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The 6ft 10 in lock is also eligible to play for Wales through his grandmother
Balding stands at a colossal 6ft 10in(Image: )
Clare Balding’s giant rugby-playing nephew has been called up by England for the U20 Six Nations and could face Gabby Logan’s son during the tournament.
Jonno Balding is a member of Gloucester’s senior academy, having put pen to paper on his first professional deal with the club at the start of the year. Standing at a colossal 6ft 9.5in, the towering lock is one of the most highly-rated young forwards in England and could now make his U20s debut against Wales on the opening weekend of the tournament after being named in Andy Titterrell’s squad.
The 19-year-old is also eligible to play for Wales through his grandmother, but looks set to stick with England for at least the time being, having also represented them at U19s level.
He is, of course, the latest Balding to continue his family’s sporting legacy, with his aunt Clare one of the most popular and respected faces in sports broadcasting and his father Andrew a leading racehorse trainer.
Jonno, who studies Politics and International Relations at Bristol University, is also the grandson of another racehorse trainer, Ian Balding, who passed away at the start of this month at the age of 87.
Appearing on the Stick to Rugby podcast alongside Lawrence Dallaglio, Tom Shanklin, Scott Quinnell and Katy Daley-McLean last year, Olympics and Wimbledon presenter Balding spoke about her nephew’s burgeoning career, explaining that he “wants to be the very best he can be”.
“My nephew Jonno has played already for England U19s and is signed to Gloucester,” she said. “He’s nudging on 6ft 10in, he’s 6ft 9.5in at the moment. He’s gone to Gloucester and he’s loving it, he’s part of the senior academy there.
“He’s going to study Politics and International Relations at Bristol, so he’s a bright lad, but they are really looking after him [at Gloucester], teaching him about nutrition and psychology.
“He loves the competitiveness of it all,” Balding added. “He wants to be the very best he can be and he’s properly dedicated. But, you know, second row, he’s got to be really patient because it’s a late-developing position.
“He’s loving it because coming from a racing world where his height was seen as something that was odd, in a world where the benefit of being short is huge, he is now in a world where his height is really valued and is a real strength.”
On Jonno’s international allegiances, she added: “His grandmother is Welsh. Eddie Butler was a great, great friend of mine and Sue, his wife, is one of my best friends. When [Jonno] was younger, Eddie always used to say to me: ‘God, if he’s going to be any good, could he come and play for Wales?'”.
With England facing Scotland on the second weekend of the tournament, Jonno is set to come against the son of one of his aunt’s BBC colleagues, with Reuben Logan set to be involved again for the Scots.
The son of Gabby and Kenny Logan, Reuben has followed in the footsteps of his former Scotland international father, switching allegiance from England last year. Now with Sale Sharks, the 20-year-old is expected to be involved in the U20s Six Nations for a second year in a row as part of Fergus Pringle’s squad.
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