FOR Chris Smith it has been a conversion more dramatic than anything Jonny Wilikinson, Dan Carter or even Neil Jenkins could manage.

The 19-year-old from Duffryn, known as Ginge by his pals, was stuck in a rut. After being thrown out of school in year nine and failing to finish a host of training courses, he was signing on with no plans to do anything different.

But now the affable teenager is one of a team of 24 young men from Newport trying to change their lives through the sport of rugby.

They have trained two days a week for the last six weeks, combining their lessons on the training paddock with those in the classroom, and will play their last game together when they take on a side featuring some famous names from Welsh rugby.

Mark Ring, Glenn Webbe, Peter Rogers, Nigel Meek, Matthew Back and Andrew Lewis have played for their country while the rest of a Welsh Premier Invitation squad boasts plenty of experience.

A School of Hard Knocks XV, many of who had never played rugby before, will face them at 1pm on Sunday at Pill Harriers as a fitting finale to a project run by Newport City Council and housing association Newport City Homes.

And the result for Smith has been swifter than Shane Williams in full flight. Last week he started a painter and decorator apprenticeship.

“I had been signing on for six months when I heard about this,” said the Whiteheads goalkeeper turned three-quarter. “Before I was living of my mother’s money really, I got everything off her but I can get it myself now.

“It’s this course that got me up and running - it’s been a good laugh and I think we’ve learnt a lot. I’m going to miss it when it’s gone.

“I turn up because I enjoy it. It’s great being part of a team, making new mates from different parts of the city and we can’t wait for that game.”

The inspiration for the project came from a feature on Sky Sports’ The Rugby Club. Wales rugby icon Scott Quinnell and England World Cup winner Will Greenwood put a group of young men from disadvantaged backgrounds in Conwy through their paces on the pitch.

“We watched the programme and thought it would fit perfectly in a rugby city,” said Greg Woods, a Newport City Council development officer and a former Cardiff hooker who is forwards coach at Cross Keys.

Woods and fellow Keys coach and development officer Dai Price have been part of the coaching team putting into action the classroom lessons.

The team of 18 to 25-year-olds have taken part in communication sessions, been taught job interview techniques and developed a host of skills.

Quinell gave a speech, as did members of the armed forces, and the group prepared for this weekend’s clash with a team-building course on an army assault course.

“It’s all about giving the boys the opportunity for personal development and they have come on leaps and bounds,” said Woods.

“Everything you do in the classroom can be put into practice on the field and then used in your professional life.

“These boys are doing themselves proud. On the surface some may have seemed like your stereotypical scally but when you dig a bit deeper they are fantastic people.

“It proves that if you put the right project in you can get real results. The boys have created a team and we hope that they get a job and a positive outcome but also go on to play rugby somewhere.”

There will be more rugby projects, while a similar street dancing and cheerleading scheme for girls is in the pipeline, but for now the focus is on Sunday’s showdown.

Their opposition may be able to boast plenty of rugby experience between them but they will struggle to be a tighter team.