James Botham, the grandson of England cricket great Sir Ian Botham, has been selected to win his first international cap for the Wales rugby union team in the Autumn Nations Cup clash against Georgia.
The 22-year-old Cardiff Blues flanker was called up to Wales’ Nations Cup squad on Monday, having played just 13 professional games, and is now set to maintain his family’s proud sporting tradition on Saturday.
Cardiff-born Botham’s father Liam also played rugby union and rugby league for a number of clubs.
Wales coaching staff had already identified him as a player of possible 2023 World Cup potential, but his chance has come far sooner than expected.
And he is the latest international rugby player off the production line at Sedbergh School in Cumbria, with Botham’s fellow former pupils including former England captain Will Carling, World Cup-winning England centre Will Greenwood and current Wales prop Tomas Francis.
Botham is among three newcomers selected to face Georgia alongside Scarlets backs Johnny Williams and Kieran Hardy.
Williams was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year and underwent chemotherapy before returning to professional rugby 10 months ago.
He represented England and scored a try in a non-cap game against the Barbarians in 2019, but qualifies for Wales through his father, who hails from Rhyl.