'It’s been surreal going from being a fan of his to working with him'

Following in the footsteps of the likes of Barry John, Phil Bennett, and Jonathan Davies might seem a daunting task. But it’s something Dan Edwards takes huge pride in, and he’s determined not to let that legacy down.

The 22-year-old is the man currently in possession of the famous Wales No 10 jersey, having started the last game, against Japan, which brought an end to an 18-match losing run.

Now he will be looking to hold on to the shirt through his performances for the Ospreys in the BKT URC over the coming weeks.

There can be a lot of pressure on the Wales fly-half given the level of expectation created by all the big names who have occupied the position, with Lions stars Neil Jenkins, Stephen Jones, and Dan Biggar among those to do so in more recent times.

But rather than feeling the weight of history, Edwards is inspired by it and relishes being the latest person to pull on the revered jersey.

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“I take pride in it, especially with the players who have worn it before,” he says.

“You don’t want to let the shirt down or let that type of legacy down.

“It’s really good to have had those players before you wearing the jersey. Hopefully, you can put the jersey on again and do good in it.

“There are a lot of contenders for the position, and that’s the way you want it to be. Competition only makes you better and drives you on a lot more.

“I am really excited to firstly play well for the Ospreys and put my marker down and hopefully get a shout of getting selected again.”

Another gifted international he is following on from is 81-cap former Wales fly-half James Hook, who is now part of the Ospreys coaching staff.

“Watching him when I was a youngster growing up, he could play everywhere and do amazing things on the field,” says Edwards.

“Learning off him for the last five years has been brilliant. It’s not just my kicking, but how he sees the game and where he thinks I could improve my game.

“It’s been a bit surreal going from being a fan of his to working with him. It was quite weird at the start, but he’s a real good bloke and there to help you. That’s what I’ve found brilliant about him.”

Edwards started out with Cwmavon RFC, a village club a couple of miles north of Port Talbot and remains closely connected with the set-up there.

“It’s awesome. It showed me the values of rugby,” he says.

“It’s a very good community club, real tight.

“Everyone knows each other. I still live near the ground, probably a five-minute walk away, and I go there every week. It’s brilliant.”

Having joined the Ospreys Academy in 2021, he gained experience at club level with Aberavon and Swansea, going on to win 17 caps for Wales U20s and make a try-scoring regional debut against the Scarlets in November 2023.

He made a real breakthrough last season and won his first senior Wales cap as a replacement against France in the Six Nations opener. Then came two more outings off the bench before he earned his first start against Japan in Kobe.

He marked that occasion with a 16-point haul, including the late try which clinched a desperately needed 31-22 victory under the closed roof of the Noevir Stadium.

“It was very hot, it was very sweaty. It was like playing in a sauna, really,” he recalls.

“But it was a really good experience, and more importantly, we won. We have got that monkey off our back now.

“I am just happy we won and broke the record of losing. It was just that little bit of a boost Welsh rugby needed.”

Reflecting on his rapid rise, Edwards says: “A lot has happened, and it all happened pretty quickly.

“I think a bit of it was through luck, through injury to a few other boys.

“I am really glad the way last season went, and I’m hoping to kick on again this year.”

Despite his tender years and relative inexperience, there’s an assurity and self-belief to Edwards’ play.

“I feel pretty confident on the field, but your confidence comes from the way you have trained,” he explains.

“It’s about doing it in training and bringing it on to the field on the weekend. That, plus enjoying it.”

As for his style of play, he says:

“I have always liked the running side of the game. My first instinct is to run.

“I have learned a lot about game management and different styles of playing through working under different coaches over the last year and a half which has been really good for me.

“A lot of it is around how I prepare for games and how to play in different types of conditions and different styles of games.

“I have obviously still got a lot to learn as a young player, but I am keen to learn every day and really excited.”

Edwards’ attacking ability was evident in last weekend’s clash with the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria where his range of passing and creativity contributed to the Ospreys scoring six tries and coming away with a bonus point from a 53-40 defeat.

Now it’s off to Cape Town for Friday evening’s meeting with the DHL Stormers.

“South Africa is a tough place to go. It’s always hard,” said the fly-half.

“They have unbelievable squads. The depth is awesome, and they are really good teams.

“With the URC, you play against the South African boys, Italian, Scottish and the Irish. There are a lot of different styles. That’s the challenge in how you react and put your game on other teams. That is where the league is very good. It’s very competitive.”