James Botham โ grandson of England cricket great Sir Ian Botham โ will make his Wales debut in Saturdayโs Autumn Nations Cup clash against Georgia.
The 22-year-old Cardiff Blues flanker was called up to Walesโ Nations Cup squad on Monday and he has played just 13 professional games.
But Cardiff-born Botham, whose father Liam played rugby union and rugby league for a number of clubs, is among three newcomers selected to face Georgia alongside Scarlets backs Johnny Williams and Kieran Hardy.
๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ช๐ฆ โซถ Three uncapped players in starting XV to face @GeorgianRugby ๐ฌ๐ช โ ๐ โซถ ๐๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐บ (6), ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ (9), ๐ช๐ถ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐บ๐ (12) โ ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ฑ (22)โ โ โ โซถ Dechreuad cyntaf i ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ a ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐-๐ญ๐ฎ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐ ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ #HWFN pic.twitter.com/ayLgrnn6es โ Welsh Rugby Union ๐ (@WelshRugbyUnion) November 19, 2020
Wales coaching staff had already identified Botham 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 Bothamโs fellow former pupils including former England captain Will Carling, World Cup-winning England centre Will Greenwood and current Wales prop Tomas Francis.
Former London Irish and Newcastle centre Williams, meanwhile, 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.
