By STEFFAN THOMAS

RYAN Elias has lived in the shadow of Ken Owens since breaking into the senior Scarlets squad in 2014 but took a giant step towards becoming Wales’ first choice hooker last autumn.
Owens has been one of the northern hemisphere’s finest hookers for the best part of a decade and has figured heavily on two British & Irish Lions tours. Elias will have learnt a lot training day in day out with an 87-cap international, but he has always struggled to get a consistent run of games at both club and Test level.
With injury having forced Owens out of Wales’ autumn campaign,...