'A real opportunity' - Sheffield United man shares World Cup dream after overcoming injury nightmare
Sheffield United defender Rhys Norrington-Davies is determined to help Wales reach this summer’s World Cup after an injury forced him to miss out in Qatar four years ago.
Wales will be hoping to take a giant stride towards securing back-to-back World Cup appearances when they face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their play-off semi-final at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday night.
After finishing second in Group J in their qualifying campaign, Wales have a second opportunity to try and book their place at this summer’s showpiece event in the United States, Canada and Mexico. If they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina they will then face either Italy or Northern Ireland in a play-off final next Tuesday night with the winner securing qualification.
For Wales, who are managed by former Manchester City and Liverpool attacker Craig Bellamy, they are hoping to reach back-to-back World Cups for the very first time after ending their 64-year wait to rub shoulders with the world’s best in 2022.
Unfortunately for Blades left-back Norrington-Davies, who has spent this season on loan at Championship counterparts QPR, he missed out on representing his country on the world stage four years ago because of a hamstring injury he suffered just a month before the start of the tournament.
At the time, the Welshman was a regular starter at Bramall Lane, starting each of the Blades’ first 15 Championship matches of the season. Unfortunately for him, the night he was forced off against Coventry City marked his last appearance for over a year.
Recalling the devastation of missing out on the 2022 World Cup, Norrington Davies, as quoted by DragonSports, said: “Yes, I missed out on the World Cup, literally in the build-up to the tournament, probably two or three weeks prior.
“I picked up a significant injury. And then I struggled to get back into the squad afterwards because of related injuries here and there.
“It was tough [missing out on the 2022 World Cup]. I can remember being sat in bed, I was bed-bound.
"Obviously watching the boys thinking, ‘Yes, I should be there and I should be playing.’”
Since the last World Cup, Norrington-Davies, who is under contract at Bramall Lane until June 2027, has made just 58 senior appearances for the Blades, QPR and Wales combined. He has admitted it has taken him the best part of three years to get back to full fitness.
He continued: “I thought it was going to be a bit more straightforward than it obviously ended up being. In the end it was a long time out.
“It was initially a hamstring injury, but there was a complication with the initial injury. Then, to follow, I had a couple of more serious ones that just prolonged the whole thing.
“It just breaks your rhythm in terms of getting back fully fit and playing regular football. It's probably taken me close to three years to get back to that stage.”
Making 33 appearances on loan at Loftus Road this season has seen Norrington-Davies named in Bellamy’s plans for what Wales hope will be two World Cup play-off ties. And with another World Cup appearance within touching distance, the defender is understandably determined to help his country get over the line.
“Having missed it four years ago, probably still to this day it hasn't really sunk in,” Norrington-Davies admitted. “If I had gone, I would have the memories and the experiences with the group.
“But I don’t have those and in a way that's never really fully sunk in. So, this time round, being back in the squad, it’s a real opportunity for me.”
Addressing his current condition, the left-back added: “I'm getting there. I'm getting there in terms of how I feel with my body. My body feels good now.
“It's just about playing good football and obviously getting the chance under Craig.”
The 26-year-old has earned 14 caps for Wales, scoring one goal.