Twenty-one-year-old Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths admits he was 'living the dream' by running out with the team for his first start for Dragons RFC against Zebre Parma in the BKT United Rugby Championship on Friday night.
The loosehead prop made his debut against Scarlets on New Years’ Day, a “crazy” coincidence having made his under-18s debut also at Parc y Scarlets against the same opposition.
Since that game, the Dragons Academy product has made a further three replacement appearances off the bench against Section Paloise, Emirates Lions and Munster Rugby before his start in Parma.
Doing what he “loves”, Kelleher-Griffiths was part of a young Dragons side with only Ashton Hewitt from the starting XV aged 30 or older with teenagers Harri Ford and Owain James making their debuts from the bench after impressing in Wales Under-20s win at Rodney Parade against Ireland the previous weekend.
Alongside double try-scorer Brodie Coghlan and Chris Coleman, Kelleher-Griffiths was part of an impressive front row effort against Zebre, going an astonishing 78 minutes on his first ever URC start.
All this came after the St. Peters product missed three months at the start of the season with an ankle injury before returning for Pontypool in Super Rygbi Cymru Gwent Derby against Ebbw Vale in December.
“I had a good preseason, and I was looking forward to getting to the season, but I caught an injury in training and it took me out for three months,” said Kelleher-Griffiths.
“It was an awesome game and it was good to get the win as well.
“I love playing for Pontypool, I wouldn't be where I am now without them, so I'm just thankful for them.”
Kelleher-Griffiths has been joined by fellow Dragons Academy players Sam Scarfe, James and Morgan Williams in the Pontypool front row this season.
“Scarfe and I came through Under-18s together,” said Kelleher-Griffiths.
“We've played a lot rugby together and loads of different teams, so it's always good to have Scarfe next to me and now Owain's coming through and he's doing really well at 20s, so it's good to see that he's flourishing as well.
“It is good to see all the boys that I personally grew up with watching and playing on a pitch with, getting the exposure they deserve.”
However, turning out in the front row wasn’t always the plan for Kelleher-Griffiths.
“I started out at St. Peters playing in the back row and carried that on into Under-16s and first year of under 18s,” said Kelleher-Griffiths.
“I was always quite skinny, a work rate kind of player, which I still work hard on, and always relied on other things aside from just running over people.
“Justin Tipuric was my rugby hero and I always looked up to him because I was never that big when I was growing up.
"I even used to run around with a blue scrum cap for most of my career when I was younger!"
Not a bad role model, although the blue scrum cap has since been discarded with Kelleher-Griffiths joking he looked 'disgusting' in photos.
Tipuric hasn’t been the only inspiration, with Kelleher-Griffiths benefitting from several role models in his conversion to prop.
“I changed after Covid to front row and went to Cross Keys where I was working with Beefy [Richard Cornock] and players like that,” said Kelleher-Griffiths.
“Then at Pooler, working with the likes of and Kelvyn Williams and other good, experienced tightheads at Pontypool has really helped me develop.
“I'm just trying to trying to experience every tighthead and trying to problem solve. Now coming into the senior team, all the boys have taken me under their wing, such as Chris Coleman, and really helping me out.
“Sam Hobbs was the person that told me to be a front rower and here we are down the line a little bit together with him as forwards coach.
“It’s crazy. We do talk about it a little bit now and then and he's been good to me. He's shown me harsh love sometimes, but it's been good.”
Justin Tipuric was my rugby hero and I always looked up to him because I was never that big when I was growing up... I even used to run around with a blue scrum cap for most of my career when I was younger...
