Joe Joyce is gearing up for one of the most fiercely contested selection battles of his career as he embarks on his debut season with Gloucester Rugby. The experienced lock, who joined the Cherry and Whites from Connacht Rugby this summer, is determined to secure his place despite facing substantial competition.
At 32, the uncapped Joyce arrives at a Gloucester squad featuring a robust assembly of second row players, even following the departure of Argentinian star Matias Alemanno. The club has brought in Springbok World Cup winner Jean Kleyn from Munster and boasts two promising young internationals: England’s Arthur Clark and Wales' Freddie Thomas.
Rather than being intimidated, Joyce welcomes the challenge. “I’ve always had competition, but on paper this is probably up there,” he reflected. “Obviously, JK [Jean Kleyn], I played against him at Munster, he’s a World Cup winner, a big man. Then you’ve got Arthur, the vice-captain, on the rise, and Freddie Thomas, who has just played against the Springboks over the summer. I also like Danny Eite; every time I watched him last year he looked good, and though he’s had an injury, he’s coming through.”
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Joyce likens the competitive environment at Gloucester to his former stint at Bristol Bears, where he competed alongside players such as Chris Vui, Dave Attwood, and Ed Holmes. “It reminds me of my time at Bristol when you had a strong group of players,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of fitness and seizing opportunities. “Staying fit is half the battle. Stay fit, train hard, and take your chances. That’s what I’ve always done and always managed to play.”
While pre-season periods are often challenging for players, Joyce has taken on a significant workload with fellow locks either sidelined or being managed. With the arrival of new forwards coach Brett Deacon, the 32-year-old has seized the opportunity to accumulate valuable game time during preparations.
“I’ve been lucky that several locks are not training at the moment, so I’ve been able to do all the reps,” Joyce explained. “We might not be able to swap out once during sessions, which has been tough, but staying on the pitch all the time during pre-season and aiming for a strong start in the upcoming Premiership Rugby Cup will hopefully put me in a good position.”
With the new season kicking off in a couple of weeks against his former club Bristol Bears, Joyce will be eager to demonstrate that he is ready to rise to the challenge and contribute significantly to Gloucester Rugby’s ambitions.