From Birmingham City to Worcester Warriors, flying wing Josh Watkins admits he feels at home hugging the touchline no matter what shape the ball.
In the end he plumped for the oval one after an unsuccessful trial with the Blues as a 13-year-old, and it looks a sensible decision.
Although the 18-year-old had no real allegiance to a club growing up, football was his first love, he found the rough and tumble of rugby more suited to his talents.
Running 100m in little over 11 seconds helps, of course, and having also represented Worcester AC in sprints he can legitimately lay claim to being a master of many trades.
He said: “I didn’t really start playing rugby until I was about 13, I had trials at Birmingham but I didn’t get offered anything and it was at that point I decided to have a go at rugby.
“My first love was football, and I was a tricky left winger, but it didn’t work out on that six-week trial.
“I also competed in the 100m for Worcestershire, I ran an 11.1sec but I never took that too seriously because I wasn’t brilliant, nowhere near the top end. I’m not the slowest, but I’m not sure if I’m the fastest in the academy.”
The Worcester academy has treated him well since his arrival last year – he’s been an A-league regular, earning rave reviews despite a winless season.
One first-team chance with Warriors is now all he craves this season, but for a man schooled at Bromsgrove confidence is never too far away.
“I was 16 when I went to Bromsgrove Sixth Form where I got the opportunity to really develop my rugby,” said the former Nunnery Wood HS pupil.
“It’s a great place to develop. Players like Matt Mullan, now a Warriors first-team player, were there and from there I was asked to go to Worcester and by 17 I’d signed an academy contract.
“I’ve been playing in the A-league all year, and although we’ve not had the greatest of results it’s been a great experience.
“I haven’t had a first team chance but, hopefully, I’ll get one soon and try to take it, but I’ve just got to keep my head down. There’s a lot of work to be done. I’ve just got to see how it goes.
“I think the coaching staff are happy with me and how I’m doing, but there’s still a lot of things to work on, particularly my kicking and all-round game.”
Watkins intends to hone his skills at National Two North Dudley Kingswinford, who he joined in December, for the remainder of campaign.
But after being part of England U18s’ 2012 FIRA European Championship-winning side in April, and then touring South Africa, he has loftier ambitions.
“I’ve been at Dudley on loan for a month and I’m looking to get as much game time as possible from now until the end of the season,” Watkins continued.
“Obviously playing for your country is great, I was just playing for Worcester and got asked to go to the England U18 camp. I played in the FIRA and that went really well, we won it.
“We played France in England, Scotland in Scotland, and Georgia, Wales and Ireland in Madrid.
“Then I went on the tour to South Africa where we played Wales, who we beat, and France and South Africa, who we lost against.
“It has been my first taste of international rugby, it has been great to be playing in that sort of environment, and going to South Africa and playing a Southern Hemisphere side is such a bonus for a young player.”