Leigh Halfpenny is shaping the next generation of goal kickersCardiff and Wales U19s outside-half Lloyd Lucas(Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency)

At just 18, Lloyd Lucas is already showing the kind of dedication and ambition that marks out a future Wales star.

The Cardiff RFC and Wales U19s outside-half has been sharpening his goal-kicking under the guidance of two of the very best — Neil Jenkins and Leigh Halfpenny — and he’s soaking up every bit of wisdom he can. Lucas is part of the senior Cardiff academy and the Wales U19s squad preparing to take on France U19s this weekend.

Halfpenny is still a player at Cardiff Rugby but also works closely with the young goal kickers at the club having also been the senior Wales side’s kicking coach on the summer tour of Japan. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.

Lucas is relishing working with Halfpenny and has embraced the Wales legend’s obsession with improvement.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with Neil Jenkins and Leigh Halfpenny,” he tells WalesOnline.

“Leigh has been doing a lot more with us academy boys, so it’s about learning from the best to try to be the best.

“I don’t think he sleeps, he’s so dedicated.

“He even gave me a call after the World Cup to give me advice on how to improve my kicking.

“He’s given us a lot of confidence. He watches how we kick because everyone has a different style in how they kick but he helps us add layers to it.

“It’s about how to get better and how to get more consistent. That’s his main job and to be fair he’s been excellent.

“I’m close with Leigh Halfpenny’s family and they say he was out on Christmas morning kicking balls.

“That’s what it means to him and he’s got the rewards from it. That’s my mentality as well, just get out and kick as much as possible because it is only going to benefit me.”

Lucas is a very talented footballer who has been in top form for Cardiff RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru.

The 18-year-old began playing at Clwb Rygbi Ieuenctid Cymraeg Caerdydd (CRICC) before moving to Cardiff Harlequins.

Lucas came through the ranks playing for Ysgol Glantaf in the WRU’s schools & colleges league while he helped Cardiff Schools win the Dewar Shield which earned him a senior academy contract with Cardiff Rugby.

The gifted playmaker views himself as a triple-threat player and is keen to make his mark for Wales at age-grade level this season.

“I think my kicking game and managing games,” Lucas tells WalesOnline when asked what his point of difference is.

“Knowing when to run, when to kick and when to pass.

“I think it is important certainly in senior rugby now where everyone is looking at their 10 to manage a game.

“As a young 10 managing the game and making sure I put our team in the right area of the field.

“Finn Russell and Beauden Barrett were the main two players I was looking up to as a kid.

“I really idolised them and I tried to put what they do on the field into my own game. Join WalesOnline Rugby’s WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free

“Ultimately that’s where I want to get to.

“Knowing when to run, kick and pass and just being a real threat at the line.”

While he has been playing his rugby in the SRC Lucas trains with the senior Cardiff Rugby squad and is keen to make a name for himself with the club he has supported all his life.

“As a kid I wanted to be in a Cardiff jersey so to actually live it and play for Cardiff means everything,” he added.

“I used to love watching Dan Fish play and now having the chance to get coached by him is really good.

“There’s also boys like Dewi Cross and Nathan Hudd. To be in the team with them is really good.

“With the regional team I speak to Callum Sheedy quite a bit. He’s really good with us youngsters and is really helping us to kick on.

“It is quite daunting when you start speaking up in team huddles in the senior squad and when you get together.

“As it has progressed I’m a lot more confident doing that now.

“Credit to the senior boys, they always come up to me and say we want you to talk because you are our voice on the field. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.

“They say if you don’t talk we don’t know what to do so it is about bossing them on the field.”

Much has been made of the need to improve Welsh rugby’s talent pool but Wales U20s head coach Richard Whiffin is excited with the quality coming through the ranks.

At outside-half Lucas will be competing with the talented Carwyn Leggatt-Jones to be the first choice number 10 with Wales U20s this season.

“Carwyn is an excellent player,” he said. “Just for ourselves it is excellent competition to have us both thriving to get to the top is really good.

“I played against him a few times in the schools & colleges league and against Scarlets.

“There’s always been some good competition between us and hopefully we can drive each other on to become better players.

“My short-term goal is to get my Wales U20s cap. That would be massive for me and I want to keep playing well for Cardiff RFC.

“Hopefully a few years down the line I can play for Cardiff Rugby.”

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