Mackenzie Martin has struggled for game time in his second senior season at Cardiff
Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt has challenged Mackenzie Martin to show some resilience amid interest in the Wales No. 8.
WalesOnline reported this week that the Dragons had expressed an interest in the 21-year-old after struggling for regular game time this season. Having broken into Cardiff’s team last season, earning a Wales call-up in the process, Martin has yet to start for the Arms Park side this season while he also hasn’t added to his collection of four Test caps.
Having made just six appearances off the bench for Cardiff, most of Martin’s involvements this season has been in Super Rygbi Cymru for Cardiff RFC.
That has coincided with the young back-row – who was initially called up to Wales’ Six Nations squad in 2024 after just seven senior appearances – missing out on recent Wales squads.
Having toured Australia last summer, Martin wasn’t part of Warren Gatland’s autumn and Six Nations squads this season. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Martin’s first setback in senior rugby has been met with the Dragons showing an interest in signing the powerful back-row.
Whether any deal materialises, given Martin still has a year to run on his current deal at the Arms Park, remains to be seen.
Martin didn’t feature for either Cardiff’s professional or semi-professional sides last weekend.
However, when asked if Martin was fit and available ahead of their last home game of the season against Munster, Sherratt said Martin’s lack of game time was a symptom of Cardiff’s rich back-row stocks.
“He’s in contention for selection,” said Sherratt. “It’s the hardest place to select.
“We’ve got guys like Dan Thomas missing out. Gwillym Bradley and Lucas de la Rua haven’t featured this year.
“To fit Faletau, Lawrence, Young, Botham and Mann, who have all been playing well, into the back-row is difficult.
“I probably take it right back to where we were. Mackenzie is 21 and he’s got a British Lion and someone who is probably not far off being player of the season in Alun Lawrence ahead of him.
“It’s probably one of those times in his career where he’s going to have to show a bit of resilience, work hard and get himself back on the field.
“The competition is pretty intense but that’s how you want it.”
There has been some added uncertainty over contracts at Cardiff in recent weeks, with the club having been taken over by the Welsh Rugby Union after going into administration.
There is the risk that players could feasibly void their contracts – with all of Cardiff’s playing group having been given a letter to sign that would see them acknowledge their transfer of their contract from Cardiff Rugby Limited to the WRU’s new subsidiary.
It’s understood that not all players had necessarily signed by the deadline of last Monday evening, although it’s unclear if everyone has since put pen to paper.
