Welsh rugby legend Jamie Roberts has branded Will Rowlands the first name on Wayne Pivac's team sheet and earmarked him as a future national team captain.
Rowlands has been a revelation since he was brought into the Test arena by Pivac during the 2020 Six Nations. He has gone from strength to strength in the intervening period and has formed a formidable partnership with Adam Beard in the Wales second row.
Such is the quality of the duo, Pivac opted to leave vastly-experienced former skipper Alun Wyn Jones on the bench for the summer Tests in South Africa, historically one of the most difficult places for a front five to operate in world rugby.
Read more: WRU announce plans to improve fan experience at Wales autumn internationals
Rowlands was also named Welsh Rugby Writers' men's player of the year last season before being made co-captain of the Dragons this term. He is expected to be front and centre for the club this season as he builds towards next year's Rugby World Cup.
"Someone like Will Rowlands, for me, is a potential Test captain if I'm thinking of someone 12 months out [from the Rugby World Cup]," said Roberts, speaking on a BKT United Rugby Championship media call.
"Yes we know Dan Biggar is the incumbent but Will Rowlands, for me, is probably first name on the team sheet for Wales, seeing his performances at the start of the season. Watching him against the Sharks, the guy was immense and he's a smart operator as well."
He added: "We talk about [Taine] Basham, [Ross] Moriarty, [Aaron] Wainwright and those guys, there is some serious firepower at the Dragons and for too long now they've been less than the sum of their parts.
"Hopefully Dai Flanagan is the sort of guy who can come in, stamp his gameplan on those lads and help them win more games. When you look at the Dragons' home record, it's quite poor over the last few years. They lost to the Sharks in the last minute but they have to start winning games like that."
READ NEXT:
Wales' expected plan to unleash Christ Tshiunza in a different way
Tom Shanklin names the gifted young Wales bolter Wayne Pivac must pick for autumn Tests
The final Wales experiments and wildcard call-ups Pivac will consider this week
World Cup ball to be named in memory of Welsh rugby legend as beautiful gesture made
