Sam Costelow is Wales’ next long-term fly-half – Leicester wanted £10,000 for making him

Courage, toughness, bottle, humility; the recurring themes that crop up in conversations about Sam Costelow betray his grounding at Leicester Tigers. In the East Midlands, those traits are valued above most others. Ian Smith, the Leicester icon who coached Costelow at Oakham School, sums it up. “I pick on three things: attitude, attitude and attitude. Sam has been one of the best I’ve come across in that regard.”

The gifted fly-half is poised for his eighth Wales cap in this weekend’s World Cup quarter-final against Argentina. Five years ago, he found his way to Tigers after Ged Glynn, then the club’s chief scout, watched him at Bridgwater & Albion RFC in 2017. Costelow started for Wales Under-16 against an England side featuring a certain George Martin at lock. Simon King, his teacher at Pencoed Community College, had been in touch with Glynn and Simon Cohen, the Leicester chief executive. Costelow would follow the route of Tommy Reffell, another of King’s pupils at Pencoed, to become a Tiger. He quickly impressed.

Part of the same side as Martin, Freddie Steward and Jack van Poortvliet, Costelow guided Tigers U18 to back-to-back Premiership academy titles. Then, in 2019, while still just 18, he represented the first-team in a European Challenge Cup tie at Cardiff Arms Park. With opposing wing Aled Summerhill driving for the try-line, Costelow hurled himself into harm’s way and forced the carrier into touch. Tigers eked out a 14-11 win.

“I remember him playing for Oakham at the Rosslyn Park Sevens,” adds Smith, who has moved across Rutland to become director of rugby at Uppingham School. “Nobody saw what had happened but all of a sudden, Sam’s ear was hanging off. He went off to hospital and fortunately, a plastic surgeon was on duty. Lewis Moody [another Oakham old boy] was on the touchline with me and said: ‘If that had been me, you’d have told me to tape it up.’”

Costelow was sometimes used at centre in school matches and his manner, unassuming yet driven and passionate, reminded experienced observers of George Ford at a similar age. He progressed through the Wales age-groups, sitting some A-Level exams while out in Argentina at the 2019 World Under-20 Championship.

“I mentioned once that there might be a chance in the England set-up,” Smith says, grinning. “He didn’t say anything, but his look suggested that it might not have been on his radar!”

Although there was never any danger of Costelow defecting into a white shirt, Tigers sought compensation when Scarlets swooped to bring him back over the Severn Bridge in 2020.

“I actually put in a claim with World Rugby,” says Jan McGinity, Leicester’s former head of recruitment. “You’re entitled to about 10 grand per year of a player’s contract for effectively putting in effort to up-skill and train them... I have no idea whether Tigers ever got that 20 or 30k.”

Amid competition for places, Costelow gradually established himself at Scarlets. Lee Blackett, an assistant there under Dwayne Peel last season, witnessed a playmaker blooming.

“He’s really tough mentally,” Blackett says. “I’ll give you an example. Dwayne knows him really well and in one of the first games after I got there, Costy missed a kick from about 40 metres bang in front. It wasn’t an absolute banker, but Peely spoke to him in front of the team: ‘Costy, your job is to get that kick, to nail that three points and give us an early lead.’

“I remember coming out of that meeting and going: ‘Peely, I wouldn’t have spoken to him like that.’ But I didn’t know Costy. Peely did. And I reckon Costy missed about one or two kicks over the rest of the season. He’s resilient, determined and focused; a sponge, as well. When I announced I was leaving, he came and asked me about everything I thought about the game and how he could improve over the next couple of years.”

After a Test debut from the bench against New Zealand a year ago, Costelow has shown flashes of class at the highest level. He was assured and sparky against England in the first August warm-up fixture, setting up Gareth Davies’ try with a kick-pass to Aaron Wainwright. Days later, the Welsh Rugby Union released a behind-the-scenes video. It depicted Costelow speaking in a meeting, imploring team-mates not to allow Steward, his old Tigers colleague, to settle England by gathering easy up-and-unders.

Thrust into the starting line-up last weekend against Georgia due to Gareth Anscombe’s withdrawal, Costelow set up a try for Liam Williams with a beautifully looped pass and kicked 13 points. Everybody agrees that he is made of the right stuff. The only problem, which proves puzzling, is finding a player to compare him with.

“I’d like to give you a name but he’s different,” Blackett ponders. “He’s brave. There aren’t many 10s as willing to put their body on the line defensively. He carries, he’s a threat at the line. His game management is getting better and better all the time.”

At 22, Costelow could be an integral figure for Wales well beyond this tournament in France. Those who have worked with him up to this point are understandably excited.

“His name isn’t Barry John, Phil Bennett or Dan Biggar,” adds Smith. “He’s Sam Costelow, and I can’t wait to see what he achieves.”