Wales hopeful and Worcester Warriors wing Josh Adams has been named Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month for December 2017 – and backed by Will Greenwood as well as his club coach to make a Six Nations breakthrough.
Adams has been in stellar form for the Warriors, climbing to the top of the Aviva Premiership Rugby try-scoring charts with nine in the competition this season.
World Cup winner Greenwood has described him as a wing with “raw power, real balance and deft feet” and now his Warriors coach Alan Solomons has said he’s ready to be called up by Warren Gatland.
Adams, 22, left the Scarlets three years ago but has enjoyed a rapid rise this season with an extended run of games. He has scored in six straight Premiership games to help the Warriors move 10 points clear of the drop zone.
“Josh Adams is having one of those purple patches where he would score if the opposition blindfolded him,” said Greenwood.
“Cricketers talk of seeing the ball like a football, golfers of feeling as if the hole is as big as a bucket when putting. Almost invincible.
“Adams is big and quick which is a great start. But he adds to this raw power with real balance and deft feet. Continually improving his understanding of back three play. It would be remarkable were he not to get some international recognition in 2018.”
Adams scored his 10th try of the season in Warriors’ 46-31 defeat to Saracens at Allianz Park last Saturday and South African Solomons said: “He is a really good rugby player and an extremely dangerous broken-field runner.
“Wales tend to produce those backs. It much be in their genetics. He is a class player and certainly capable of playing international rugby.”
Adams burst onto the scene last season with 13 tries in 23 appearances in all competitions and is well on his way to beating that total this term.
“I think Josh has got a lot of confidence because of the way the team is playing,” added Solomons who took over at Sixways this season from Gary Gold.
“It is all about the team and because we are playing well Josh has been given the opportunities which he has taken. But he has grown in confidence.”
Adams had a taste of international rugby at Under 20 World Championships in 2015, where he scored four tries in five starts.
His award came after he was judged by a panel of experts as the player who made the biggest impact in the League over the month. He was involved in a four-way battle for the latest title, eventually beating Wasps’ duo Danny Cipriani and Dan Robson and Exeter Chiefs’ back-rower Don Armand to the title.