Deian Gwynne has made Gloucester his second home and is loving being part of the ever-growing Welsh influence driving the club’s search for silverware.
The 20-year-old back rower is thriving at Kingsholm having seen his “big decision” to leave his rural Aberystwyth home at 16 rewarded with a spell at Hartpury College, a Gloucester academy contract and now Prem and European experience with the senior side.
He made his seasonal Prem bow from the bench at Leicester Tigers, and last weekend started the dramatic draw against Champions Cup holders Bordeaux.
The arrival of a couple of seasoned-battled Red Dragons in Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan has helped add more steal and guile to the Cherry and Whites pack.
Personal adversity
Wales stars Max Llewellyn and Freddie Thomas have also been staple diets in the side for some time now plus there’s another youngster Josh Hathaway at the club.
Gwynne had to show remarkable strength and resilience through personal adversity in 2024 following the death of his father Dewi, 58, the former Aberystwyth captain, from illness.
It was a testament to his character both as a player and young man.
He is certainly doing his dad and the rest of the Gwynne family proud as well as enhance his growing reputation.
He says: “I took the big decision to move away from West Wales when I was 16.
“It came as a shock to the system and to my parents at the time.
“Now, with all the Welsh guys here now it feels a bit like home! I’m even able to speak some Welsh again, which I’ve not done for a while.
“Dewi and Jac are two quality players.
“You can only benefit from having people like that at your club and I’m glad I can learn from being with them in training or on the pitch.”
Hunting trophies: Gloucester’s Deian Gwynne Dream
He added: “When I was young I had heroes like Dan Lydiate who inspired me.
“It would be a dream to one day wear the red jersey but, at present, I am grateful for any opportunity the coaches give me to go out there and prove myself for Gloucester.
“The big European and Premiership games are what you want. To go up against the best players in the world.
“We have an awesome group of coaches here and every chance I get to wear the famous Cherry and White shirt I try to repay the faith they have shown in me.
“It’s very competitive here which is what you want as a young guy.
“Training and playing with some of the best back rowers around is going to help make me a better player.
The Wales junior star concludes: “It would be easy to get carried away so soon and get complacent.
“But with the leaders we have in the group that is not going to be the case.
“And with the coaches and players we now have here there’s no reason why we can’t go hunting for trophies.”
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