Gabriel Hamer-Webb: How family grief made uncapped wing pick Wales over England

Gabriel Hamer-Webb has revealed how family grief led to him picking Wales over England for his international future.

The Bath-born wing has already represented England at Under-20s level in the Six Nations.

But he was convinced to switch allegiance by his Cardiff-born mother following the tragic loss of both his father and brother.

“That loss definitely taught me a lot. I’ve only tried to see silver linings and even though it’s tragic and sudden, you can’t control or change it,” said Hamer-Webb.

“The losses meant that I’m a sole male figure in my instant family. That weight brings pressure but I would do anything for my sisters and my mum anyway.

“So I asked my mum a while back, ‘What would be better for you?’ She said, ‘Wales of course, that’s where we’re from, where your family is from’.

“That was big for me. If that’s the thing that makes my mother the proudest, then wow, that could be something.”