Will and Tom Wand embark on promising careers after starting out at Spalding Rugby Club

Two brothers who started their blossoming careers at Spalding Rugby Club are continuing to rise through the ranks.

Will and Tom Wand both began playing the game as four-year-olds at the Spalding club and progressed through the age groups until leaving for Brooksby Melton College to study sports science.

They have now taken their next steps in their playing careers with Will joining National One side Cambridge and Tom becoming part of the Leicester Tigers Under 18 Academy.

Will - who turned 20 on New Year’s Eve - signed for Cambridge at the start of this season and had been playing on the wing.

He was selected in his chosen position as outside centre for their home game against league leaders Roslyn Park last month where he scored two tries, was named man of the match and voted National One player of the week.

Cambridge won the match 34-29 to inflict only the second league loss of the season on a Roslyn Park side who boasted on-loan Premiership players in their strong squad.

Will said: “It was a brilliant win and I was just proud of the boys really.

“I felt like we went out there and delivered. It was a tough battle but I felt like we pulled through right to the end.

“I couldn’t have been more chuffed. We came out with no pressure and just managed to get a good performance in. The crowd gave us all the energy, we fed off that and the buzz as well.”

Will got Cambridge’s second and third tries in the victory, taking his tally for the campaign to three.

He added: “It’s my first senior season so it’s been challenging for me personally but week in, week out on the training paddock you’ve just got to learn as much as you can and hopefully translate it to the game.”

Cambridge then followed the success up with a 19-24 away win at Bishop’s Stortford before beating Sale 17-14 on Saturday which leaves them in fifth place in the third tier of English rugby.

Younger brother Tom – who turned 17 in September – joined Brooksby last year.

He had played all his club rugby as a centre like his older sibling but has been converted by Leicester Tigers into a loose head prop.

He played in the Academy’s first game away against Northampton Saints and again featured in the home match against Sale Sharks.

Tom then started as loose head in Saturday’s match against Newcastle Falcons.