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'It was something that was always in the back of my mind'
By Simon Thomas
Danny Southworth may have been born and raised in Devon, but he has always been very much aware of his Welsh roots.
Thanks to that heritage, the prop forward is now an international having made his Test debut during the recent autumn campaign, an experience he describes as the greatest day of his life and a dream come true.
With a first Wales cap under his belt, he is keen for more as he looks to help high-flying Cardiff Rugby continue their excellent start to the season, with attention turning to the BKT URC festive derby programme which kicks off with an Arms Park showdown against the Scarlets on Friday night.
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Loosehead Southworth qualifies for Wales through his grandmother who hailed from Mountain Ash in the Cynon Valley.
“Growing up, I was always aware of my Welsh family heritage,” he says.
“It was something that was always in the back of my mind.
“My gran only passed away about five years ago. I was very close to her. She was born here and lived here until she was in her 20s and then moved to England.”
Born in Barnstaple, Southworth began his rugby journey with his hometown club at a very young age.
“I started playing really early on,” says the 26-year-old.
“I was five when my old man took me down to the rugby club, so I have been playing a while now.
“I played centre until I was about 12, believe it or not, and then No.8 until I was 18, so I transitioned a little bit later into prop.
“I was told I was probably not going to make it in the back row, so best move into the front row and luckily that’s paid off.”
He attended Barnstaple’s Pilton Community College until he was 16 and then moved on to Ivybridge Community College, near Plymouth, where his rugby ability saw him picked up by Exeter.
In all, he made 26 appearances for the Chiefs, while also having a couple of spells out on loan at Championship outfit Coventry, before signing for Cardiff 18 months ago.
He swiftly established himself as a regular at the Arms Park and his fine form was rewarded this autumn with a call up from new Wales head coach Steve Tandy.
“It was a big shock. I didn’t expect it whatsoever. I was totally blown away by it,” he says.
“My parents were on the other side of the world at the time, travelling in Asia. I called them and we shared a nice moment together. A few tears were shed. It was a very special call that I will remember for a long time.”
Then came the next step of joining up with the Welsh squad.
“The first couple of days, I was pretty nervous coming in, but I settled in ok. The stress levels dropped a little bit.
“It was good. Everyone was really welcoming. I felt like every day was a learning day and it was just a case of taking everything on board.”
He wasn’t involved in the first three autumn Tests, but then came his big moment as he made his debut off the bench against world champions South Africa at the Principality Stadium. It was a tough day for Wales as they lost 73-0, but an occasion Southworth will never forget.
“Everyone talks about how you never forget your first bus ride to the stadium and they are probably right,” he says.
“The build-up, the anthem, seeing all the fans, everything before the game was just so special.
“Just to see my name on the back of a Wales shirt was just a dream come true.
“It was obviously a really tough occasion, but nonetheless still probably the greatest day of my life. I was so grateful to wear the Welsh jersey.
“Friends, family, my missus, a lot of people from back home were there. The support from them has been immense and I’m just grateful that I’ve been able to do something for all the people who have been supporting me my whole life.
“I’m hoping it’s not my last cap. The team is building and hopefully I can be a part of that going forward.”
Southworth is quick to pay tribute to the Cardiff coaching team for the part they have played in him reaching the international arena.
“It’s credit to the coaches who have given me the opportunity to play consistently,” he said.
“That’s probably something I haven’t had before. When you can get a good run of games and consistency of performances, I think that really helps.”
Reflecting on how his game has developed, Southworth says: “My set piece has come on a long way in scrum and maul. I am always working on that. Every day is a learning day in the scrum.
“I think my point of difference is around the breakdown, while I feel I am physical and aggressive in the carry as well.”
The 26-year-old made a big impact on his return to club duty in last weekend’s dramatic Challenge Cup victory over Ulster Rugby, scoring the try which sparked a late comeback and then sharing in the huge scrum shove which enabled Callum Sheedy to land the match-winning penalty with the last kick of the game.
Now it’s back to BKT URC action for second-placed Cardiff, with home games against the Scarlets and the Dragons, which are set to draw bumper crowds to the Arms Park.
“We talk a lot about making it a fortress and a really tough place for teams to come and play. That’s a big driver for us,” said Southworth.
“The more fans we get, the louder it is and the more that spurs us on.”
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