Botham puts pen-to-paper on first senior deal at CAP

James Botham has been bowled over by his first senior contract at Cardiff Blues.

The former Wales Under-20s international made his Guinness PRO14 debut earlier this season, against Connacht and has been tipped for a bright future.

He comes from rich sporting pedigree as the son of former Cardiff RFC and England wing Liam, and grandson of cricket legend Sir Ian.

But Botham junior is determined to forge his own path in professional sport and is delighted to remain at Cardiff Arms Park.

Botham said: “It’s great to sign my first professional deal and I’m really happy it’s at Cardiff Blues, where I’ve spent the last three years in the academy.

“It was a massive honour to make my PRO14 debut earlier in the season having played a lot in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, in the A-League and Cardiff RFC - now I am hungry for more.

“You only have to look at the likes of Owen Lane, Jarrod Evans and Dillon Lewis to see how quickly young players can progress at Cardiff Blues, so this is definitely the right environment for me to improve as a player.

“I’m also really excited about the potential of this squad and what we can achieve in the future with so many good young players coming through to compliment the established guys and internationals.”

Botham, who was born in Cardiff while his father played for the Blue and Blacks, attended the famous Sedbergh School in the North West and has represented Wales at Under-18s, 20s and Sevens.

He is the latest in a long line of exciting flankers to graduate from the Cardiff Blues academy and follows hot on the heels of tight-head prop Keiron Assiratti, who has also signed his first senior deal.