A BLACKWOOD boy who will walk out with the Welsh rugby team on Friday when they entertain Tonga will be living a “dream come true.”

Evan Saddler, eight, a pupil at Blackwood Primary School, has been selected from thousands of applicants to be one of 15 mascots who will join their heroes during the entrance to the Millennium Stadium pitch.

The youngster will meet the players, walk out onto the pitch with them and stand alongside them as the Welsh national anthem is roared by the crowd. And Evan, who is a keen scrum-half for Blackwood under-nines, cannot wait to be alongside his heroes.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I am looking forward to meeting Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny. When I found out I was really happy. I’m a little bit nervous but my dad, mum, nan and brother are all going to watch.”

Evan hopes to follow in the footsteps of his father Robert who represented Wales up to under-21 level – including playing with Martyn Williams. Evan visited the Millennium Stadium on Saturday for the first time to watch Wales’ victory over Argentina. The icing on the cake of the day came courtesy of a call from his nan Roberta – who put him forward for the role – which confirmed he’ll be mascot on Friday night.

Mrs Saddler, 57, from Crumlin, said: “Evan was absolutely ecstatic. He couldn’t believe it when I told him. He was like a bottle of pop.

“He was running round the house. He’s a massive rugby fan and he absolutely loves Wales. I paid for Evan to be to be a member of the WRU junior supporters’ club and have religiously entered him to be mascot since.

“There are normally thousands of applicants for each game so it’s been a thankless task but now he’s been chosen it’s great.

He’s so excited for Friday. He can’t wait. It’s going to be a great day for us.”