Will Rowlands may be a product of the historic birthplace of English rugby, but he insists it was only ever going to be Wales for him.
The Dragons second row attended Rugby School, the seat of learning where William Webb Ellis famously picked up the ball and ran with it during a football match in 1823, creating a new sport.
Hammersmith-born Rowlands then went on to study at Oxford University before spending seven years with Wasps.
So he was English-born, raised and schooled.
But he was always very much aware of his Welsh family roots, with his father Jeremy hailing from Pontllanfraith.
So, as he is set to run out in the red of Wales at Twickenham for the first time, he is quick to stress there was no identity crisis when it came to the country he wanted to play for.
“All the rugby in my background is from the Welsh side of my family – my parents and my grandparents,” he told S4C ahead of the Six Nations clash with England.
“That was always made apparent to me growing up, even though I was raised outside of Wales.
“In the past, I looked at Wales-England games – and all the rivalry – and it was always one I wanted to play in.
“I know a lot of the guys who will be involved and I’ve known them for years.
“The chance to play against a good mate of mine like Joe Launchbury would be fun.”
Rowlands admits his educational background does make him somewhat nervous that people might have a particular perception about him.
“There is a stereotype around people who went to public schools in England, that it gives people an air of entitlement in life,” said the 30-year-old.
“But that’s not something I have. The school I went to certainly produced grounded, well-rounded individuals. It wasn’t elitist, like some all-boys public schools that have certain reputations.
“I am always a bit nervous about that because it’s easy to stereotype people. Sometimes it’s warranted but I don’t think it applies to me.
“I try really hard to not to live up to that stereotype at all. In many ways, although my path has been helpful in a personal sense, it’s not the path you would choose if you wanted to maximise your chances of playing professional rugby.
“I was late coming into the game and late into the professional set-up. That has added fuel to my fire.
“I am glad that I had the path into rugby that I’ve had, because I really appreciated being out of the rugby bubble and I had grown up a bit before coming into it.
“Some of my best mates are still ones from school and university. But I also now have a lot of great mates from rugby.”
Having made his Wales debut against France in February 2020, the 6ft 6ins Rowlands now has 15 caps to his name and delivered perhaps his best display on the international stage in the victory over Scotland.
In the absence of second row talisman Alun Wyn Jones, he is really stepping up to the plate as one of the more seasoned players in the squad.
“I do enjoy having responsibility and for the small areas of the game I have responsibility for here,” he said.
“I don’t necessarily always find being in positions of leadership that easy, but I think in my career so far, when I have been responsible for things, I tend to perform better. It’s something I like having.
“It started in the summer, when there were guys away on the Lions tour and some others were injured.
“It was a very young squad and that carried through into the autumn and this tournament.
“It does force the guys with a bit more experience to step up. I don’t have loads of international rugby experience, but I have been around different rugby environments – and general environments outside of rugby – a bit more than some of the younger guys here.
“I hope that I bring a bit of maturity in some areas.”
While it will be Rowlands' first visit to Twickenham in a red shirt on Saturday, he has played there twice for Wasps in Premiership finals and a couple of times for Oxford University.
* You can watch England v Wales live on S4C from 4.15pm on Saturday. S4C will also show England U20s v Wales U20s from 6.45pm on Friday night, English commentary available.
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