How did you get into rugby?
My father, Tony, took me to Pontypridd minis when I was eight. He was a huge influence and coached my team until I was 13.

What positions have you played?
I was second-row, then No 8 when I was 14 or 15, then got asked to move to tighthead after a Blues U16 trial.

How did you manage the move?
I was quite open to the idea and Chris Horsman helped me with my scrummaging a lot in the Wales age groups. I learnt a lot in my first year of senior rugby with Pontypridd last season, against older players.

Did you mostly play for Pontypridd last season?
Yes. I started the 2015 SWALEC Cup and Principality Premiership finals, which was a good experience. I was in the Blues Academy but trained with the seniors and I had about 20 minutes off the bench against Wasps in the LV= Cup. That was a big step up.

How was your Guinness Pro12 debut in October?
I only got on for a couple of minutes against Munster but it was great to be involved.

What are your aims for this season?
I was hoping to make an impact through the 2015 pre-season and have an opportunity (for Blues) somewhere along the line, but I didn’t expect it to happen as soon as October. The primary thing I’m working on is my scrummaging, because that’s the main job for a tighthead, but I like to play a bit more open rugby when I can, with the ball in hand.

RW verdict: This product of Pontypridd minis and schools already has ten Wales U20 caps, yet doesn’t turn 20 until January 2016. He got game time in both the Blues’ European games last month, and has a bright future.

First published in the January 2016 edition of Rugby World magazine.