Henry Taylor (Loveday 2010) was named in the IRB Junior World Championship team of the tournament after he helped England Under-20s to retain the title they had won two years earlier. Their 21-20 defeat of South Africa in the final in New Zealand was a rollercoaster affair but most pundits agreed the better side had won.
The accolade of being in the best XV of the competition completed a remarkable year for Taylor who was the only member of the side who was a full-time student – he is studying fine art at Loughborough.
At the start of the year he was not part of the England set-up, but he was drafted into the Six Nations squad an immediately made an impact. The selection surprised him. “After leaving the Harlequins academy and going to study I thought I’d only be playing at Loughborough and not much else,” he said. “But I had a good start to the season and I got the call up and I was very happy to go.
“I was very keen to keep my rugby going while I was at uni, but I was also thinking that from an academic background, I wanted to have a future because, in rugby, injury can be just around the corner. While rugby is the biggest thing for me, I wanted more than one option. I like to live quite a diverse lifestyle, and university has certainly helped that development.
“I study fine art so sometimes I am in the studio, then I’m seeing mates and then there’s the rugby as well so there is a lot going on and that’s the way I like it. There is a piano where we’re staying in New Zealand so I’ve had a little go for the lads.” Taylor, it should be said, is also a classically trained pianist.
Taylor now has an academy contract with Saracens who, unlike Harlequins, have encouraged him to continue his studies for at least another year, such is their faith in his potential.