NEW Welsh international Sam Wainwright has not forgotten where his rugby career started.
Back from making his debut for his country in South Africa, Sam, 24, has given his Welsh shirt to Rhyl Rugby Club.
Receiving the shirt was Lee Blackmore, along with players and coaches from the senior teams and juniors.
Sam, a prop, started playing in the junior teams at Rhyl Rugby Club before progressing through RGC (North Wales Rugby) to Saracens.
As a role model for the junior players, he attends their Junior Presentation Day to present all the of juniors with their medals.
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Rhyl Rugby Club later surprised Sam Wainwright by presenting him with a framed Rhyl and District shirt and life membership of the club in recognition of his achievements in being selected as a Welsh international.
Chairman Tony Evans said that even though Sam had reached great heights in his career, he was still a Rhyl and District player at heart and is regularly seen at the club when visiting his parents in Prestatyn.
It was his parents; 35th wedding anniversary celebrations at the club which, with his family and friends present, the club hijacked to make the presentation to Sam.
Sam replaced injured Leon Brown in head coach Wayne Pivac’s 34-man squad for their three-match tour of South Africa, which lasted from July 2-16.
His mum, Linda, joined him in South Africa at all three matches; and after not featuring in the first, a 32-39 defeat in Pretoria in July 2, he played 15 minutes in the second, a 13-12 win in Bloemfontein on July 9, and the full second half in the third, a 30-14 loss in Cape Town on July 16.
Last month, mum Linda told the Journal: ““It was amazing, unbelievable. They (Welsh squad) were all absolutely fantastic with him, and took him under their wing.
“They’re such a lovely bunch of lads, there’s something special about them.”
Sam also represented Wales at under-20s level in their Six Nations campaign in 2018.
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