Tavis Knoyle has spoken of his pride after making his Ospreys debut as a late replacement during last night"â¬â¢s Magners League win over Newport Gwent Dragons.
Tavis Knoyle has spoken of his pride after making his Ospreys debut as a late replacement during last night's Magners League win over Newport Gwent Dragons.
The 18-year-old scrumhalf from Glynneath, who was an unused substitute in Saturday's defeat against Edinburgh, got the call off the bench in the closing stages of the Dragons clash, taking to the field to replace Mike Phillips for the final five minutes.
It caps a stunning few months for Knoyle, following on from two man of the match appearances for Wales U20 in the recent Six Nations competition, and he says he his debut was something he'll never forget:
"It was amazing, I didn't get on for long but it was brilliant, I can't believe I've made my Ospreys debut. I was only on for a few minutes and I really wanted to make an impact, do something special or make a big hit to say I'm here, but I didn't really get a chance. At the end of the day, I know that if I do my role to the best of my ability, the team will benefit. I've really enjoyed being part of it all on a matchday these last two games and I'll never forget my debut, it's something to be proud of. Going on at the Liberty Stadium and playing alongside British Lions, Welsh internationals and All Blacks is an amazing experience, I just hope I get more opportunities, I want this to be the first of many Ospreys games for me.
"I've had an incredible time, the Wales U20 experience was brilliant and it has got better and better since then. I've been training with the Ospreys for the last few weeks and I've really enjoyed it, going in and working with the coaches and world-class players has really been something else. As a scrum-half I've always watched Mike Phillips, he's always been someone I've looked up to and to be training with him and getting tips off him is unbelievable. He's been great, he's always willing to give me advice and tell me what I should be doing on the pitch, so I realise how lucky I am to be getting this experience. I just want more of it!"
Speaking about Knoyle after the match, Ospreys Head Coach Sean Holley said:
"Tavis has enjoyed something of a rapid acceleration in recent months, coming to attention with his impressive displays for Wales U20's in the Six Nations and his club, but he is a player who possesses all the raw potential to become a senior Ospreys player. We've brought him into the camp in recent weeks to involve him and he has responded by really thriving in the Ospreys environment. By coming off the bench for his debut he has become the latest young Osprey to make the step up into the Magners League, and I'm sure that with some hard work and guidance he has a long and prosperous rugby career ahead of him."