Eastern Counties Rugby Union

Rugby runs in the family for Wymondham 1st team debutant Jordan Williams - he's just made club history by completing and repeating his dad Ben’s achievement of playing for Wymondham at every level from U7s right through to the 1st XV.

Plenty of senior players have come all the way through the club’s ranks after starting in Minis, but Ben and Jordan are the first father and son to achieve the double.

And they may have made wider history – Eastern Counties are checking their records and so far haven’t found any other family who can rival them.

Jordan, who is 18, started playing rugby with Wymondham Minis when he was just six years old. Since then he has played for the club at every age level and played for the club’s 3rd and 2nd XVs. He made his 1st team debut from the bench in the fixture against Ipswich YMs.

“I’ve always had two objectives," he said. "To play alongside my dad. I did that several times in the 2nd XV last season. And, to play first team rugby at Wymondham, and now I’m doing that."

Jordan's dad Ben Yeates was one of the first Wymondham players to play for the club at every level, beginning in the Minis in 1986 and starting with the 1sts eleven years later.

He said: "I've always looked forward to playing alongside Jordan and now as I reach the end of my career I plan to spend time watching Jordan's career develop."

Jordan, who is an engineering apprentice at Bartrum Mowers in Norwich, still has another family ambition. He explained: "Now I’ve got a baby brother and I want to play long enough to play with him when he pulls on a senior shirt!”

The majority of the current Wymondham 1st XV are former youth players with several of them, including captain Auden Airdrie, starting at age 6 and coming though all the age groups.

WRFC chairman Andrew Kilby said: “It’s a fantastic achievement to have a father and son both going right through the club’s ranks, and shows just what a family club Wymondham is.

“We’ve got one of the most successful youth and minis' sections in East Anglia and though I take my hat off to Jordan and his dad – I suspect they won’t be the last to do the double!”