When did you first play rugby?
When I was eight. My best mate at school asked me along for one session at Waunarlwydd  rugby club (near Swansea) and I never stopped going after that. I loved it. Later I played for Gowerton Comprehensive and my district side, as well as the club.

Have you played in different positions?
I was No 10 until I went to Hartpury then, as it was a step up, I had a look at playing full-back and getting a different perspective. I still prefer to have that No 10 on my back.

How did you end up at Hartpury?
At 16 I didn’t get selected for the Ospreys and two days after the trials Alan Martinovic, the DoR at Hartpury, rang to offer me a rugby scholarship. I was planning to go to sixth-form college in Wales but decided to go to Hartpury instead. I lived there for two years but now share a flat in Gloucester.

When did you first link up with England?
In 2014 I went to an U17 training camp, then last February (2015) I played for the U18s.

Have you thought about playing for Wales?
I’m going to wait and see what happens. I’m very grateful for how England have treated me.

Who has had a big influence on you?
Alan Martinovic, Sean Marsden, who was my U18 coach at Hartpury, and, above all, my grandmother Mary Walters. I lived with her from when I was eight, after my dad died. She is always at my games, cheering me on.

What are your aims now?
I have enjoyed playing for Gloucester during the World Cup and if more game time comes my way, I will try to take my chance. I’ve trained with England U20 and would love to play for them.

RW Verdict: Gloucester fought off a number of other clubs to sign this highly-rated teenager. Naturally gifted, with bags of attacking flair, it looks like a case of when, not if, Protheroe becomes a household name.

First published in the December 2015 edition of Rugby World magazine.