Bowen is flying... but he's determined to keep his feet firmly on the ground

TOM Bowen knew the question was coming late on Saturday night.

- BEN JAMES Rugby writer

The 19-year-old had been briefed that it was coming.

After five tries in the first three matches of the season, the question was bound to be asked; with Steve Tandy watching on at the Arms Park for the Cardiff wing's match-winning double against Connacht, had Bowen dared to dream of a Wales call-up this autumn?

With the sort of fleet-footedness that had left Connacht fullback Sean Naughton on the turf hours earlier, Bowen sidestepped the question masterfully.

"Look, I'm staying grounded," he said. "I just love playing my rugby at the moment.

"I love playing for Cardiff and I just want to play well for them. I'm loving it at the moment."

Still, if the teenager has another impressive performance against the Dragons tomorrow night, then the noise around a first senior Wales call-up will only intensify.

Of course, Bowen's size at Test level will be the first thing some level at him - such is Welsh rugby, where the focus is often on what people can't do, rather than what they can.

But, whether he is Test quality or not, Bowen is clearly a talent.

And until proven otherwise, the clamour for a call-up is always going to be there if he carries on scoring tries.

In just four starts in the United Rugby Championship, he has dotted down five times.

Fly-half Callum Sheedy, who has set up a few of Bowen's scores this season, called him a "little freak" last week while highlighting the obvious comparisons to Shane Williams.