ComeAllWithin.co.uk (CAW): How are you settling in?

Dafydd James (DJ): Good, good, it’s been alright. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and putting my boots on again.

CAW: Do you see the move to Quins as a chance to rejuvenate your career?

DJ: Absolutely, I’ve always thought I’d like to move to the Zurich Premiership and it was a great opportunity when Mark Evans approached me, the decision was made straight away, there was no other place I wanted to go. The ambition of this club, the brand of rugby that they’ve been playing and the structure here was right for me. I just thought what a fantastic opportunity it would be for me to join this historic club.

CAW: Do you think it will be a way back into the Welsh team?

DJ: Well hopefully, I’ve got aspirations to get back into the Welsh squad. Hopefully I’ll break into the Harlequins first team and that will put my name forward, I think I’ve still got a lot to offer to the Welsh team, I’m hoping to pull the red jersey on again and play at the Millennium Stadium again. But it’s one step at a time, Harlequins first and if I’m putting in good performances perhaps Wales.

CAW: And the other red shirt, the Lions shirt?

DJ: Well that’s my long term goal, well when I say long term it’s only at the end of the season, like I said it’s a natural progression with the club rugby first, then maybe Wales and then I’ve got my eyes set on the Lions. Especially after being there in 2001 and having an enjoyable trip, I’d like to go on it again.

CAW: Would you like to go as centre rather than wing where you have always played for the Lions?

DJ: To be truthful I’d play anywhere just like I would for Wales, I’ve always said that. I’m a utility back, I can play inside or outside centre and either wing but my preference at club rugby is as outside centre, but I’ve got no problem playing on the wing. As long as I’m playing and enjoying my rugby, putting in good performances and helping my team I don’t care where I play.

CAW: Looking at the centres already at the club are you confident that you’ll be able to break through?

DJ: Well you have to be confident in your abilities, there is strong competition here which is a good thing, all the players are on edge and it makes you go to that higher level really, everyone wants a place so it should bring out the best in players.

CAW: A lot has been written about how you were not happy at the Celtic Warriors, how disheartening was it back then?

DJ: It was obviously a frustrating period in my career, I had just come back from a shoulder injury which was quite severe. I was quite positive going in, my shoulder had recovered 100%, It had just got to that stage where the politics was taking over, the enjoyment seemed to have gone out of it and I was questioning whether or not I wanted to continue doing that. My love for the game has never been stronger and it was at the back of my mind to leave. If I’m going to be truthful if the Warriors were still going I would probably still have opted to leave. I still feel very sorry for the Warriors with the way they were treated and the politics, it’s a big shame, but I would definitely have left even if they were still going.

CAW: And you’ve come to a club that has won the Parker Pen Challenge Cup and that is playing in the Heineken Cup this season.

DJ: Absolutely, it’s fantastic to join a club as big as Harlequins and steeped in so much history. It’s fantastic that Mark Evans showed so much belief in me, he wants me to play at outside centre and I’m delighted with that as well. The group of players that we’ve got is a good mix of experience and up and coming lads and I think they play a great brand of rugby and I thought it would be a good place to resurrect my international career.

CAW: What is it like for you to come in as one of the most experienced players in the squad?

DJ: It’s never easy coming to a new club, there’s expectations on you and you have your own expectations too, you don’t want to make any mistakes. This club is a great club and the players that are here and the backrthe off. These are exciting times for me and I’m looking forward to it immensely.oom staff are fantastic. They’ve allowed me to settle in and feel at home pretty much from

CAW: The minute it was announced that you had signed people were talking about you and Will as a centre partnership as if it was a done deal but there are other lads around too (Barratt, Deane, Reay etc.)

DJ: Absolutely, there is one thing about myself and that is that I am never complacent and I don’t ever think I deserve to be in a position, I feel I have to put in the performances and work hard. Having competition is what brings the best out of players.

CAW: If there were a couple of injuries and it turned out that you had to play week in, week out on the wing would you be disappointed?

DJ: Oh not at all, as long as the enjoyment was there and the brand of rugby was fifteen man rather than a ten man game, there’s nothing more frustrating for a winger than being out there and not touching the ball, but I am sure that wouldn’t be the case. If I was selected to play on the wing then I’ll just enjoy it. It’s a new chapter in my career and I’ll just enjoy it wherever I play.

CAW: With Paul Turner being the backs’ coach and with him being Welsh and an international did that effect your decision to come here?

DJ: Obviously I was looking at that angle as well because I have aspirations to play for Wales again. Obviously with Mark Evans applying for the Welsh job and Paul Turner having played for Wales and being a good coach by his own merits as well and then you have Paul Pook who is Welsh as well, so from that point of view I am not going to fall into oblivion by playing in the Zurich. The more players they get playing international football the better it is for their track record too. I thought it was a good opportunity and playing alongside people like Will Greenwood, Andre Vos and Steve So’oialo and the other names that go along with the side it was a good opportunity to stake my claim for the Welsh shirt.

CAW: If we jump forward to the end of season, looking back what would make you think you’ve had a good season?

DJ: Well obviously to have the club finishing in the top two or three positions, obviously we’d love to win the Premiership, that would be a positive season for the club. We need to keep up our progression in the league. On a personal note, having played well with the boys and having broken into the first team, help the boys in the European Cup and break back into the Welsh Squad and the icing on the cake would be to end up going on tour with the Lions. But that’s a long way away yet, I just want to focus on Harlequins and let everything else take it’s course.

CAW: How’s your quad strain?

DJ: It’s just a little bit of a strain, it’s hopefully nothing major, I don’t think it is. It just needs to be looked after for the time being, the season is about to start next weekend so I just want to be ready for that.

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