Young Gun: Luke Treharne – Exeter and Wales U18 full-back

A contemporary of George North in the Scarlets academy, Luke Treharne and the giant Welsh winger made a ferocious midfield combination in west Wales.
Where North offered the size and power, Treharne was the creative cog as the two lined up at ten and 12 for the young Scarlets – in a team that also featured current U20s pair Iolo Evans and Kirby Myhill.
The 19-year-old Treharne has since left the Principality to combine a medical degree with a place at the Exeter Chiefs – and he is already turning heads in the west country.
Treharne said: “I had two years with George at the Scarlets and it was great to have someone like that alongside me in the midfield.
“He would play outside me at inside centre, and he caused a lot of damage  which gave me lots of options.
“We had a very good side, a lot of us came through the same school at Coleg Sir Gar and the way the Scarlets play was great for me.”
Treharne has just finished his first year at Peninsula Medical School and has at least four more to come.
He follows Jamie Roberts – who has one year left in his own medical degree – but Treharne admits he may struggle with the demands of being a doctor and playing at the highest level.
Instead Treharne has turned his attentions to Sevens where he has already claimed a world title with the Great Britain students. And with the Welsh set to defend their world title at next year’s World Cup in Russia, Treharne admits he has his sights set on being part of that.
“At the moment Sevens is where I see my future, it’s just a lot easier to fit around my studies than playing XVs,” he said.
“I’ve found rugby quite relaxing alongside studying medicine but going forward it will be easier to fit alongside Sevens.
“I went with the Welsh team on the FIRA Grand Prix circuit this season and I’m really keen to be part of the Welsh squad at the World Cup.
“I was able to go to the World University Championships in Brive as part of the GB Students team.
“I played alongside  Tom Mitchell and Sam Edgerley there and I really want to push on.
“Last season I did play a few games for Exeter in the A League, but my dream would be to get in to the IRB Series and go on the trips to Hong Kong, Las Vegas and the rest.”
The man who knows Treharne’s rugby talents as well as anyone is Keith Fleming, his coach at Exeter University.
Fleming says it is Treharne’s ability to read the game, as well as his sensational footwork, which mark him out.
Fleming said: “Luke has the most electric feet you will ever see and has an ability to stand players up and go straight round them.
“He is an incredible individual given how much he has to fit in alongside his rugby but he manages it all and was a key player for us.”