Ahead of our Heineken Champions Cup fixture with Montpellier Herault, we had a Q&A with Joe Hawkins to talk over his road to where he is now and our new alternate jersey.
Talk us through your rugby pathway.
Like most of the boys, I started playing rugby when I was little with Pontardawe RFC. I was with them right up until about U15s. I moved over to Neath Athletic then as Ponty folded. I was with Neath for u16s and Youth and then moved back to Pontardawe.
I had a few other clubs coming through, Swansea Valley District, Ospreys U16s West and then into the Ospreys Academy, after that, U16 year, C group. So I was training in the mornings before college and all that sort of thing, and that took me to where I am now.
Was it always a goal for you to play for the Ospreys?
Obviously, Ospreys is my region, it’s my club. So as you're growing up, you were always watching the Ospreys, seeing them winning leagues and challenging in Europe. I always wanted to play for the Ospreys.
Are there any big moments that stick out for you, especially in your early playing career?
There’s nothing that jumps out to me instantly but I think the thing I liked the most was being able play rugby with my mates. That’s why I started playing. And that probably keeps you going even now it's still the reason we play. It’s more serious now but you still enjoy yourself. We're just enjoying the process.
What does it mean to you to have the 77 clubs represented in our alternate jersey?
It’s a big thing because these local grassroots clubs, where all the players have come from, they're the ones who develop these boys from a young age before they go into the academy systems. They’re the backbone of the Ospreys because they're producing the young talent that go on to play for us and Wales. So, you know, it's a big, big thing to honour them in the new jersey and I'm sure they all appreciate that as well.