The Millfield schoolboy has been switched to the wing from full back for the clash with South African Schools A and will be hoping to inspire a win after his side’s opening defeat to the senior South African Schools side in Stellenbosch on Friday.
Watching the 23-13 defeat from his Hong Kong base was John’s dad, Paul, the former Pontypridd scrum-half who won 10 caps for Wales between 1994 and 1998. John senior is currently the Hong Kong Sevens coach having previously coached with Wales Sevens, his former club and at Cardiff Blues.
His last game for Wales was in South Africa on that fateful day when the Springboks ran riot and inflicted a record shattering 96-13 defeat on their visitors. To make matters worse for the John family, Dan’s grandfather, Dennis, was the assistant coach at the time.
‘Grampy’ Dennis, a wily scrum half at Pontypridd, Pontypool and Penarth before becoming a legendary coaching figure at Sardis Road, stepped into the breach to help out Wales on their African tour in 1998 alongside Lynn Howells following the departure of Kevin Bowring. They went without 18 players and suffered as a result.
Now the latest John is trying to make up for dented family pride as he makes his way in the game. The grit of his grandfather was very much in evidence on Friday, as was the shimmy and sidestep of his father.
Attached to the Wales Exiles programme Dan won his first Under 18 cap before heading to South Africa. Coming into his final year in school, he has now settled on rugby as his main sport having been a very good footballer and cross country runner.
John has always targeted a career in professional rugby and was a member of Cardiff City’s academy. He decided to throw his lot in with the oval ball game after moving with his father to Hong Kong and the rest is history. John started Wales’ first game with South Schools last Friday.
“A few years ago I had to make a choice between football and rugby. I was in the academy at Cardiff Coty, but when my dad moved to Hong Kong I couldn’t really continue with it,” said Dan.
“It sort of made my choice for me. I started loving rugby again and things have moved very fast since then. I want to be a professional rugby player, but it’s not the be all and end all.
“I really want to do well in my A Levels next year so I can go to a good university. If I can’t get a professional contract next season then hopefully I can play in the BUCS League.”
Even though his father is based in Hong Kong, Dan still gets plenty of sage advice after every game from his grandfather. Having helped to turn his son into an international player he certainly has a good track record in developing young talent.
“My grandfather loves coming to watch me play. He travels all around England to be fair to him. He loves asking questions and tries to make me a better player,” explained Dan.
“I think his hamstrings are struggling a little bit these days, but he’s still a better box kicker than me! Dad lives in Hong Kong but he keeps up to date and he’s always on his laptop asking me how everything is going.
“Everything is screened nowadays so he gets to see the games. I think he’s a bit gutted he can’t be in South Africa because most of the boys’ parents are watching, but he can still catch up.”
