Everyone at Pencoed RFC knew he was a special talent from a very young age. Now that conviction has been confirmed with Tommy Reffell selected to make his Wales debut against South Africa this weekend.
One man well placed to give an insight into the 23-year-old is Bridgend RFC team manager Ed Griffith. He played with Reffell’s father Gary at Pencoed and saw young Tommy come up through the ranks at the club. He’s gone on to follow his progress closely since he moved to Leicester.
“I watched him play for the mini and juniors at Pencoed. He could play in the backs or forwards,” said Griffith. “At an early age, you could see he had his father’s engine and heart. I remember when his dad was coaching Pencoed, Tommy would be that young kid around the first team squad, sliding in the mud and always outside playing on the pitch with local boys even when it was pouring down.
