Callum Sheedy: Bristol fly-half continues road to international dream

It is a journey that has taken a little while with no guarantees of an end destination, but Callum Sheedy has taken another step on the road to international rugby.

Cardiff-born Sheedy is eligible for Wales, Ireland - through his father - and England, because of residency.

So for the last couple of years he has been continually questioned about which nation he might opt to play for.

We now have an answer. Despite playing in an uncapped match for England against Barbarians in 2019, Sheedy has been named in Wayne Pivac's squad for the autumn programme.

"My family and friends are in Cardiff and I was brought up there until I was 16," said Sheedy.

"I am proud of my dad's Irish links and also, living in Bristol for seven years now, I see myself as a Welsh Bristolian almost.

"I am not going to say now I have no interest in those countries because they will always be a big part of my life and I have the links.

"It was the feeling I had, though, when Wayne rang and I saw the squad announcement that hammered things home to me. If I did not have any feeling, I would have thought that is not right.

"The feeling I had when the squad was announced confirmed to me I am Welsh. It's a very proud moment."

Sheedy, 24, has been rewarded for his fine form for a Bristol side he joined as an 18-year-old.

He has had to work up to that level after loan spells with Clifton, Dings Crusaders, Cinderford and Jersey Reds.

"Fly-half is a position where you need experience and to play senior games," said Sheedy.

"When I was 18, in front of me was Gavin Henson, Nicky Robinson, Adrian Jarvis and Matthew Morgan, unbelievable players I was never going to play instead of.

"I went on loan to Dings Crusaders and Cinderford. Then I managed to get lucky in terms of players being injured for a Bristol play-off match, I got in, played quite well and thought things are happening.

"I thought I was the boy, the kiddy. Then I ruptured my hamstring, missed 10 months and I was back to square one.

"I ended up going to Jersey for four months with my good friend Kieran Hardy, who has also been selected for the Welsh squad, which is fantastic."

They were occasions Sheedy now believes were invaluable.

"It was a huge experience," he said.

"I was just a little boy. When I was 18-19, I was still growing up and really knew nothing about the game.

"I thought I was a lot better than I was.

"I needed those National two and Championship games where you've got big boys running at you and you have got to control the game.

"It helped me grow as a person and player. Being put in those situations where you need to kick a penalty to win or need to control the game in the last five minutes."

Callum Sheedy came off the replacements' bench for an England XV in an uncapped match against the Barbarians in 2019

His loan moves finished when Pat Lam arrived at Bristol as director of rugby in 2019.

"When Pat took over, I didn't go out on loan," said Sheedy.

"I worked hard for my spot, proved myself to Pat, worked my way up and am playing more now.

"Pat was massive in my development. When he came in I was third or fourth choice and lucky to get a Monday night A league game.

"I said to him I wanted to be an international and he asked me how was I going to get there.

"He put stepping stones in place for me. The more I got to play the more he was on my case to improve and it has made me look at the game differently."

Lam's influence has helped Sheedy realise those international ambitions, with the Wales squad announcement leaving him "overwhelmed with pride".

"It is tough with my parents being in Cardiff not to be able to share the moment with them so we just had to do it over Facetime," Sheedy said.

"It was crazy. I rang them, they just went silent and I was wondering if the camera had frozen.

"Then I realised they were both just crying, so I wanted to give them a big hug.

"That's hard, not to be able to spend those moments with my parents, my sister, my grandmother.

"I'm looking forward to this all ending and hopefully being able to give them a big hug soon."

Sheedy and fellow Bristol back Ioan Lloyd are fly-half options alongside Dan Biggar and Rhys Patchell in Pivac's squad.

"I am buzzing," said Sheedy.

"I have watched the Welsh fly-halves over the years. I remember I was at Dan Biggar's debut, watching Wales play Canada at the Millennium Stadium (in 2008).

"I have been fortunate to play against him now - he's an unbelievable player.

"I'm looking forward to getting into camp and learning from the likes of Dan and Rhys Patchell, who are world-class players.

"I will also have the experience of people around me like Rhys Webb and Alun Wyn Jones, players who have been at the top level.

"If I can come out that camp a better player than I went in, it could be a good sign.

"But while being in the squad is fantastic, an amazing achievement, if you don't get capped then no-one remembers. So I really want that cap."

Sheedy will first aim to help Bristol win two trophies this month with the Premiership play-off semi-final match against Wasps on Saturday, 10 October, six days before the Challenge Cup final against Toulon.

"Hopefully we have three games to go and I can go into the Welsh camp with two winners' medals," said Sheedy.

Ioan Lloyd and Callum Sheedy have impressed under Pat Lam at Bristol

"The way Bristol are growing and the way we are performing and getting results has given us big-match experience.

"To be involved in a European final and Premiership semi-finals and hopefully a final - being involved in big moments can only benefit us to move forward."

Sheedy is sharing his Bristol and Wales experiences with Cardiff-born team-mate Lloyd.

Neither has to worry as yet about returning to play in Wales to continue their international careers as they have long-term Bristol contracts. Sheedy is tied in until at least 2022, while Lloyd signed a four-year deal in February 2019.

Their journeys from Cardiff to Bristol differed, with Sheedy going to Millfield School when he was 16 and Lloyd heading to Clifton College at a similar age. Their end destinations look similar.

"We're both St Peters boys so it's a proud moment for the club," said Sheedy.

"Ioan came to Bristol when he was 17, I've watched him train and you could tell he was special.

"He's got a knack for being in the right place because he knows the game well and his skill set is brilliant. He's got a unbelievable future."