Tom Knight flies back to this country today proud as punch after pulling on an England rugby shirt for the first time.

The scrum-half helped England Counties Under-20s to two wins out of two on their week-long tour to Romania.

And 20-year-old Knight, who played for Old Patesians last season, was one of the stars of the show, starting in both games and scoring the opening try in the first game, a sniping run from the 22-metre line after breaking the first line of defence.

He also scored in the second game following a lineout set-play on the 22-metre line.

Both matches were against Romania Under-23s and were played in the Olimpia Stadium in Bucharest with the England youngsters winning the first game 29-6 before following up with a 41-22 success yesterday.

Knight was one of two number 9s in the squad – the other was Spencer Cope from Cheshire – and he played 70 minutes of the first game and 60 in the second.

“It’s the best standard I’ve ever played,” said Knight, a qualified plumber who lives in Shurdington, after the first game, “and it’s the best feeling I’ve had in rugby.”

He said it was a special moment when he pulled on an England shirt for the first time but admitted he felt a bit emotional when the national anthem was played before the kick-off.

“Yes, I was,” he said. “I was just thinking about everyone who has helped me, my family and especially my dad.”

‘Dad’ is Keith Knight, the former Cheltenham Town footballer who was such a big part of that club’s success in the late 1990s.

“Without my dad I would have given up rugby,” continued Knight junior. “I was released by Gloucester Academy when I was a teenager and I stopped playing the game.

“I was playing football for Shurdington Rovers and it was my dad who got me back playing rugby.

“He told me to go to Chosen Hill for pre-season training.”

It was a good move because Knight, a former Chosen Hill School pupil, spent two seasons with the then Western Counties North club before joining Old Patesians in South West Premier at the start of the 2018/19 season.

It was a tough campaign for Pats, who finished bottom of the table, but Knight certainly impressed because he was voted the club’s young player of the year.

He was also part of the Gloucestershire Under-20 side that reached the semi-finals of the county championship and his performances were noticed by others because he has been invited to pre-season training with National Two South club Dings Crusaders, an invitation he has accepted.

“I want to try to be the best player I can,” he said, “I want to play at the highest level I can.”

So how would Knight describe himself as a player?

“Small and quick,” he said. “I’ve got a good pass and I can box-kick. I’m very competitive.”

Some of that competitive spirit obviously comes from his dad, who is a big supporter of Tom’s rugby.

The two play cricket together for Shurdington – Tom’s older brother Ollie is also a regular in the side – and wicketkeeper Tom is in the team to play the County League Division Two game at Westbury-on-Severn on Saturday.

So just like his dad, he’s clearly a sports all-rounder.