This archive report was first published on 26 September 2019.
Wales lock Jake Ball has found a new home in the Welsh rugby team, leaving behind a promising cricket career in Australia.
Ball, born in England to a Welsh father, could have been a key player in the Australian cricket team, but instead, he chose to pursue a career in rugby.
"My family's out in Perth," Ball explained in a 2012 interview. "My father's flying up this week from Perth to Japan, which makes it even more exciting. My father's Welsh through and through so he'll be in his Welsh jersey and I'm sure the rest of the family will be in Wales jerseys as well."
"No chance, no chance, not with me around anyway!" Ball said when asked if a Wallaby jersey might sneak into the picture. Ball's transition to top-flight rugby was smooth, fast-tracked from Perth's Palmyra club to train with the Western Force before his Welsh roots attracted interest from the Llanelli-based Scarlets. He has gone on to win 37 caps for Wales, a robust player who was man-of-the-match in his team's opening 43-14 Pool D victory over Georgia last week despite playing most of the game with a broken nose. "It's stopped bleeding now," Ball joked. "That will teach me to tackle with my face!"
