Young Gun

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Young Gun news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Young Gun: Owen Jenkins, Wales U20s winger

29 June 2013 0 comments

The son of former Wales hooker Garin Jenkins and part of the Welsh U20s squad at the Junior World Championships – it would be easy […]

Young Gun: Ellis Jenkins – Cardiff Blues flanker

15 June 2013 0 comments

A Cardiff Blues flanker proudly leading his country into battle – well, Sam Warburton might have missed the Lions‘ opener against the Barbarians but Ellis […]

Young Gun: Jonah Holmes – Wasps and Henley full-back

25 May 2013 0 comments

Jonah Holmes made the bold call to switch from the back of rucks to the last line of defence at the start of this season […]

Young Gun: Tom Smallbone – London Irish prop

18 May 2013 2 comments

London Irish prop Tom Smallbone has been doing more than his fair share of homework this season and hopes it will pay dividends should he […]

Young Gun: James Chisholm – Harlequins back row

11 May 2013 0 comments

A week after Alex Gray told The Rugby Paper that he could make the move from No.8 into the centres, another England age group youngster, […]

Young Gun: Sean Kennedy – Edinburgh scrum-half

4 May 2013 0 comments

Not many can lay claim to beating Ulster twice in successive matches this season – but then Edinburgh scrum-half Sean Kennedy has already proved he’s […]

Young Gun: Nick Tompkins – Saracens centre

27 April 2013 2 comments

As a converted flanker it’s little surprise that Nick Tompkins’ kicking game remains a work in progress – but in England full-back Alex Goode he […]

Young Gun: Stuart Townsend – Exeter and England U18 scrum-half

20 April 2013 1 comment

Stuart Townsend’s choice of scrum-half idol tells you everything you need to know about his style of play. The 17-year-old readily admits he has moulded […]

Young Gun: Mark Bennet – Glasgow centre

13 April 2013 1 comment

Mark Bennett was so highly-rated coming through the ranks at Glasgow that French giants Clermont Auvergne brought him to the Stade Marcel Michelin at the […]

Young Gun: Will Graulich – Gloucester lock

6 April 2013 0 comments

As the latest Gloucester lock to serve his apprenticeship at Hartpury, Will Graulich is certainly in good company – and the fledgling second row is […]

Young Gun: George McGuigan – Ireland U20 hooker

30 March 2013 0 comments

This year’s Six Nations has been a frustrating one for Ireland U20s but for Newcastle hooker George McGuigan the most important part was securing the […]

Young Gun: Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi – Northampton prop

23 March 2013 1 comment

Being picked to start for England U20s on home soil at Franklin’s Gardens against Italy – Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi admits he could not have asked for […]

Young Gun: Owen Williams – Scalets fly-half

16 March 2013 0 comments

Man of the match on your senior league debut is what every youngster dreams of but after following it up with another star turn, Scarlets […]

Young Gun: Tom Collins – Northampton centre

9 March 2013 0 comments

Northampton youngster Tom Collins was very nearly a Cobbler rather than a Saint but the centre insists he has no regrets about choosing the oval […]

Young Gun: Nathan Fowles – Sale scrum-half

2 March 2013 0 comments

Some players go their whole careers waiting place at Europe’s top table but the Heineken Cup has been a case of early learning for Sale […]

Young Gun: Harry Sloan – Harlequins and England U20 centre

23 February 2013 1 comment

A year ago Harry Sloan was battling hard to earn a contract at Harlequins – fast-forward 12 months and he has already scored for the […]

Young Gun: Robbie Henshaw – Connacht full-back

16 February 2013 1 comment

Battling Biarritz and Harlequins in the Heineken Cup, mauling European champions Leinster and becoming a vital cog of his home region, as well as training […]

Young Gun: Matt Blandford – London Wasps back row

9 February 2013 0 comments

As a discus-throwing back-rower London Wasps‘ Matt Blandford doesn’t have far to look for inspiration. His training partner is Olympic discus finalist and former Wasps […]

Young Gun: Kieran Low – London Irish lock

2 February 2013 0 comments

Kieran Low credits forwards coach Glenn Delaney for turning him into the Exiles’ commander-in-chief at the lineout. The work of New Zealander Delaney, who came […]

Young Gun: Steve Uren – Bristol flanker

26 January 2013 0 comments

Record-breaking Steve Uren is already the talk of Bristol, having become their youngest league player last season, and the 18-year-old claims a season toughening up […]

Young Gun: Josh Watkins – Worcester wing

19 January 2013 0 comments

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 […]

Young Gun: Tom Jubb –Saracens lock

12 January 2013 1 comment

With Richard Hill as his academy coach and Steve Borthwick his club captain, Saracens lock Tom Jubb could not be better placed to learn the […]

Young Gun: Will Hooley – Northampton fly-half

5 January 2013 1 comment

As a young fly-half there aren’t many better mentors to learn from than Jonny Wilkinson – so Northampton’s Will Hooley admits he has no excuse […]

Young Gun: Max Stelling – Worcester centre

29 December 2012 1 comment

Worcester academy rookie Max Stelling admits his show-stopping debut brought him instant fame but his move to one of Britain’s furthest outposts has kept his […]

Young Gun: Will Carrick-Smith –Exeter lock

22 December 2012 0 comments

Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Bus’, Exeter Chiefs lock Will Carrick-Smith spent an age waiting for his first-team chance – then two came along at once this […]

Young Gun: Danny Herriot – Northampton prop

15 December 2012 0 comments

With Soane Tonga’uiha and Brian Mujati both apparently on their way out of Franklin’s Gardens there are some big boots to fill in the Saints […]

Young Gun: Mitch Eadie – Bristol No.8

8 December 2012 2 comments

Mitch Eadie’s father Jim is a legend at the Memorial Stadium for his exploits in the round-ball game but after a flying start to the […]

Young Gun: Conor Gaston – London Irish wing

1 December 2012 1 comment

Known over the years as the Not-Nots – not London, not Irish – the Exiles are going back to their roots this season and ex-Ulster […]

Young Gun: Ethan Waller – Northampton prop

24 November 2012 0 comments

His brother already has a Heineken Cup final appearance to his name, and was the only player to turn out in every Northampton Premiership game […]

Young Gun: Ollie Devoto – Bath fly-half

17 November 2012 2 comments

Olly Barkley has left a large fly-half-shaped void at the Rec since his move to Racing Metro, but if Ollie Devoto’s tentative steps into senior […]

Young Gun: Elliot Stooke – Gloucester lock

10 November 2012 1 comment

If Elliott Stooke is after an example to follow in his rugby career he can look close to home with fellow Hartpury College graduate Tom […]

Young Gun: Mike Pope – Exeter and Taunton half-back

3 November 2012 0 comments

Versatility is considered an asset in most walks of life, but Exeter Chiefs‘ fledgling back Mike Pope admits he needs to make a position his […]

Young Gun: Henry Purdy – Leicester centre

27 October 2012 0 comments

In all the machinations and hand-wringing behind the scenes at Wasps this summer Henry Purdy was one of the people to pay the price of […]

Young Gun: Scott Wilson – Newcastle Prop

20 October 2012 1 comment

When London 2012 Olympian Lawrence Okoye hit the headlines for opting to remain in the discus circle rather than a rugby backline last week it […]

Young Gun: Ben Howard – Worcester full-back

13 October 2012 0 comments

Ben Howard has not followed the traditional path into the international ranks having failed to even make a Midlands representative team two seasons ago. Fresh […]

Young Gun: Jack Gadd – Bristol centre

6 October 2012 0 comments

Bristol centre Jack Gadd required two operations last summer to correct a hip condition he has had since birth but after a year of recovery […]

Young Gun: Mike Haywood – Northampton hooker

29 September 2012 1 comment

Mike Haywood is not lacking for mentors when it comes to learning the ropes as a hooker at Northampton with the vast experience of both Dylan […]

Young Gun: Rory Lynn – Nottingham fly-half

22 September 2012 0 comments

Nottingham fly-half Rory Lynn admits he is relishing the opportunity of first-team rugby at Meadow Lane – and stepping out of George Ford‘s shadow at […]

Young Gun: Carl Kirwan – Rotherham flanker

15 September 2012 1 comment

When you consider Rotherham‘s Carl Kirwan’s last job was putting up scaffolding in the North Sea it is understandable why the flanker has established a […]

Young Gun: Tom Stephenson – Northampton centre

8 September 2012 0 comments

Centre Tom Stephenson is the third generation of Northampton season ticket holders in his family and it might not be long until his granddad and […]

Young Gun: James Currie – Worcester prop

30 August 2012 1 comment

With a childhood spent exploring the Amazon rainforests, not much will faze Worcester prop James Currie as he navigates the Premiership jungle. Currie – who […]

Young Gun: Tom Baldwin – Bath flanker

23 August 2012 3 comments

A double try-scoring performance in only his fourth senior rugby game set Bath‘s Tom Baldwin’s career off on the right foot and with his loan […]

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

13 August 2012 1 comment

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 […]

Young Gun: Gerard Ellis – London Irish hooker

6 August 2012 0 comments

Glenn Delaney has already converted Tom Youngs from a centre into an international hooker and he is confident he can repeat the trick with London […]

Young Guns: Jordan Burns – Harlequins scrum-half

24 July 2012 0 comments

Harlequins‘ stable of wings is so well stocked that the fastest man in their Sevens side, Jordan Burns, is being groomed as a scrum-half in […]

Young Gun: Nathan Earle – Saracens winger

20 July 2012 1 comment

Every so often you can pinpoint the exact moment when a sporting star is born. For Wayne Rooney it was his goal for Everton against […]

Young Gun: Callum Braley – Bristol scrum half

10 July 2012 2 comments

As a West Country boy Callum Braley would like nothing more than to stamp his mark on Bristol‘s first team. But with a trip to […]

Young Gun: Gareth Evans – Gloucester No.8

3 July 2012 0 comments

Gloucester No. 8 Gareth Evans hasn’t told his Welsh father yet but he considers himself English and if things go to plan at Kingsholm this […]

Young Gun: Will Robinson – Wasps fly-half

26 June 2012 0 comments

The similarities are striking: a confident young Wasps fly-half not afraid to play what’s in front of him, schooled at Whitgift and developed at Rosslyn […]