Tommy Reffell is being tipped to receive a Wales call for this summer’s three-Test tour of South Africa.
The 23-year-old openside has been overlooked by Wayne Pivac so far in his career despite consistently strong form for Gallagher Premiership leaders Leicester Tigers.
But The Rugby Paper suggests he will be among those named in the group Pivac announces on Tuesday for Wales’ challenging series against the Springboks in July.
Plenty will feel such a call is overdue.
Reffell has helped spur the Tigers to the top of the English top flight with his fearless and abrasive brand of openside play. Not only does he win turnovers, he also racks up high tackle counts, achieves charge-downs and plays in opposition faces.
Dubbed the ' silent assassin ', the youngster from Pencoed is also a tough and uncompromising.
Leicester’s academy boss Dave Wilks is on record as feeling the combative former Wales U20s captain has similar traits to Sam Warburton, telling WalesOnline as the youngster broke through : “Tommy’s not dissimilar to Sam in the way he leads, plays, is physical and gets over the ball. He also plays on the edge in defence.
“But he’s also his own player and never gives less than 100 percent.
“He’s an absolute warrior of a kid.”
Reffell featured in the Ospreys' age-grade set-up before he was introduced to the Tigers on the back of his performances for Wales U16s and invited to view their facilities and watch their players train.
He hitched up with them soon after, leaving for the east Midlands before he was even old enough to drive a car on a public road. “I had just turned 16 when I made the decision,” he later told WalesOnline. “It was a bit of a no-brainer — I felt I had to go and experience it.”
If Wales were to cap him this summer, it would end the debate over who he should play for in representative rugby, with the No. 7 qualifying for England on residence grounds.
Pivac continues to be without Justin Tipuric because of injury while James Davies has retired as a player, but the coach still has abundant quality to choose from at openside, with Josh Navidi, Jac Morgan, Taine Basham, Ben Fry, Josh Macleod and Thomas Young all in the mix.
Reffell came to attention at the 2019 U20 World Rugby Championship when he made 75 tackles, more than anyone else in the tournament, as part of a Wales side that contained Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, both of whom also performed strongly and are now senior internationals. You can read more about that team here.
