Another Welsh back-rower could be called up by Eddie Jones

Having lived in England since he joined Gloucester in 2014, the 26-year-old from Carmarthen may have a big decision to make in the near future.

The first time I saw Thomas play was scoring a hat-trick for Hartpury College against Fylde RFC up near Blackpool in 2015, and he was the focus of much admiration in the post-match clubhouse discussion.

More recently, BT Sport pundit David Flatman called him one of the best in England, while Stuart Barnes singled him out for praise in the Times last week.

"If asked to summarise Bristol in one name, I would say “Dan Thomas”," wrote Barnes.

Fellow Welshman and Leicester back-rower Tommy Reffell has also been linked with a potential England call-up.

The 21-year-old was born in Bridgend and came through in the Ospreys age-group set-up before moving to Leicester at 15.

He went on to captain Wales at Under 18 level and then in the Under 20s at the junior World Cup in 2018.

His classical openside qualities have earned comparison with the iconic ex-Wales and Lions captain Sam Warburton.

However, it’s now been suggested Jones will reportedly meet with the back-rower in the coming week to discuss whether he’d be interested in switching allegiances.

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 The hulking England forward opened up about his Welsh heritage to BBC Wales. He said: “I’m actually half Welsh, and I’m fully Welsh qualified, so I could have quite happily played for Wales,”

He would have qualified to Play for England through his father, who was born and raised in Kent. Considered one of the world’s best flankers, the 99-cap flanker hit international headlines as he mastered the field alongside revered teammate David Pocock on the Rugby World Cup stage in 2015. 

A key man on two successful Lions tours, the leader of the Welsh back-line, and at the heart of the Scarlets revival. If there’s a player who can cut better lines than Davies then I’m yet to see him. Born in Solihull, arguably the best centre in the world could have played for England.

In 1989 he was approached by former All Black Colin Meads to try out for the King Country side in New Zealand. In 1990 he was even selected for the New Zealand under-21 side which went on a tour of Australia playing a side that included another of the all-time great lock forwards, John Eales. He eventually returned to England and thankfully represented them instead of the All Blacks.

One of the most consistent back-rowers in the Six Nations, Watson has accumulated 32 caps since making his Scotland debut in 2015. The flanker was actually born in Manchester, making him eligible to play for England.

The 33-year-old has revealed in his newest book that if things were different, he may very well have played for the green of Ireland, rather than his native country. And it's all down to some undisclosed Irish blood on his father's side.