Corey Domachowski has reflected on the bittersweet nature he found out about his selection in Wales’ Rugby World Cup squad.
The loose-head prop was waiting to attend his great-grandmother’s funeral when he received the biggest news of his career so far.
“It was a bittersweet day”, said the Cardiff Rugby star forward as he shared the juxtaposition of how he heard the news.
“It was my nan’s ( great-grandmother) funeral today so we were all in the living room waiting for the hearse to turn up. My missus had the phone next to me and I was like ‘look this is probably not the place to do it’ but all the family were like ‘no chance, we want to know whether you are in or not’.
“As soon as my name was announced it erupted. It was quite nice because obviously it was a sad day and everybody was a bit down, it kind of lifted the mood a bit. Obviously, my family were ecstatic over it.”
Domachowski’s selection in Warren Gatland’s 33-man squad comes on the back of a memorable season in which he starred for the Blue and Blacks despite uncertainty in the game.
He was part of a dominant front-row unit, which propelled Cardiff to the Welsh Shield and the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.
“I take myself back to the middle of the season and if someone said I’d be in this position I’d have laughed in their face to be honest…It’s probably down to what we all experienced at the start of the year with finances, not knowing if you’ve got a job, securing food on the table for the kids.
“I think I use it a lot for motivation. I just thought it could be my last push to stay in professional rugby, but then I managed to put a few games together playing well - and obviously got rewarded for it. It’s hard when you have got to put your body on the line, you could potentially pick up a serious injury that could end your career, and the sacrifices you are making for the club, team and yourself.”
While Domachowski was thrilled with his own inclusion, he was disappointed for his close friend Keiron Assiratti.
The Rhondda duo had come through the Cardiff pathway together, formed a formidable unit with Liam Belcher, and made their Wales debuts together in the 20-9 victory over England earlier this month.
“I had a little chat with him this morning,” Domachowski shared. “It is tough for him from where he was at the start of the year. Cardiff asked him to cover hooker at one point - and now he’s a Wales international.
“Sometimes, you have probably got to take a step back and realise how far you’ve come. He is a great player.
“You don’t get gifted international honours if you are not good enough. I am sure he will bounce back from it, take it as motivation, hopefully use it to his advantage and push for the Six Nations.”