The making of Welsh rugby's new valleys 'rock star'

It was a grim old day for Welsh rugby last Saturday, but there was one club where there was plenty of cheer to be found.

Up at Talywain RFC, there was huge pride to be drawn from the performance of one of their own - Taine Basham.

There was even greater delight when the Wales flanker capped his outstanding display against Ireland with a try five minutes from time - and with good reason.

“The club had a deal on where it was half-price Jagerbombs if Taine scored,” reveals first-team coach Darren Davies.

“So that try went down very well!”

Basham is the shiming light amid the gloom right now, the player both Mike Phillips and Adam Jones have recently labelled the "rock star" of this Wales side.

Talywain RFC, some three miles north of Pontypool, is where Basham played his rugby from U7s through to Youth level.

Davies was there every step of the way, coaching the team along with Taine’s father Dai, a former hooker with Cross Keys and Pontypool.

“I coached his year group all the way through,” he explains.

“My boy played alongside him.

“Taine’s father came on aboard after about a year and we ran the team together.”

So, were there immediate signs that they had a special talent on their hands?

“People ask me this all the time now,” replies Davies.

“The say ‘Did you think he was a future international from early doors?’

“That’s such a big call to make.

“Looking back, we had about three or four players in our side that were at a very high level from the rest.

“You couldn’t really pick between them. One or two have gone to Pontypool, one has gone to Ebbw Vale. There are very close margins in making it, I think.

“But whenever the big games came up, Taine did sort of step up that extra bit more than anybody else, I would say.

“He