Jac Morgan says Gloucester move has given his game a new attacking edge

Wales flanker Jac Morgan says his move from the Ospreys to Gloucester has added an attacking side to his game, with more chances to carry the ball. The 26-year-old, who will play against Japan in the Nations Championship on Saturday at 16:40 GMT, told BBC Sport that the change has given him a bigger role with the ball in hand.

Flankers are the fast, physical forwards in the back row. They compete for the ball on the floor, make big tackles and, when needed, run hard at the defence. Ball-carrying means running with the ball to gain ground, and it is one of the main ways forwards get a team over the gain line, the point where they are moving forward into contact.

Morgan made the switch to Gloucester in the summer, joining his Wales team-mate Dewi Lake. Lake has since been named Gloucester captain, with Morgan as one of the vice-captains alongside England centre Seb Atkinson. Lake also kept the Wales leadership role.

The numbers from the Premiership, England's top domestic league, show how busy Morgan has been. He leads the league for turnovers won, which means winning the ball back from the opposition. He is second for tackles completed and in the top five for rucks hit, where a ruck is the contest for the ball on the ground after a tackle. He has beaten 18 defenders with his running, and he leads the league with 102 metres made in contact, meaning ground gained while being tackled. Morgan has also scored two tries for Gloucester, who are second in the table.

Morgan's path to this point has had its setbacks. Last November, he dislocated his shoulder while scoring against Argentina in the opening game under Wales head coach Steve Tandy. He missed Wales' wins over Japan and Italy before returning for the victory over Fiji, which started the Nations Championship for him. He also won two caps for the British and Irish Lions on their tour of Australia last year.

Morgan knows the Wales set-up well. He captained Wales Under-20s and was named Wales senior co-captain for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, alongside Lake. Now he is working on a new role at club level, one that asks him to carry more and take on the defence more often.

Saturday's game gives him a chance to show that change on the international stage. Wales have already beaten Fiji this autumn, and they meet Japan with Morgan back in the side.