Joe Hawkins is a young star coming to be a starter for Wales.

He has a good boot and is a great tackler.

Read more: Wales Six Nations squad

Ten things you should know about Joe Hawkins

1. Joe Hawkins was born on 11 June 2002 in Swansea, Wales. He stands at 6ft (1.83m) and weighs 15st 6lb (98kg).

2. He has played his senior rugby exclusively for Ospreys. There was a rumours he was going to sign for Exeter Chiefs but the club say, as of February 2023, they have no intention of signing him.

3. Hawkins has experience with Wales’ youth teams and he won his first cap against Australia in 2022.

4. He spoke to Ospreys website about playing alongside experienced Wales internationals at club level: “I have just tried to take it all in and to learn as much as I can off them. You just look at their characteristics and how they behave around the place but you have to be confident in yourself to impose yourself on a situation, even if they are around.

“You just drive your standards so you get to their standards. That’s the biggest thing you have to do. It just improves how you train, prepare and play by just being around players like that.”

5. Hawkins’ preferred position is centre but he can cover fly-half.

6. Hawkins is targeting a spot at the 2023 World Cup, telling Rugby World: “There’s a World Cup at the end of the year too which would be unbelievable. If I control what I can then all of that will hopefully just fall into place.”

7. His favourite player growing up was Sam Burgess. He told Rugby World: “There have been some greats over the years for Wales, some of the boys I trained with like Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and George North, I grew up watching on TV. But I used to love Sam Burgess in the NRL; I really enjoyed watching him play.”

8. He posts regularly with his partner Lauren.

9. Hawkins made his Six Nations debut against Ireland in 2023.

10. Warren Gatland has spoke highly of Hawkins, saying per Wales Online: “I thought he was really, really good. He makes really good decisions. I know a lot has been spoken in the past about using guys to get across the gainline, Jamie Roberts, but you have to find other ways.

“This is a new team with players with different skills and different strengths, and he brings something that is a little bit different.”

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