The 21-year-old has joined the Dragons on loan from Cardiff ahead of this season and is determined to make a fresh startMackenzie Martin had found out his uncle had passed away just hours before this picture was taken(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)

After two years on a rollercoaster, this summer has presented Mackenzie Martin with something of a chance to press the reset button.

From semi-pro rugby to a Wales international in 10 games, then back again in almost as many, the early chapters of Martin’s professional career have been eventful to say the least. The latest twist has brought a change of scenery, swapping his hometown of Cardiff for a quick trip down the M4 to Rodney Parade.

The hope is that, after that tricky second season, the loan move to the Dragons will provide his career with a shot in the arm. Last summer, Martin had been riding the crest of a wave, with four Wales caps to his name after a breakthrough season at the Arms Park.

But nobody but Martin and those closest to him knew what was happening behind the scenes at the young back-row’s highest point. On the other side of the world, on the bench against the Wallabies in Melbourne, Martin learned on the day of the match that his uncle Rob – a grandfather figure in his formative years – had passed away.

From the very heights of playing to Wales to that awful low, Martin kept that tragedy to himself for the remainder of the tour of Australia. Only now has he really reflected on it, as well as the other emotional blows that more than likely affected his second season in professional rugby.

“Some people have injuries that reset them,” the 21-year-old tells WalesOnline. “Some people have a tough year.

“I feel like it definitely is a reset. It’s a restart, I’d say. It’s time to go again, you know?

“It’s go time and that’s the mentality I have towards the season. Let’s get after it, you know?

“Let’s rip it up as much as I can, Just go out there and do the best I can and put something in the air. That’s the attitude I have towards it.”

Already, it’s clear to hear how much the young man from Ely is enjoying his time in Gwent. The strong ‘Kairdiff’ accent remains, but it’s very much a mantra of “new people, new coaches, new ideas” for Martin in Newport. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.

This summer has been, in Martin’s own words, “quite refreshing”. That first season, going from playing for Cardiff RFC in the Welsh Premiership to pulling on the Wales jersey in a matter of months was a lot to take in.

“Obviously, when you’re in the midst of things, it’s tough to look back and think what could I have done better? How much did I enjoy that? Was I in the moment? But I haven’t had time to reflect on those times.

“That first year was such a high in terms of playing for the U20s, then Cardiff, then Wales in my 10th professional game. It was a whirlwind. I was flabbergasted when the Wales call came.

“I had been thinking in the back of my head that there were a few injuries in the back-row. And, in every game we’d played against the other regions, I’d gone well. I wasn’t being cocky or arrogant, but I was just thinking I could make it.

“My mindset was if it came, I needed to be ready. Keep my head down, don’t give it the Billy Big you know what and be grateful for whatever opportunity came. In my head, I was thinking I wasn’t going to play. I was just there for Gats to have a look at, for my own experience.

“I told my family not to get their hopes up. Wait until the game comes, then we can get excited. I was just focused on the next job, keeping myself level-headed so I wouldn’t be disappointed if I didn’t play.

“So then, getting to play in Dublin, it was pretty special. Looking back now, I wish…”

Wales backrower Mackenzie Martin(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

Martin pauses for a few seconds. “I want to explain it. I kind of wish… not that I took it for granted, but I was 20. I was young.

“I know a year doesn’t make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, but the year I’ve had of not being picked, I wish… I don’t know how to explain it.

“I wish I enjoyed it a little bit more. I know we lost every game, but when you’re in the moment, you’re always thinking about the next job. I wish I just sat down and thought ‘I’m playing for Wales’. That’s a massive thing. I wish I appreciated that more that first time around.”

When Martin toured Australia with Wales that summer, he was determined not to feel that way again.

“I wanted to experience it more, 100 per cent,” he says. “I wanted those feelings, to enjoy it more. Instead of being under-emotional in the Six Nations, I was ready to go. All I was thinking was, this is massive.

“I went in thinking I deserved to be there and that I was going to get after it. I think, out there, that worked in my favour. Obviously, I didn’t get on from the bench against Australia, but I was just enjoying every moment. And then I played against the Reds and that was special.

“It might have been the most minimal game on that tour, but it’s probably the favourite one I’ve ever played in. I played against South Africa earlier that summer, but the Reds match felt important to the team and to me. I started, I gave it a good crack, I played well, we won.”

Remarkably, that performance in Brisbane came less than a week after learning of his uncle’s death.

Even now, talking about that time is particularly raw for Martin.

“That was really tough, because I didn’t get time to grieve,” he says. He passed away on the day of the second Australia game, and I was on the bench, so I was quite fortunate.

“Obviously, I would have liked to play, but my head was scrambled. Nobody knew about it, though. I just kept that to myself and I just dug in. I knew he would want me to finish up the process, so I literally just gritted my teeth, put my socks up, and just dug in for the last week or so. I’m so grateful I did.

“When I got the call on the morning of the game, that was very tough. I was kind of numb that day, but then as the game finished and we had another game to prepare for, it kind of took my mind off it a little bit. It was a case that I could put the emotions to one side for a bit, finish the job and then I could grieve when I got home.

“I didn’t want sympathy. I didn’t want anyone asking how I was. I just wanted to get the job done. I was here for a job and that’s what he would want. He was a grafter himself. He’d grit his teeth and he’d want me to do the same.

“I don’t know if that’s the wrong decision or a bad one, but that’s what I did. Australia was the furthest I’d been from home and it’s isolated out there, in terms of the time difference. In those moments, I was alone in my head.

“But the boys were great. They didn’t know anything, but just being with them, out of my room, playing cards or going for coffee, really helped. Certain boys I was close to probably knew something was up. But they didn’t know.”

Mackenzie Martin walks onto the field. (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)

The impact of his uncle on Martin is clear when he speaks. Having lost both his grandfathers when he was young, his Uncle Rob served as the older role model throughout his childhood.

“I would tell people he was my grandfather and he would do the same,” he says. “Growing up, he was amazing.

“As I got older, when life started to get a bit harder and you’re becoming a man, I became even closer with him. That first year of my career, I was around there once a week at least.

“All the time I’d be there, just talking about rugby and life. That was our bond.”

There was other stuff going on behind the scenes too for Martin last summer when he returned from Down Under. Often in life, it doesn’t just rain, but it pours. Other realities of life, like his parents splitting up and other illnesses in the family, only added to the brutal nature of that particular time.

Back in Wales, Martin went from grieving to trying to back up that breakthrough campaign. This is perhaps where the realities of Welsh rugby’s shortcomings and how cloth has been cut accordingly are laid bare. Martin was both a Wales international and a second-year professional. In many ways, it’s only natural that expectations between club and player probably differed.

For his part, Martin felt he was probably rushed back into pre-season action a little too soon, while he was still undercooked. From there, Martin started the season with the odd bench cameo, a few minutes here or there. “That’s not doing anything for me,” he says. “I either don’t play and get my fitness up, or play the full game and I’m back.

“So that was difficult to manage.”

With limited playing time, there was no Wales squad place in the autumn – leading Martin to head back to the SRC in search of minutes. “That was probably the first time I’ve ever acted emotional when not getting picked,” he explains. “I’m always quite reasonable around selection, but missing out for Wales and then the Ulster match, my head wasn’t in a good place after that. But I thought I’d go to the RFC and get a game. I didn’t think I’d end up playing 10.”

It’s clear that last season was a frustrating one for Martin, with that unshakable feeling that he was always playing catch-up. Those at Cardiff had always gone out of their way to stress that, for the host of young players Warren Gatland had capped, the path forward wouldn’t be a straightforward one.

“It was hard,” he says. I felt like I was doing everything Cardiff were asking of me. And I’m not getting an opportunity.

“Like, if I had an opportunity and I played bad or I didn’t do what they asked me, I’d hold my hands up and I’d take responsibility. And I’d say, do you know what? That’s completely on me.

“I’ll take my licks. I’m a grown man. But when I wasn’t blessed with the opportunity, that’s what I found hard.”

Mackenzie Martin had a difficult second year(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Late in the season, there was interest from the Dragons in Martin. Initially, it went nowhere. But when Taulupe Faletau signed a contract extension, a loan deal was agreed for Martin to head to Rodney Parade.

“When Toby signed, I definitely knew I wanted to go then,” says Martin. “Because obviously he’s the GOAT.

“I’m not going to play over him. And at the moment, I’m not going to play over Al (Lawrence). And Ben Donnell was playing No. 8 over me.

They’ve just signed Bash (Taine Basham), who’s played No. 8 for Dragons. And Jim Botham can play there too. It’s not as if it’s one or two in front of me.

“I know Toby’s going to get picked over me. I would pick him over me too. I’m not stupid. I understand he’s the GOAT. I understand that. I’m not unreasonable.

“The year before was a massive up. What’s good about last season is that I had those downs. I only played six professional games. Less than two hours of rugby.

“All those hardships you learn through not playing, through not getting picked, through consistently trying your best and not being good enough, I think that’s good for my development.

“Some people might not see it as like that, but that’s the attitude I have towards it. Hopefully that makes me into a better, more mentally capable player. Rather than looking at it as a bad thing, I’d rather look at it as a good thing and how it can improve me.

“Even though I didn’t enjoy last year in terms of not playing, anybody can see that. You’re not going to enjoy not playing when you’re there to play at the best level. Going from being on the Australia tour to six months later, no disrespect to the SRC, I respect the league and the boys in it immensely, but playing whatever team it is, mentally it’s quite tough because it’s such a drastic change.

“I did find that tough at first, but I’m that type of person who, like I said, if I play in the SRC, I didn’t know is that going to give me better opportunities to play in the league, in the URC? They said yes, so I do it. I don’t have no issues with the pecking order. I understand that rugby is sometimes one man’s opinion, but if I can do my best to change that opinion, then I will.

“It’s resilience. Mental resilience. Learning to never give up. I didn’t get the opportunities last year. But I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to go to the Dragons. It’s a massive blessing.

“The coaches have blessed me with the opportunity. So all glory to God for that. Sometimes when a door closes, another one opens. But I think what I took from the season is mental resilience. Don’t take your foot off a tiger’s neck. Or a lion’s neck, whatever the saying is. Don’t ever let up, even if you’re on top.

“Obviously that’s how I got to playing for Wales. I started from nothing to get to where I was.”

Martin has spoken in the past about his experiences growing up in Ely. As a young child playing junior rugby, parents tried to stop the fairly-grown 12-year-old from playing. Disillusioned, Martin left rugby behind for a while. Finding God and faith brought him back into the sport. Now he coaches kids from similar backgrounds as himself with Caerau Ely, acting as an inspiration to them. “I’m not just some arrogant guy on a pedestal because I play rugby or whatever. I’m the same as them.”

That, and his faith, mean everything to the 21-year-old.

“I’m back at the bottom now,” he says. “But that underdog story, I love that stuff, you know. That’s been my whole life. My whole life’s been an underdog story.

“Like who would have thought that I’d play for Wales being from Ely? I grew up with not much. It probably wasn’t destined for me to play, to do what I’ve done.

“But who doesn’t love an underdog story?”