By Steffan Thomas
Callum Sheedy has paid tribute to Gavin Henson as he caps a remarkable rise from the second tier of English rugby to the senior Wales squad.
During his early years at Bristol the Cardiff born outside-half was sent out on loan to Clifton, Dings Crusaders, Cinderford and Jersey Reds before breaking into the senior Bears side under Pat Lam.
And Sheedy, who also played age grade rugby for Ireland, has named Wales great Henson as a big influence on his career.
“It feels like so long ago when I was 18 or 19 and working with Nicky Robinson, Adrian Jarvis and Gavin Henson who were great mentors to me,” said the 24-year-old.
“But working with Ian Madigan over the last few years, he’s been absolutely unbelievable for me. I think he took my game to another level – the competitive edge he brought to training, the way he drove me on.
“Mads, along with Pat and Conor McPhillips, Sean Marsden, Bruce Reihana last year, without them and their input, I don’t think I’d be anywhere near an international call-up, so I owe a hell of a lot to those guys.
“When I watch my games back, I’m never satisfied – I could 100 good things but it’s that one bad thing that will stick out in my mind. I don’t want to change too much, the biggest thing is just trying to pick up on game plan, pick up on the different techniques that the coaches want, and just try and learn and grow my game as much as possible.
“But for now, we’ve got two trophies to win before we move on to international camp in a few weeks.”
In the weeks leading up to the squad announcement many observers wondered who Sheedy’s true allegiances were with having represented England against the Barbarians in an uncapped match last year, while also qualifying for Ireland.
— Graham Thomas (@Graham_Thomas) October 6, 2020
But Wales coach Wayne Pivac revealed he didn’t take much persuading and Sheedy insists the culture at Bristol has left him in the best place to make his mark on the international game.
He said: “Pat (Lam) talks a lot about international standards and being world class – and obviously I don’t know what the international setup is going to be like, but as far as what Pat drives here, it’s as close to international as I can imagine.
“Every day, he is pushing us – whether it’s extra skill work, extra analysis work, Pat and the coaching staff are amazing and I know I wouldn’t be anywhere near an international call-up if it wasn’t for Pat and the coaches, so I owe a hell of a lot to them.”
Sheedy will be joined in the Wales squad by his 19-year-old Bristol Bears teammate Ioan Lloyd. The former Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf pupil has been singled out by Pat Lam as a superstar of the future and he admits he’s still in shock at his inclusion in the squad.
“It’s a dream come true to get the call up,” said Lloyd.
“I’m just really excited to get in there now and see what it’s all about. I was pretty much in shock when I found out, I wasn’t expecting it at all.
“It’s taken me the last hour or so to try and process it all and I still need to speak to my parents.
“Going in is going to be a bit of a shock, seeing all of the boys I have watched growing up, playing for both for Wales and the Lions. It’s going to be a bit surreal at first, but I can’t wait to get in to camp and learn off of them.
“So much has changed in the last year – the professional game is so different to school rugby. From watching all of the boys here, one thing I’ve learned about being a professional is that it’s a lifestyle – it’s not just what you do when you’re at the ground.”