FUTURE rugby stars in Milford Haven Secondary School were given an insight into the life of a professional player today.

Organised by Steve Martin, the WRU Hub Officer for Milford, pupils in year 7, 8, 9 and 10 took part in a day of fitness testing, skills training, analysis, and touch rugby – and were also treated to visits from two local rugby stars in Sam Parry, of the Ospreys, and Rob Evans, of the Scarlets and Wales.

Parry, who has already been back in pre-season training for five weeks, led a skills based session and included drills familiar to that of a professional club or region, while Evans, who is recovering from a recent hand operation, hosted a question and answer session to round off the day.

“The idea is to promote rugby and for the pupils to see what it’s like to be a pro,” Martin told Telegraph Sport at the start of the day.

“And to have people like Sam and Rob coming down, players who they watch week in week out on television, really helps.

“It makes it seem more real to them - as these are Pembrokeshire players who have made it and have achieved things they can aspire to.”

It was Martin who put the 18-strong group through their paces early on, testing their 20 metre sprint times, their overhead throws with a medicine ball, their standing jump distance – and their combined distance from three consecutive jumps.

They were then treated to a skills session with Parry, who said: “It’s good to get back home sometimes and be involved in something like this.

“It’s a massive positive for youngsters to see what we do on a daily basis – as they often realise it’s things they do as well just at a different intensity.”

The pupils then undertook some strength and conditioning work, given a brief talk on how rugby is analysed at the top level and the reasoning behind teams videoing games – before going through more fitness work and finishing off with a mini touch rugby tournament.

Then Evans took questions from an enthusiastic audience, and spoke about Wales’ recent tour to New Zealand, his pathway from a player with Haverfordwest RFC to the Scarlets and Wales, and the pressures of playing in front of a packed out Principality Stadium.

He also named South African Juan Smith has one of his toughest opponents, said Clermont Auvergne away was the best club atmosphere he had played in, and said it was still too early to start talking about hopes for the 2017 Lions tour.

Martin thanked both Evans and Parry for attending, and said he would be getting feedback from the pupils involved with a view to making the day an annual event.