Ex-Canterbury young star receives the “ultimate accolade”

Canterbury Rugby Club have their first British and Irish Lion.

Huw Jones, a former young player at the club, has been named in Andy Farrell’s squad to tour Australia this summer.

The 31-year-old is a star for Glasgow Warriors but is the first British and Irish Lion to have begun at Canterbury.

Club Chairman Giles Hilton said: “I’m absolutely delighted and it’s very deserved.

“Huw will be a very good team squad member, I think what he has achieved for Scotland proves he can hold his own.”

Jones’ call-up to the squad is a testament to his resilience and hard work.

Mr Hilton added: “He’s very talented, worked hard, very diligent and naturally very talented.”

Jones spent time with Canterbury Rugby Club in the early stages of his career.

He then left to go to play for The Stormers in Cape Town before returning to the UK and playing for The Glasgow Warriors and representing Scotland.

Jones’ selection shows that the city continues to play a big role in the development of rising talent.

Mr Hilton added that, at Canterbury Rugby Club, to achieve you must listen to the level of coaching you’re getting.

“We spend a lot of time for people to get their coaching qualifications but then can pass that onto a player and develop and nurture every single player that comes through according to their ability,” he said.

“We want to pull everyone through to make them as good a rugby player as they possibly can be.”

It’s not just the selection of Jones that is a win for Kent as Ben Earl, who came through at Sevenoaks Rugby Club, also received a call up to the squad.