Ambitious Batiste is setting sights high

THERE'S a saying in sport that if you're good enough, you're old enough. If that applies to anyone it is Guernsey's young star in the making Layton Batiste.

After turning 19 only in August, Batiste has become a regular figure in the Guernsey first XV front row.

He made his debut in September 2006 in the London Three South-West league (eight tiers below the Premiership) and has since gone on to feature over 30 times.

He scored his first try for the side against Winchester on 10 November with a swan dive from two yards away from the line.

But Batiste is not letting all the success go to his head.

'I still feel I have a lot to learn at this level,' he said.

'The fitness levels are much higher and I am still adapting to that, but I'm learning all the time from playing with better players.'

It came as a shock when the St Jacques prop received his first call up, but little did he know that he had been scouted for a while by GRUFC coach Jon Colley.

'I've coached Layton since he was 15,' said Colley.

'He's always had the ability and now he also has the physical maturity to compete with the big boys.'

GRUFC rules state that forwards cannot play in the senior side until they are 18, but, according to Colley, if it were not for those rules, Batiste might have been in the first XV as early as age 16.

'Since he has been in the senior team he has learned to read the game so much better.

'His all-round game has improved without a doubt. We had a couple of ex-professionals from Waterloo in the team and they have helped Layton come on in leaps and bounds.'

Batiste's sporting ambitions stretch far beyond Guernsey rugby.

'I would like to captain the island one day, but when the time comes I intend to go to England to see how much I can achieve in the game,' he said.

'I know I have the potential but I know I have to continue to give 100% every week.'

There are whispers that visiting Leicester coach Darren Grewcock once said that had he been living in England, Batiste could be in the Bath or Leicester academy.

So remember the name, folks.

One day we may be seeing this young starlet running out at Twickenham in the England number one shirt.