Aaron on a mission as he hits 50 mark

AARON Wainwright is set to win his 50th Wales cap against Australia in Sydney next weekend - a landmark which looked a long way off 18 months ago.

- SIMON THOMAS

Having been a regular in the team under Warren Gatland, the Dragons back-rower slipped down the pecking order after Wayne Pivac took the helm.

By the autumn of 2022, he was out of the squad altogether.

But, with the return of Gatland, his international fortunes were revived, to the extent he has now started 13 of Wales' last 14 matches, taking him to the brink of his half-century.

He has arguably been the player of the season in Welsh rugby, consistently catching the eye with his dynamic carrying, handling, footwork and contribution at the lineout.

Right now, he is one of the first names on the Test team-sheet. It's all a far cry from a difficult time during Pivac's tenure.

"Some of the messages were probably a little bit mixed in terms of what was wanted from me," he reflects.

However, everything changed when Gatland came back on board, with one of his first acts being to recall Wainwright.