Dan's tipped to be an England rugby star - at the age of three!
18th April 2007
Watch out Jonny Wilkinson! Pint-sized powerhouse Dan Brownlie is gunning for an England rugby shirt - and he's only three years old!
Dan can already kick a penalty with a full-sized rugby ball over an adult-sized set of rugby posts.
Coaches have tipped Dan, who plays with boys more than three times his age, as a star of the future.
Dan Brownlie, a possible future England star, shown here wearing a Gloucester shirt, models himself on England hero Jonny Wilikinson, who won the World Cup for England in 2003 with his last-minute drop goal against Australia
Proud dad Mark, 39, a fireman, said: "Without a shadow of a doubt he could play for England. Jonny Wilkinson had better watch his back!"
Dan models himself on England's World Cup drop kick hero Wilko, whose legendary training regime developed his superstar skills.
Dan's sporting prowess showed itself before he was even out of his pram, when he kicked his first dummy into touch in favour of a squashy rugby ball.
He then swapped the toy ball for a real one soon after taking his first steps.
Dan started booting the ball at the edge of the pitch when mum Rachel, 38, a legal assistant, took him to watch his dad play rugby.
He has already caught the eye of local coaches who said he should join a school to develop his budding skills further.
Dan began to play every Saturday morning with former British Lions coach Andy Keast's School of Rugby in Gloucester.
He started in the two- to four-year-old group but he was so good he was instantly moved to play with the four- to six-year-olds.
Now his skills are so advanced that he is about to be moved to the seven- to 10-year-old category - and play with boys more than three times his age.
Dad Mark, of Hucclecote, Gloucestershire, his local club's second team captain, said his son was rugby-mad.
He said the boy spent every moment he could kicking penalties over inflatable posts in his back garden.
Mark added: "Dan used to play with a soft rugby ball in his pram and it hasn't stopped from there. He is sports mad.
"For a kid that age he's got natural hand-eye co-ordination and the only thing he wants to do is play rugby."
Coach Andy Keast, who has trained at top rugby clubs including Harlequins, London Irish, and Gloucester, said: "He is an outstanding prospect.
"He's on the doorstep waiting for me when I turn up on Saturdays for training. Then he picks up a ball and he just doesn't stop.
"Dan's just like Jonny Wilkinson in that he's first to arrive and last to leave and his consistency in kicking is remarkable.
"What's required to get to the top in rugby is a very high level of dedication and enthusiasm - and he's got that in spades.
"If he continues like this for another ten years he's going to be special."
dailymail.co.uk
18th April 2007
Watch out Jonny Wilkinson! Pint-sized powerhouse Dan Brownlie is gunning for an England rugby shirt - and he's only three years old!
Dan can already kick a penalty with a full-sized rugby ball over an adult-sized set of rugby posts.
Coaches have tipped Dan, who plays with boys more than three times his age, as a star of the future.
Dan Brownlie, a possible future England star, shown here wearing a Gloucester shirt, models himself on England hero Jonny Wilikinson, who won the World Cup for England in 2003 with his last-minute drop goal against Australia
Proud dad Mark, 39, a fireman, said: "Without a shadow of a doubt he could play for England. Jonny Wilkinson had better watch his back!"
Dan models himself on England's World Cup drop kick hero Wilko, whose legendary training regime developed his superstar skills.
Dan's sporting prowess showed itself before he was even out of his pram, when he kicked his first dummy into touch in favour of a squashy rugby ball.
He then swapped the toy ball for a real one soon after taking his first steps.
Dan started booting the ball at the edge of the pitch when mum Rachel, 38, a legal assistant, took him to watch his dad play rugby.
He has already caught the eye of local coaches who said he should join a school to develop his budding skills further.
Dan began to play every Saturday morning with former British Lions coach Andy Keast's School of Rugby in Gloucester.
He started in the two- to four-year-old group but he was so good he was instantly moved to play with the four- to six-year-olds.
Now his skills are so advanced that he is about to be moved to the seven- to 10-year-old category - and play with boys more than three times his age.
Dad Mark, of Hucclecote, Gloucestershire, his local club's second team captain, said his son was rugby-mad.
He said the boy spent every moment he could kicking penalties over inflatable posts in his back garden.
Mark added: "Dan used to play with a soft rugby ball in his pram and it hasn't stopped from there. He is sports mad.
"For a kid that age he's got natural hand-eye co-ordination and the only thing he wants to do is play rugby."
Coach Andy Keast, who has trained at top rugby clubs including Harlequins, London Irish, and Gloucester, said: "He is an outstanding prospect.
"He's on the doorstep waiting for me when I turn up on Saturdays for training. Then he picks up a ball and he just doesn't stop.
"Dan's just like Jonny Wilkinson in that he's first to arrive and last to leave and his consistency in kicking is remarkable.
"What's required to get to the top in rugby is a very high level of dedication and enthusiasm - and he's got that in spades.
"If he continues like this for another ten years he's going to be special."
dailymail.co.uk