Holmes sweet on call-up by Wales

JONAH Holmes says he was in rugby dreamland when receiving the call-up to Warren Gatland’s Welsh squad for the autumn Test series next month.

The 26-year-old Leicester Tigers wing was Gatland’s bombshell selection for the four-Test series with the Stockport-born wing having just 15 games for the Welford Road outfit since arriving in the summer of 2017.

Holmes, pictured above, who can also play full-back, has bagged 10 tries in that time after arriving from Yorkshire Carnegie.

The former scrum-half was persuaded to focus on playing in the back-three by former Ospreys and Dragons coach Lyn Jones during a loan spell from Wasps with London Welsh in the 2012-13 season.

His Welsh call-up came as a shock to many in the rugby world, with supporters taking to social media to admit they were unaware of his Welsh roots.

The player raised in London qualifies through having a maternal Welsh grandmother.

He told Leicester Tigers.com: “I was ecstatic when I heard. My Nan is Welsh and was born and raised there before moving to Hereford where my Mum was born.”

Holmes is set to get an early chance to show Welsh rugby fans what he’s capable of when Leicester lock horns tomorrow night with the Scarlets in a key Heineken Champions Cup clash at Welford Road.

Both sides are coming off the back of opening defeats piling pressure onto the showdown in the east Midlands.

And, for now, Holmes is also keeping his feet on the ground until he’s able to show he’s capable of reaching the same level on the international stage.

“It means nothing until I can prove myself on the international stage, but it’s amazing to get the opportunity,” he said.

Holmes will link-up with his new teammates on Sunday ahead of their opening autumn international against Scotland on November 3.

He will though be ineligible for that match as it falls outside the World Rugby window.

“I go away this Sunday and obviously just have got to get my head down and try to prove in training what I’m capable of,” said Holmes.

“I want to be a part of it as soon as possible and am looking forward to the challenge.”