Welsh scrum-half tearing it up in England as he targets return home and Wales cap
The English Championship has long been a fertile breeding ground for future internationals.
Last March Ellis Mee lined up at fullback for a Nottingham side who suffered a 52-26 hiding at Ealing, yet 10 months later the 21-year-old has been called up by Warren Gatland to represent Wales in the Six Nations after an impressive start to the season for the Scarlets. Playing scrum-half for Ealing that day was former Wales age grade star Dan Hiscocks who has since moved to Cornish Pirates and has aspirations of following in the footsteps of Mee. "The Ellis Mee example is a big one for me," he tells WalesOnline.
"When I made my debut for Ealing last season he was playing for Nottingham. You could see all season how good he was.
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"I think a lot of the lads here have been showing people how it is possible. They have a really good season, get picked up by someone and you go in with no fear and do really well.
"Hopefully that shines a bit of a spotlight at how important the Championship is and how much of a breeding ground it can be. Having those guys play at a high level and getting exposure professionally in the second tier.
"There's a lot of good clubs and a lot of good coaches around in the Championship. The more attention and spotlight there is on the Championship the better. There are definitely lads here who you wouldn't have heard of but are definitely good enough to step up to the next level.
"I think Ellis Mee is the perfect example of that." Hiscocks was born in Surrey while his dad Steve was in the army but was brought up in Brecon and is a proud Welshman.
The 23-year-old represented Wales at U16s and U18s while he was also involved in a number of Wales U20s training camps. Hiscocks was initially a member of the Ospreys academy but was not offered a professional contract.
But Hiscocks refused to give up and has worked hard to forge a career as a professional rugby player in the English Championship. "It (getting let go by the Ospreys) was a tough pill to swallow especially considering a lot of my best friends were there," he said.
"At the time they were stacked at nine with the likes of Aled Davies, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Harri Morgan and Mathew Aubrey. It was a bit of a kick in the teeth but I had a lot of good people around me.
"I had guys like Duncan Jones at the Ospreys who was quite helpful. I was also close with Matthew J Watkins.
"They were quite good at giving advice and told me to take opportunities that came while also looking elsewhere to see if there was anything available. I am English qualified so I spoke tp Ealing Trailfinders who are linked with Brunel University.
"They offered an opportunity for me to be involved with them but also to study. I accepted the offer so spent a good few years up there at the uni studying military history for my undergrad and a post grad in intelligency analysis and security.
"My last two years I spent with the first team at Ealing before moving onto Cornish Pirates." Hiscocks is thriving in Penzance and has firmly established himself as one of the leading number nines in the competition.
The former Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera pupil has been named in the Championship team of the week on three consecutive occasions this season while he has also scored four tries in 10 games.
One look at England's squad for last year's Autumn Nations Series says everything about the worth of the Championship. In total 19 players were developed in the Championship. Hiscocks is adamant the English Championship is a higher standard than Super Rygbi Cymru and believes his career is on an upward trajectory.
"I've been quite fortunate spending the last couple of years with some good coaches like Gavin Cattle the former Scarlets scrum-half," he said. "I was lucky enough to get mentored by Lloyd Williams last year who was spending a bit of time at Ealing.
"A lot of the teams in the Championship are professional. You've got Ealing, Doncaster, Coventry and Cornish Pirates are all full-time professionals.
"We are in four to five times a week and our job is to play rugby. But you'll have other teams like Hartpury, Nottingham and Ampthill who are three mornings or three evenings a week.
"They are hyrbid professionals. I'd say the standard in the English Championship is a lot higher than Super Rygbi Cymru.
"If you look at Ealing they can put out a side that is full of ex internationals and Premiership players. At the moment we get a lot of guys coming down from Exeter Chiefs on loan who are full time.
"It's quite hard to compare but I'd say the big difference is the part-time side aren't really part-time, they are hybrid. The level of player is very high especially those top three or four teams who are pushing to get an opportunity in the Premiership one day.
"Also, the Championship clubs play in the Premiership Cup and I've played against Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester this season. Cornish Pirates have always been really competitive in the Championship, finishing second last year.
"The main aim of Cornish Pirates every season is to be in those top couple of spots in the Championship and pushing to win it which they came close to doing last year."
So, how would he describe himself as a player? "I try to focus on having really good basics," he said.
"I've got a strong pass, a strong kick and being a good communicator. Things like that are probably things I've worked hard on.
"They are things that are underestimated in a game. If you are not paying much attention and are just watching as a bit of a social you don't see those type of things.
"I'd like to say those are my biggest strengths. That passing game and that kicking game.
"I've also been a lot more confident in my running game of late because when you are not getting as many minutes you don't want to try things as much. That's something I've worked on.
"The big thing for me is being that calming voice and head who can just nail his basics and help get the team on the front foot." Hiscocks is thriving in Cornwall and is hoping to use the Championship as a launchpad to earn a contract in the Gallagher Premiership or with a Welsh club in the United Rugby Championship.
At age grade level Hiscocks played alongside the likes of Christ Tshiunza, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams and Sam Costelow. Hiscocks would like to follow in their footsteps.
"I want to play at the highest level and I'd like to play for Wales one day," he said. "That's always been my aspiration and what I've always wanted to do.
"I think the biggest thing I need to do at the moment is enjoy my rugby and make sure I turn up every day working hard and playing well consistently. The big aspiration is to get an opportunity higher up whether that's in the Premiership or whether that's coming back to a Welsh region.
"I think going back to a Welsh region would be the number one aspect for me. Although I'm English qualified all I've wanted to do since I was a kid was play for Wales.
"That is my ultimate goal. Regional rugby is the way towards that.
"That is the aim." Given the meteoric rise of former Nottingham fullback Mee it would be in the interest of Wales' four professional clubs to keep a close eye on Hiscocks' progress.
