Ball will certainly pass the rugby ball quickly

Tokyo – In a different world, Jake Ball (right) could have been handing his Australian baggy green cap to the umpire before steaming in to bowl a bouncer at England all-rounder Ben Stokes in the Ashes.

Instead the 28-year-old, born in England to a Welsh father who emigrated to Australia when Ball was 17, is now plying his trade in the boilerhouse of the Welsh pack.

There will be no split loyalties, Ball insists, when Wales take on Australia in their second Pool D match at the Rugby World Cup at Tokyo on Sunday.

“My family’s out in Perth,” Ball explained yesterday.

“My father’s flying up from Perth to Japan, which makes it even more exciting.

“Dad’s Welsh through and through so he’ll be in his Welsh jersey and I’m sure the rest of the family will be in Wales jerseys as well.”

Asked whether a Wallaby jersey might sneak into the picture, Ball was adamant.

“No chance, no chance, not with me around anyway!” Ball said.

Standing an imposing 1.97m tall and weighing in at 121kg, Ball had all but walked into a professional cricket contract in Australia.

A fearsome fast bowler, Ball was clocked at more than 80mph at the age of 17.

He was coached at Fremantle District Cricket Club by former Test star Geoff Marsh and his peers included future Australian cricketers Mitchell and Shaun Marsh, sons of Geoff, as well as James Pattinson.

Shortly after his arrival in Perth, Ball was opening the bowling for the Western Australia under-19 team and was asked to join a fast-track training programme at the Queensland Centre of Excellence, a nursery for future Test cricketers.

One day in the field, Ball had an “epiphany,” he told the Daily

Telegraph after his arrival in Wales in 2012.

He decided to walk away and instead try to make it as a professional rugby union player. –