Wales international WillGriff John has opened up about the life of an interloping prop and admitted he considered other career options during one period of unemployment. The Sale Sharks tighthead made a surprise return to the international scene during the Six Nations , with more than a few eyebrows raised when he was named in Warren Gatland's tournament squad in January. However, after being thrown into the starting lineup to face Ireland in interim coach Matt Sherratt's first game, John delivered a standout performance to cap a most unlikely Test comeback three and a half years on from his last Wales appearance. While he was not quite able to deliver the same level of performance against Scotland and England as Wales suffered yet another winless campaign, the 32-year-old admits he has been left pinching himself after making a Test return that meant so much to him. “It was a hell of an experience,” he told The Times. “The results were obviously frustrating. But I absolutely loved it. I didn’t think I’d play for Wales again, it came as a surprise. Thinking about it now, I still feel, ‘Did that really happen?’ "I was very emotional, my family were too, my mum, my brother, my partner, my two boys [Macs, four, and Raffie, nine months]. Especially considering the last 18 months I’d had.” After years away from the Test arena, John did not anticipate ever adding to his two Wales caps. particularly after navigating a difficult time in his career that saw him consider his future in the game. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Before his most recent stint with Sale, and after his release by the Scarlets in 2023, he made just one appearance for Racing 92 in France and a further four in Pro D2 with Montauban. It meant, in the middle of last season, the prop spent two months unemployed and hitting the gym every day. While he felt he still had plenty to offer on the rugby pitch, the unpredictability of his situation led him to consider whether his career was sustainable. “Thankfully I enjoy going to the gym, because that’s pretty much all I did for two months,” John admitted. “It was just a question of keeping ticking over, like you’d do in pre-season really, but you don’t know how long that’s going to go on for. “I didn’t want to retire, but you do start think about how long you can wait for another job. More for my family, it’s tough on them. Because my partner was pregnant, that was a stressful time.” Asked if he considered other forms of employment during that period, he replied: “Yes, but I don’t know what else I’d like to do. I know I need to figure that out at some point. But I wouldn’t really know where to start.” However, John is now firmly in the eye of the Wales selectors and will be hoping to be part of this summer's tour of Japan, when a new coach will be at the helm. Whether he makes a return to the squad or not, however, his years of experience and the hardships he’s suffered, means he now has a greater appreciation for the game. “When you’re young, you just roll with it from match to match,” he added. “But when you don’t have those opportunities, when you have spells out of the game, you appreciate it so much more. I don’t take anything for granted now.”