![\"Danny](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_JS385930109.jpg\")
Danny Southworth (left) and Jacob Beetham arrive at Wales camp on Monday(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)<\/p>\nDanny Southworth is set to become a Wales international over the coming weeksDanny Southworth (left) and Jacob Beetham arrive at Wales camp on Monday(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)<\/p>\n
Last Monday evening, a call from an unknown number popped up on Danny Southworth’s phone.<\/p>\n
“Usually I wouldn’t answer those,” admits the Cardiff<\/a> loosehead. “I don’t know though, I guess something just told me to pick it up.”<\/p>\n It’s just as well the 26-year-old did, with new Wales coach Steve Tandy being on the other end of the line. “I was like ‘oh, you all right, mate?’<\/p>\n “It was an unexpected call, to be honest. I was fairly blown away by it.<\/p>\n “I’m just really excited to get in there now and and show what I’m about. I did not expect it whatsoever, but it was a nice surprise.”<\/p>\n Southworth, who joined Cardiff from Exeter at the start of last season, is one of four looseheads called into Tandy’s first squad ahead of the autumn.<\/p>\n One of the others, Rhys Carre, dominated headlines last week – given the situation around the 25-cap rule. However, Southworth is worthy of recognition himself, with the uncapped prop having been a solid performer in the opening weeks of the season.<\/p>\n Rumour has it he was close to selection in the summer, only for a ban to scupper his hopes of touring Japan. But now, with Carre and Nicky Smith both being English-based and required to return to their clubs for the South Africa Test, the chances of Southworth ending the autumn with a maiden cap look good.<\/p>\n “It’s obviously been in the back of my mind,” he admitted. “I think I’ll just take it week by week, to be honest, because I don’t want to stress myself out too much and think into the future.<\/p>\n “Anything can happen. I’ll take it week by week and whatever happens, happens.”<\/p>\n Following that unexpected call from Tandy last week, Southworth found himself on another call almost immediately after to celebrate his first Test call-up.<\/p>\n His parents have gone travelling in Asia for a few months – meaning they may not even be around to watch Southworth in person should be capped next month.<\/p>\n “So my parents are on the other side of the world at the minute, but I called them straightway and we shared a nice moment together,” he explains. “It was a really cool moment to be able to share them.<\/p>\n “A few tears were shed. It was pretty special. I wish they kind of could have been there in person with me, but it was a very special call that I will probably remember for a long time.<\/p>\n “They’ve been saving up for a few years now. They left around a week ago so we’ll have to see what happens and where they might be, but hopefully they can (be there if I’m capped).<\/p>\n “We’ll see what happens because I don’t know how many flights there are or even where they’re going to be! Hopefully things pan out.”<\/p>\n The Barnstaple-born prop qualifies for Wales through his grandmother, who hailed from Mountain Ash. “My gran, she only passed about five years ago,” he says.<\/p>\n “I was very, very close to her. I was always aware of that. It was something that was always in the back of my mind.<\/p>\n “She was born here, but then she met my grandad in Bristol in a hospital, I think. She lived here up until she was about 20 and then she moved over to England then.”<\/p>\n Southworth was, by his own reckoning, around five years old when his parents first took him to Barnstaple Rugby Club.<\/p>\n A No. 8 until he was 18 – “I was told I was probably not going to make it in the back-row so I’d best transition to the front-row and luckily that’s paid off” – he played for Pilton Community College until he was 16.<\/p>\n He then moved from home, playing for Ivy Bridge – a sixth-form college near Plymouth – until joining Exeter’s Academy.<\/p>\n That’s where he would get his first exposure to senior rugby, ahead of the move to Cardiff last year. That saw him able to work with one of Wales’ finest looseheads, Gethin Jenkins.<\/p>\n “It’s brilliant,” he says. “He’s done it all and is someone that I aspired to, with where he’s gone in the game and what he’s done.<\/p>\n “I’m working with Melon doing extras in defence to try and get that at a world-class level as well. I think, obviously my set piece has developed, from Exeter to now – I think it’s come a long way.<\/p>\n “That’s what I’ve been told that through my whole career, you’re not going to get picked if that’s not up there, so, yeah, always always working on that, always a learning day in the scrum.<\/p>\n “But then I think where my point of difference is is potentially around the breakdown, I feel like I’m physical and aggressive in the carry as well.”<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, given that loosehead is one area of genuine quality for Wales – with Ospreys<\/a> prop Gareth Thomas also in the squad alongside Smith and Carre – Southworth is just eager to learn and progress over the next month.<\/p>\n His club coach, Corniel van Zyl, will benefit from that just as much as Southworth from December onwards<\/p>\n “He’s very consistent in what he does and he’s got a lot of impact in his actions,” said van Zyl. “I’m really pleased for him to move into that next fold and be recognised for what he’s doing. He’s got a lot of intent with what he does.<\/p>\n “It’s been a nice journey the last 15 months.<\/p>\n “There’s a few looseheads in that group. Worst-case, if he doesn’t play a game, he’ll be in that environment and become a better player.”<\/p>\n * Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here<\/a> and our WhatsApp channel here<\/a> for all the breaking news.<\/p>\n You can also follow us on social media on our X account<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and TikTok.<\/a> For more exclusive stories and in-depth analysis, you can sign up for the Inside Welsh Rugby substack newsletter here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Danny](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_JS383434632.jpg\")
Danny Southworth of Cardiff Rugby in action (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)<\/p>\n