A 15-year-old lad who is already 6ft 5in tall wants to chase the promise of rugby stardom - but might have to give it all up as he can’t find boots to fit his size 16 feet.
Elliot Beavan only turned 15 in December, but the teen from Cwmbran, South Wales, already towers above most Brits.
At 6’5 he has recently outgrown his size 15 rugby boots and now mum Sophie Beavan is worried he might have to give up the sport if they can’t find big enough boots, reports Wales Online.
According to Shoezone the average British male has size 9 feet - far smaller than the teen’s.
The mum said most suppliers only go up to size 15, and Elliot, who had been scouted recently by Dragons, a rugby union team, was in jeopardy of having to give up a potentially promising rugby career before it even began.
Sophie, 35, said: "He's only been a size 16 for a couple of weeks. At a game [on Sunday] he said his boots were hurting him and you could see a split at the front of them.
“I've managed to get him normal trainers but I had to scour the internet for hours and couldn't find anything branded. They are a size 16 and they fit him perfectly.
"I've managed to find a size 16 pair of school shoes on Amazon as well but rugby boot-wise there's nothing at all."
Sophie added that they had found most rugby boot lines only go up to size 14 or 15, despite being widely sold, and although larger shoe retailers do exist they tend to make formal shoes rather than rugby boots.
If Elliot isn't able to find size 16 boots she said his future in the sport he loves looks uncertain.
At present he trains at least four times a week and plays a match at the weekend. and hopes to be selected again to play for the Dragons.
Sophie said: "A couple of months ago he got selected for the Dragons so they put him up a year. He did it for a few months but as he didn't know anyone he pulled back. They've been scouting so we're hoping he will be picked again with a couple of his friends this time.
"However if we can't find his boots in a big enough size he's really going to struggle to train and play. Everyone who has ever seen him play has said he has the potential to go really far with rugby.
“I just don't want him to give up rugby because we can't find a pair of boots to fit his massive feet."
Sophie said their lack of luck so far makes the future seem "daunting".
She said: "He has such a good future ahead of him with rugby but if we can't find him rugby boots it is a bit sad and emotional that he might potentially have to give it up because of this. He would be devastated."
