The World Cup in Australia is just two years away, and Oscar Beard aims to work his socks off to try and get on that plane and try and emulate hero Jonny Wilkinson.
From being born in the same Frimley hospital to attending the same schools and college, and then playing for the same Alton and Farnham junior clubs, Beard has certainly grown up surrounded by images of England‘s World Cup-winning fly-half.
And if confidence, optimism and sheer determination to reach the very top are anything to go by, the Harlequins centre could be a live outside prospect to fulfil his huge England goal.
That may seem a long way off with Beard, 23, still yet to don the senior white jersey, having so far taken some small steps to that goal, representing his country at junior and A level.
But he is getting there, and his real desire to be the very best he can, plus fierce work ethic, is very Jonny-like.
Beard, whose frustrating season with Quins was lifted by involvement in an England mini-camp last week, would love to get to go to Argentina with England this summer.
Jonny Wilkinson
He told The Rugby Paper: “I’ve always been a massive Jonny Wilkinson fan. He went to the same school as me and rugby club so it was always a case of him being a huge influence.
“From looking at big posters of him on the wall, seeing video messages from him to the club and signed jerseys.
“I was a bit young – just two! – when he kicked that drop goal to win us the World Cup but it would be an absolute dream to be part of the 2027 World Cup back in Australia.
“It’s always been my dream since I was a kid to be an England rugby player. I’ve been striving each week at Quins to make that happen.
“I’ve tried to put my best foot forward to earn that opportunity to be involved in the England camp. Then, once in there, do the same again to try and get selected.”
On his own development, Beard says he has tried to follow the lead of former Quins team-mate Joe Marchant, below.
Joe Marchant
“I’ve always wanted to be two main things… super powerful and super quick! Fitness is a given, everyone needs to be super fit these days, particularly as an outside back,” he says.
“Body weight wise I’ve always looked up to Joe Marchant a lot. They say it a lot in the NFL about the eyeball test…that if you look the part you then look the size.
“Joe isn’t the biggest but my god is he super powerful, strong, quick and explosive.
“Joe was brilliant and mentored me in my first two years at the club. I’m a little bit heavier than Joe at around 100kg so if I can get quick, strong and powerful at the weight that’s all I’m aiming for.
“My goal is to become a complete, rounded centre. I don’t want to be just a strike runner who is used to just crash up or just a ball player.
“I want to be a centre who fits into both roles. And, with my physique, there is no reason I can’t be both.”
Quins could end their own disappointing season by throwing a spanner in the play-off works if they can beat fourth-placed Bristol next Saturday and Beard reveals: “I had the Sarries and Gloucester boys in camp saying ‘we need you to win, we need you to win!’.
“But then the Bristol lads saying ‘no, it’s the end of the season you don’t have anything to play for! All good fun!”
By Gary Fitzgerald
READ MORE: Brendan Gallagher – The flowering of Johann van Graan’s plan at Bath
The best betting sites
