An up-and-coming rugby league player from Penpedairheol has made his Super League début with Wigan Warriors.
Rhodri Lloyd, 18, came off the bench and played for 40 minutes during a recent match against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.
The former Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni pupil signed by the Warriors in September last year after making his senior début in the sport for South Wales Scorpions.
Welsh speaker Rhodri said: “I really enjoyed it. It was great coming up against some of the top players.”
The player, who was once on Newport Gwent Dragons’ books, said the decision to switch codes was straightforward.
He said: “Rugby league is a family game and that appealed to me. The opportunity was there to go to Wigan who offered a decent way of life and I’m enjoying it up here.”
Rhodri was signed by Wigan in September last year alongside fellow Caerphilly County player Ben Flower.
The youngest player to ever turn out for the Wales senior side at 17 years and 76 days against Italy in 2010, he is one the nation’s brightest young Rugby League prospects and started playing his club Rugby League at local side Penallta Storm.
Not forgetting where he came from, Rhodri told Caerphilly Observer that he wanted to thank his old PE teacher Jeremy Evans.
He added: “He came up to watch me in Leeds and he’s always been very supportive of me.”