Young Guns – Sam Winters

Sam Winters is on a mission to break into the Bath senior squad and earn a spot in next year’s U20 Six Nations and World Cup squads.

The 18-year-old England age-grade full-back is a product of Harrow School, whose alumni includes current Lions captain Maro Itoje, and hopes to make his mark in the Premiership Cup next season, with the holders and reigning Premiership winners.

Winters told The Rugby Paper: “Shortterm, I aim to make my Bath debut, hopefully starting in the Prem Cup and then really kick on professionally. With England, the U20 Six Nations and the World Cup are massive goals for me. I just want to keep pushing myself.”

It’s been a challenging year for Winters, who spent much of the season on the sidelines with a knee injury. He’s now back in action, recently featuring for England U19s against France and is gearing up for a full summer of pre-season with Bath. “They’ve been happy with how I’ve rehabbed,” said Winters. “It was frustrating being out, but I’ve worked hard to come back stronger, and now I’m just looking to hit the ground running.”

Despite limited minutes this season, Winters has made a strong impression at Farleigh House, where he’s part of a thriving, youthful Bath setup, which helped the club secure their first Premiership title since 1996 last month.

“The environment at Bath is awesome,” said Winters. “From the moment I joined, it’s been nothing but positive. The first team lads are so welcoming, always coming up to say hello, and it just creates a great atmosphere for young players to grow. There’s no better club to be at right now.”

Winters describes himself as a dynamic back, with speed and footwork at the core of his game, and now wants to improve his work in the backfield as he alternates between full-back and wing. He added: “My biggest strength is definitely my ability to beat defenders – using my speed, stepping guys, creating and scoring tries. That’s what I love doing.

“Right now, I’m really focusing on backfield defence – positioning, reading the game, reacting to different kicks and strikes. Understanding the patterns and being in the right place is such a key part of the modern game with how tactical kicking has become.”

Winters’ journey through the England pathway began a few years ago and reached a new level last summer, when he travelled to South Africa with the under-18s.

He said: “That was a real test. We played Ireland, Georgia and South Africa—it was physical, intense and a great learning experience. The step up to U19s has been huge, but it’s exactly the kind of challenge that pushes you forward.”

Growing up, Winters drew inspiration from England legend Jonny Wilkinson – a player he describes as the “complete back” and someone he tried to emulate.

He said: “Jonny was my first role model. I had his boots and wanted to kick like him. He could do everything: left foot, right foot, he was just a complete player.”

Regarding innovations he’d like to see in the sport, Winters suggests a global mixed-nation tournament—like a “World Lions” concept, adding: “Not just the traditional Lions, but teams mixed from different countries – North vs South hemisphere kind of vibe. Imagine that, all the best players from different nations come together, playing both home and away games. That would be pretty special.”

By Ben Jaycock