Wales lock Freddie Thomas says missing out on Nations Championship selection has sharpened his hunger to deliver for Gloucester.
Freddie Thomas has been left out of Wales' plans for the Nations Championship, and the lock is treating the disappointment as a call to action. Rather than sulk, he says the omission has given him extra motivation to produce big performances for Gloucester.
For a second-row forward, that attitude matters. Locks do the unglamorous work: winning lineout ball, hitting rucks, carrying hard and tackling all day. A player driven to prove a point can raise his output in all of those areas, and Gloucester will welcome that edge.
The Nations Championship is a major new stage for international rugby, so missing out stings. Selection battles in the engine room are fierce, and a player left out has little choice but to let his club form make the argument for him.
Thomas's path from here is clear. Consistent, high-intensity displays for Gloucester are the best way to keep his name in the conversation and put pressure on those ahead of him. If the snub really is fuelling him, Wales selectors may soon have a tougher decision on their hands.
