England future beckons for Moseley youngster Louis Padian

Mar 25 2008 By Roger Clarke

WHILE most 16-year-olds might be relaxing or revising over the Easter holidays one Birmingham lad has other things on his mind - playing for England.

Louis Padian - a 6ft 1in, 100-kilo (15.7-stone) loosehead prop - will be heading off to Millfield School with England A for the Millfield International Festival, which starts on Monday.

Padian, a pupil at Bishop Challenor School, plays his rugby at Moseley where he was first taken when he was seven for "something to do".

He said Bishop Challenor was trying to introduce rugby at the school.

"The teachers are really dedicated to it and the year sevens are quite good, so I have heard, and the year eights,'' he said.

"There was some rugby in my year. Teachers organised it but we did not have enough people who wanted to do it.

"We had five or six good players, who play outside school, and the rest are footballers, who don't really want top do it. We had a few matches before Christmas but not now.

"I started when I was about seven, it was just something to do, but it has only really got serious over the past couple of years with county and district and this year it has got really serious with England.''

Padian moved to Five Ways Old Eds for a couple of seasons following a coach who left Moseley, but has returned to Billesley Common where he is in the Red and Blacks' U16 team.

The RFU have named Padian's North Midlands team-mate, blindside flanker Will Radburn from Tudor Grange School, as skipper of England A and also in the squad is winger James Trueman, of Solihull School and Warwickshire.

The team warmed up earlier this month with a 19-19 draw against Saracens Academy Under-17 at Solihull School and will face France Under-17 'A' at Tor rugby club on Tuesday, followed by USA Under-17 at Millfield on Thursday and Wales Under-16 A at Millfield on Sunday.

Padian, who hopes to make a career out of rugby, is not just a rising star in one 15-man code though.

Last season he was voted Gaelic Footballer of the Year in the Midlands where he plays in goal for the Warwickshire and at half-back or full-back for James Connollys, which if any proof were needed, shows his Irish roots on both sides of his family.

He said: "It is a lot quicker and a lot more skilful than most sports and is a team game like rugby.

"I would like to make it as a pro in rugby, I know the chances are not that great, but I would like to try and perhaps one day play for England. I would also like to carry on playing Gaelic football, it helps to keep me fit in the summer.''