’s good for them and it’s good for the coaches to see what they’re working on and as you can see with guys like Cam Winnett, he’s going to be a special talent. He’s a great player.

“Mason Grady, obviously he’s on the international stage, he’s a model guy, he’s a true athlete and these are just two of a lot of guys, there’s a lot of good ones here.

“I think at the end of the day opening is the best time to learn. When you play against an experienced person who has done this before and you are new, you know where you stand after those games.

“We know that all other regions think the same at the moment: the budget remains the same with reduced teams.

“You know you’re going to have to deal with it, especially when you get injured in key positions, the only players you have to pick are the younger ones and, like I said, it’s an opportunity. I wouldn’t say that anyone on the team is afraid of playing, the young people are interested and everyone wants to play and they are training hard and well.

“As I said, the media have already written off Welsh clubs due to budgets and circumstances over the last 12 months. “But there is a lot of talent in every Welsh team so I think there will be some surprising results along the way.”

Uncertain whether he will have a professional contract for this season, Domachowski has had a hot summer, making his international debut and joining Wales’ World Cup squad.

And having “found his voice” this summer, not just on the pitch but also when he led Wales’ Kalon Lahn choir at the World Cup, he now hopes to make an impact on Cardiff’s young squad following his move. with Wales.

“I tried that side of things. [with Wales] “And obviously you want more when you feel what it’s like to be up there,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time there and obviously now I’m focused on bringing that back to Cardiff and bringing what I learned there and trying to pass that on.” Pass it on to the newer ones coming in and even the more experienced ones and help everyone who is trying to improve.

“I think I’ve improved even more because I feel like I’ve taken a step forward in my career and I have more of a voice, being able to ask questions to the players and coaches. I have personality, the first week I kept my head down and I already knew most of the guys and they said, “Look, be yourself, we can see you’re holding back.”

“Honestly, one thing the Welsh coaching staff liked is that I have a bit of character, but when I get on the field I know what I have to do. “We had a lot of fun off the field and as you can see I have a brilliant voice, but we laughed a lot and it was good.”

Domachowski is clearly enjoying life at the moment – his Test career is on the rise and his status at the Arms Park continues to rise. The effect of the last six months – and this new voice – has not gone unnoticed by his coaches either.

“I would like to lose control again!” joked coach Matt Sherratt. “I’ll tell you how it’s been: he’s been on cloud nine since he came back from the World Cup. That’s what you want.

“I know there has been a lot of talk about this, but in March of last season I didn’t know if I had a job. Then four or five months later I was playing in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

“And he is one of ours. A regional boy, a big part of the group. What makes me most happy about Cory is that he has come back and maintained his standards in the Welsh team.

“It’s something that has been talked about a lot. The intensity of clubs will never be the same as that of international teams. They are there for short periods, no one has a contract, so no one is guaranteed to be there. So the intensity is enormous both physically and morally, which cannot be done in club rugby because it is very long and drawn out.

“But he came back and brought the standards with his things to the field. Help some young players. His training ethic has improved. This will attract young players. As for our young players, the only thing we can control this season is how good our program is.

“Are we improving the players? Are we playing the rugby we want to play? Are we developing players so that the club is better in the long term? “That’s all we can control.”