Kidney is fine, now so much is at stake

Feb 16 2008 by Gareth Griffiths, South Wales Echo

CARDIFF Blues wing Tom James will start his first rugby match for nine weeks when he lines up for his region against Leinster in the Magners League showdown in Dublin tonight (7.30pm).

And the 20-year-old speedster is looking to banish the memories of the last two months that saw him hospitalised and robbed of his chance to start for Wales in the Six Nations.

Last December, James had just impressed new Wales coach Warren Gatland with a try-scoring and powerful display for the Cardiff Blues in their Heineken Cup victory over Stade Francais.

But a day later James was struck down with an illness that saw him sidelined for five weeks. He was eventually diagnosed with a kidney infection.

That meant a miserable Christmas and New Year period which included a four-day stay in hospital during which the Merthyr man dropped from 16 stone to just 14 stone 9lbs.

“I was really ill for five weeks,” said James.

“The day after the Stade Francais game I had pains in my stomach and in the end I was told I had a kidney infection.

“I have had nothing like that before.

“I originally went into hospital and they sent me home and said there was nothing wrong with me.

“Two days later I was still in agony and I was vomiting. I went back and they found it was a kidney infection. I went back to hospital for four days on New Years Day.

“I lost more than a stone in three weeks because I was not eating at all. “I could not even drink water because every time I tried it came straight back up.

“It was terrible because I normally train every day, so I was bored stupid just lying there in bed.

“It has also been a tough battle to get back to fitness and I have trained hard.

“The first session back with the Welsh squad I tried just to keep up with the others but because I had not trained for so long I was sick.

“But now I am back fully fit and I need to get that match sharpness back.”

James has been provided with that opportunity tonight after being released from the Wales 28-man squad along with Robin Sowden-Taylor and Jamie Roberts for the Blues Magners League top-of-the-table clash with Leinster.

Roberts has been dropped after winning his first cap against Scotland while Sowden-Taylor and James are the only members of the Six Nations squad not to play any part in the victories over England and Scotland.

And James knows he needs to impress Gatland tonight after being praised by the Kiwi before Christmas.

“It has been frustrating, after playing well against Stade Francais and scoring a try I thought I was in with a chance of playing in the Six Nations,” said James. “I was gutted because I had played well in the Heineken Cup matches so when I fell ill I thought my Six Nations chances were over.

“I was lucky to get picked for the 28-man squad and I suppose that was a good sign because it shows he must have a bit of faith in me.

“But I have not had a look in since because I have not played any rugby.

“I am normally nervous and quite shy about talking to Warren.

“But when I was left out for the Italian game I took him up on his offer of coming to see him.

“He told me he had originally picked me because of my performances in Europe but he could not pick me because I had not played in nine weeks.

“So against Leinster what I have to do is play well and show him what I can do again.

“I want to be in with a chance of playing in one of the last two Six Nations matches and that is my main aim now.

“There are a few of us in this position where myself and Jamie are fighting for a place on the wing, while Robin has to try and prove he is as awesome as Martyn Willams.

“As for Jamie, it was good for him to play against Scotland and he did well on his debut.”

And James realises the magnitude of the game tonight with league leaders Leinster who are five points ahead of the second-placed Blues.

Dai Young’s men really need to pull a victory at a difficult venue if they are not to lose touch with the Irish province.

“If we lose this game we could fall a way behind but if we win could be back level on points,” said James.

“So there is a lot riding on it for individuals and the team as well.”

gareth.griffiths@mediawales.co.uk