The Scarlets’ Academy is a recent innovation for Pembrokeshire youngsters trying to make a name for themselves in rugby and Euan Owens turns out regularly as a hooker with their under 16 squad, as Bill Carne found out when he paid them a recent visit . . .

EUAN Owens plays as a hooker with Pembroke Dock Harlequins under 16s rugby team and doubles this up by wearing the No 2 jersey for the Scarlets’ Academy squad as part of their innovative ‘Pathways’ scheme which gives committed young rugby players the chance of taking their first tentative steps towards becoming professional rugby players.

And ‘committed’ is very much a key word because Euan has to combine his academic studies at Pembroke School with regular attendance at weekly training sessions in the Delme Thomas Barn at Parc y Scarlets, playing matches for the Quins and the academy side composed of players from Carmarthenshire who mostly attend Coleg Sir Gar, plus the local lads who stay in their respective schools but are overseen by Johnny Llewellin in terms of staying in Pembrokeshire and still being part of the academy.

Not content with that little lot, Euan is part of a unique family trio who have achieved Black Belt status in karate, with Euan joining older brothers Rhys (22) and Huw (19) in achieving that feat – but more of that later.

Euan began his rugby involvement at Pennar Junior School, playing the tag version of the game under the watchful eye of his teacher, the late Mr Meyrick Rowland. The school team once played in a festival of rugby at Bierspool and Euan played alongside Rhys Bradney, whose dad Mark was the junior coach at Pembroke Dock Quins.

Mark invited Euan to join Rhys in the Quins’ junior section and he has been involved ever since. He set out as a prop but tried the hooker’s role on one occasion and took to it straight away as he practised the lineout throw-in technique that is now very much part of the No 2’s role – and was soon playing so well that was called into the county squad for his age group.

At the Quins he enjoys the camaraderie of a team which reached the final of the under 15 competition in the traditional Junior Finals’ Day, this time held at Bierspool in 2013, and they reached the final before bowing out 25-15 to a very strong Haverfordwest team which included several of his team-mates in the Scarlets’ Academy.

The Academy’s schedule included weekly training sessions in the barn at Parc y Scarlets from 5pm on Monday evenings and Euan has done really well to progress so far because there was initially over 70 aspiring youngsters in the early trials which have now been reduced to a final squad of 30, some from our county and others from Carmarthenshire. They are all treated as individuals who have to build up their own skills but also work at team matters and set moves.

Euan really loves being involved, as he does at the weight training sessions at the SAW facility in STP School, where they have guidance from Simon Roach under the auspices of Johnny Llewellin, who also links with their schools so that their academic prowess is also maintained.

The young Scarlets have made a very promising start as they have beaten several of the teams from the other regions, in playing against the Ospreys, Newport Dragons, Cardiff Blues North and South – and winning all but one fixture. They also took part in a festival of rugby at the Cardiff Arms Park, with 15 a side matches played over 15 minutes. They lost to the Cardiff Blues South but beat the rest on a successful and enjoyable day out.

All this makes it easy to see how committed Euan and Co have to be but he would be quick to point out the terrific support he had had, especially from mum Michelle as she ferries him around, along with parents of other local youngsters in the squad who cut the considerable cost a little by sharing lifts.

Michelle has also encouraged all three sons in their karate participation, with Rhys now running his own successful club in Pennar and Huw also being involved. Euan set out as a white belt before he was ten and recently received his coveted Black Belt, First Dan, after a very rigorous examination conducted by Mike O’Brien (Cardiff).

He has taken part in some competitions but at the moment it as rugby that occupies most of his spare time as his studies at Pembroke School are very much engineering-based so that he has something to fall back on if his rugby doesn’t go to plan.

Euan plays most Sundays for the Quins or the county team whilst the Scarlets’ games usually take place on Wednesdays as home fixtures take place on the pitch just above Parc y Scarlets. It is a huge commitment and he knows that there is still a long road ahead but Euan Owens is more than ready to give it his best shot and he has done really well in taking the first steps towards success in the rugby world – and we are sure that if hard work and willingness to learn are indicators then we will surely hear a great deal more about him in the oval ball game!