Gallagher Premiership's 12 youngest-ever players: Where are they now?
Rugby NewsMonday, 23 October 2017 at 16:42
Harlequins fly-half Marcus Smith has turned plenty of heads so far this season - but he doesn't even make the top 12 youngest ever Premiership players.
Here's what the 12 youngest-ever Premiership players are up to now.
12. Ruaridh Dawson - Newcastle Falcons (18 years, 100 days)
More to come from the Newcastle youngster one would hope, as Dawson only made his Premiership bow in 2015. The scrum-half, who is still with the Falcons, represented Scotland in the 2017 Junior World Championship in Georgia, playing against eventual champions New Zealand.
11. Matthew Tait - Newcastle Falcons (18 years, 86 days)
Another falcon at number 11, who is at the opposite end of his career. The 31-year-old, who left Newcastle in 2008, joined Sale Sharks before making a move to Leicester Tigers in 2011 where he remains as a senior player.
Tait made his international debut for England in 2005. At just under 19 years of age, he was the second-youngest player to have played for England since World War II, with only his Newcastle teammate Jonny Wilkinson having played at a younger age.
The speedster went on to establish himself as an England regular, playing in the 2007 Rugby World Cup final but hasn't added to his 38 caps since being dropped by Martin Johnson in 2011.
10. Jamie Elliot - Northampton Saints (18 years, 80 days)
Having made his Saints bow against in the , Elliott made a try-scoring debut on the wing against in 2011.
He's since gone on to make over 100 appearances for Northampton, featuring strongly in Saints' double winning season, but his career has been somewhat marred by injuries in recent years.
9. Tom Rock - Yorkshire Carnegie (18 years, 73 days)
Making his debut in 2002, Rock struggled to make an impact for Leeds, joining to Otley RUFC to enhance his first team opportunities.
Rock then joined National Division One club London Welsh before becoming director of rugby at Blaydon RFC, aged 24.
He has since retired from the rugby world and has joined the Royal Air Force Regiment as an officer.
8. Elliot Daly - Wasps (18 years, 50 days)
Where is he now? The 25-year-old is in exactly in the same place but is now an established England international. He also shone during the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.
A centre by trade, Daly has managed to transition onto the wing under Eddie Jones, scoring a memorable winning try against Wales at the Principality Stadium during the Six Nations earlier this year.
One red card against Argentina last year is the only black mark on what has been a stellar career thus far.
7. Ollie Smith - Leicester Tigers (18 years, 33 days)
Despite only winning five England caps, he was a 2005 Lion. He had stints at Montpellier and Harlequins after Leicester but had his career ended by injury aged 28. Coaching has followed, starting with Esher, leading him to London Welsh. He is currently overseeing Barking.
6. Callum Watson - London Irish (17 years, 311 days)
Probably the least well known of the Watson brothers (Anthony and Marcus), Callum initially made his debut for the Exiles in 2014. The scrum-half is now playing for Loughborough Students in National League One.
5. George Ford - Leicester Tigers (17 years, 256 days)
He became the youngest Rugby Union player to make his professional debut in England at just 16 years and 237 days old when Leicester played Leeds in the LV= Cup. His Premiership debut didn't come until later.
Ford has since developed into a fine fly-half, winning 37 caps for England thus far. The 24-year-old did leave Tigers for a while to join his father, Mike at Bath but returned to Welford Road in the summer.
4. Ben Youngs - Leicester Tigers (17 years, 231 days)
Son of former scrum-half Nick and brother to club captain Tom, Leicester Tigers is in the blood of scrum-half Ben Youngs.
An academy graduate, he became the club’s youngest-ever league player when he ran out for his debut in a match at Bristol in April 2007 and came off the bench in 2006/07 Premiership Final win over Gloucester before his 18th birthday.
He's since represented a British & Irish Lion in Australia in 2013 and has established himself as England's first choice scrum-half ahead of countryman Danny Care.
3. Anthony Watson - London Irish (17 years, 210 days)
Speedster Anthony Watson made his bow for London Irish before joining Bath Rugby in the summer of 2013 and quickly made an impact at the Club.
The 2013 Junior World Championship winner is a natural athlete, equally at home at wing or fullback. Watson’s exceptional footwork and nose for the try-line has led him to 19 tries in 82 appearances for Bath, with countless more assists to his name.
He impressed for the British and Irish Lions during the summer and is one of the first names on the team-sheet for Eddie Jones and England.
2. Ben White - Leicester Tigers (17 years, 151 days)
White made his Premiership debut for Tigers against Harlequins on 25 October 2015; at the age of 17 years and 151 days, meaning he became the youngest player to play for Leicester in the Premiership.
The scrum-half is also the youngest professional player in Doncaster Knights history having made his debut against London Welsh on 23 April 2016.
He's now backat Leicester and will be hoping for another opportunity in the first team in the coming months when Ben Youngs is on international duty.
1. David Doherty - Yorkshire Carnegie (17 years, 95 days)
Doherty was one of the most exciting prospects in English rugby when he made his debut against Northampton in May 2004 and was tipped as a future England international by the Guardian.
He joined Wasps after Leeds Tykes were relegated in 2006 but failed to impress before another unsuccessful stint with Sale Sharks. Doherty, who scored 49 tries in 107 games during two spells with Carnegie, is now Harrogate’s director of rugby and commercial director.
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