As Bournemouth Rugby first team initiations go, Jesse Otway was let off pretty easily.
The dynamic back had his first taste in a Lions’ shirt after leaping off the bench at Barnstaple to help them to their 13th victory in their opening 14 games following a 16-7 win.
It would not be a debut without a sing song on the journey home - and Otway obliged by entertaining teammates with his best Whitney Houston impression.
Otway said: “It was good out there today - it was very different to what I’m used to - because playing for Bournemouth is probably the highest level of rugby I have ever played before, but it was a good run out.
“There were some big boys out there today but obviously you have just got to carry on and get on with it and do what you do best and do what you do all of the time.
“The Bournemouth boys are a good bunch of guys - they have given me a bit of back and forth banter - but they are a good set of guys and I love every single one of them.”
The 18-year-old exciting prospect came through the ranks of the Ealing Academy before joining up with Bournemouth last October.
He did not get to taste life in The Championship - but instead of “almost having it all” - Otway said the South West Premier standard is similar to English rugby’s second tier.
He added: “I came from the Ealing Academy/Under-23 level originally - but did not get to play in The Championship.
“However, it is a pretty similar level of rugby - but this is definitely the highest level of rugby I’ve ever played before so it was definitely a big step up for me.
“It was extremely muddy out there today, but you just get on with it don’t you?
“I came off the pitch at the end of the match absolutely covered in mud but there was a good old bath there in the changing rooms so I enjoyed it afterwards.”