Joe Thomas, the 30-year-old head coach of Swansea RFC, is the youngest in Super Rygbi Cymru and has set his sights on a long-term career in the professional game, with the ultimate ambition of coaching Wales.
Thomas, who combines his coaching role with playing for the club, has already been entrusted with leading one of Welsh rugby's most storied clubs into a new era. His playing career took him from Wales Under-20s and the Ospreys to Leicester Tigers, the United States and New Zealand.
Coaching Dream and Dual Role
"I'd love to coach in the pro game one day," he said. "I very much understand I'm still learning on the job but I really enjoy the craft of coaching. I'd do it for Morriston RFC if I wasn't doing it for Swansea RFC. I just really enjoy coaching."
"We will see how it goes and just take one step at a time. But long term I'd love to be a professional coach and the dream is to coach Wales at one point, as would most other coaches in Wales."
Thomas balances his head coach duties with his role as a player, giving him a close-up view of the team from both sides of the touchline. His playing experience helps him understand the demands he places on his squad, while his coaching position gives him responsibility for shaping the team's approach and standards.
"The players have allowed me to do both roles to the best of my ability and they've never questioned me in terms of my selection or commitment," he told WalesOnline. "They understand I've got the best interest of the club at heart. I know how Swansea want to play the game and I know what's required for that to be enabled."
Lessons from Leicester and New Zealand
The former Wales U20s centre enjoyed a career that took him well beyond Welsh rugby, with spells at the Ospreys, Dragons and Leicester Tigers. He also played for the Houston Sabercats in the United States and Otorohanga RFC in New Zealand's Waikato region.
Thomas believes that breadth of experience, coupled with the opportunity to learn from some of the game's leading coaches, can provide a valuable foundation for the next chapter of his career. "It has definitely helped me seeing how different people react in different cultures," he said.
"Being in environments like Leicester where they were really brutal. Some of the coaching at Leicester was top tier and they had some of the best players. I learnt a lot about how they drove standards and how they challenged each other."
He also credited specific coaches for their influence: "Tactically I learnt a lot from Mike Ford at Leicester around the kicking battle. I learnt a lot from Kyle Eastmond who was a dual-code international and how he saw the game. Matt Sherratt was another one just in terms of how excited he was around attack."
Return to St Helen's and Silverware Ambitions
Thomas takes charge of Swansea RFC at a pivotal moment in the club's history. The redevelopment of historic St Helen's forced Swansea away from their spiritual home last season, with Dunvant RFC providing a temporary base. This season brings a long-awaited return to St Helen's, where Swansea will share the ground with the Ospreys.
After finishing sixth in Super Rygbi Cymru last season, Thomas is setting his sights considerably higher. "This year competition wise we want to win everything we are in as does every other coach," he said. "A big thing for us going back to St Helen's is honouring the history of that prestigious ground and making sure we step into this new era in a positive manner."
"We had a taste of it last year with the plate and we just want to kick on this season. Hopefully some of the signings we've made this season with the likes of Luke Scully coming in show that. We want to be in it to win it."
Thomas believes the return to St Helen's has breathed fresh energy into the club. "We've spoken as a group around how we want to be remembered in this first year," he said. "When you see the trophy cabinet at St Helen's you realise how big this club is. We are just really excited to get back to somewhere we can call home."
Players to Watch
Thomas has also singled out a number of Swansea players he believes have what it takes to step up to the Ospreys and make their mark in the professional game this season. "Lewis Edwards is definitely a player to watch," he said. "I can't see him being with us for long. I was at Leicester when Freddie Steward was coming through - Lewis is even better."
"Sam Morgan the young backrower has gone under the radar a bit but he's played for both Wales U18s and U20s last season. I expect him to have a big season. The way Jack Hoskins has come on over the past 12 months it wouldn't surprise me if we see him play for the Ospreys as well. Our tighthead prop Kian Hire has also got a lot of potential."
For now, Thomas's focus is firmly on Swansea and making the most of a season that promises to be significant for the club. With a return to St Helen's and silverware firmly in his sights, he is determined to ensure Swansea's new chapter gets off to a winning start.
