There have been two moments in the last week that have shown just how far new Wales international Mason Grady has come in such a short time.
The first came last Sunday, when Grady’s mother Julie posted two photos of her son with Wales head coach Warren Gatland on social media.
Image #1 showed Julie and Grady out and about with Gatland in 2013, the day their other son, Cory Allen, made his Welsh debut.
The second, 10 years later, contained the same three people, but came after Grady had followed Allen into Test rugby playing against England. The images, taken a decade apart, quickly went viral on social media.
Then last week, the 20-year-old Grady showed just how young he is compared to his current Wales team-mates when he appeared before the media to reflect on his first cap.
Wales center Mason Grady (second right), 20, has come a long way in a very short time.
Grady’s mother Julie posted two photos of her son with Wales head coach Warren Gatland on social media, the first in 2013, the day her other son Cory Allen made his Welsh debut. .
The second image showed the same three 10 years after Mason’s debut against England.
“It’s great to learn from the likes of George North and Dan Biggar,” said up-and-coming Cardiff talent Grady.
“I saw all of them as a kid and I remember playing the 2011 World Cup video game and playing with all those (players). I just passed it to Shane Williams and let it run around everyone.
Added Grady: “Seems like yesterday a picture was taken of me and my mum at the stadium watching my brother make his debut.” It’s pretty crazy looking at those photos now.
‘The whole family was immensely proud to be there to see me win my first cap. I had about 15 members of my family there.’
In a Six Nations that has been dominated by three straight defeats and all kinds of chaos off the pitch, there hasn’t been much to cheer about for Welsh rugby fans.
But one silver lining has been the rise of promising youngsters Jac Morgan, Tommy Refell, Christ Tshiunza, Dafydd Jenkins, Joe Hawkins and Grady, all of whom have tasted Championship experience.
In their loss to England, Wales fielded Hawkins and Grady, both 20, as a midfield pair. All five players have gone through the Welsh age group system.
Just last season, Tshiunza, Jenkins, Hawkins and Grady were Under-20 internationals. His progression to the top level has been rapid.
Grady said it was a privilege to learn from the likes of experienced fly half Dan Biggar (left)
There hasn’t been much to celebrate for Welsh rugby fans during this Six Nations, but the rise of young players like Grady, Jac Morgan and Christ Tshiunza is a rare bright spot.
Against England, Grady formed a promising center-back partnership with Joe Hawkins (left), also 20.
“There was a time when Joe, Christ, Dafydd and I sat down and said it would be amazing to play in the next World Cup,” Grady said.
“Playing in the Six Nations before the World Cup with those guys is crazy. Getting a cap with them was amazing. I definitely want more caps and build from here.
‘I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. To be honest, I just wanted to be in the Cardiff team. I don’t know if I will play against Italy or France.
‘My debut was quite surreal. I was quite disappointed with the result, but proud to get my first cap. It was an incredible experience running in front of 74,000 people, a dream come true. I would love to experience it all again.
Like his half-brother Allen, who capped six Wales for Wales and scored a hat-trick against Uruguay at the 2015 World Cup, Grady is blessed with size. At a massive 6-foot-5 and 17-pound 4-pound, he is a fearsome physical specimen.
Grady’s giant body is eerily reminiscent of North’s, who hasn’t fared too badly.
This is Grady’s first full season at senior level after a serious knee injury hampered his development, but he’s sure to get better the more time he spends with Cardiff and Wales.
Their international head coach Gatland has no choice but to continue giving the youth their chance and Grady is ready for another chance to impress against Italy on Saturday.
Wales will travel to Rome knowing that defeat to the Azzurri would likely send them finishing bottom of the Six Nations pile for 2023 with France in Paris their last match.