Clare Balding’s 19-year-old nephew, Jonno, has been selected to join England’s U20 Six Nations rugby squad.

The towering Gloucester lock, who stands at an impressive 6 feet 9 inches, has emerged as one of the most promising young forwards in English rugby, thanks to his standout performances in the club’s academy.

Jonno represents the latest chapter in the Balding family’s storied sporting history.

The late Ian Balding, who passed away at the age of 87 on January 2, made a significant impact during his 92 appearances for Bath Rugby before transitioning to a career as a horse trainer for Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother.

Ian hailed from a lineage deeply rooted in equestrian pursuits. His grandfather, Aubrey Hastings, trained four Grand National champions, while his father, Gerald Balding, was a celebrated British champion polo player.

Gloucester lock Jonno Balding has been called up to England’s U20 Six Nations squad

He is the nephew of sports broadcasting great Clare Balding (centre) – pictured: Jonno (left) and his racehorse trainer father Andrew (right) celebrating their birthdays at the darts

Jonno looms over his horseracing trainer father Andrew as they attend Ascot in July 2025

The towering 6ft 9in tall athlete is the latest Balding to continue his family’s sporting legacy

Andrew Balding, Ian’s son and Jonno’s father, carried on the family’s horse training legacy, chalking up several major wins across Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. 

Jonno was pictured towering over his father when they attended Ascot in July last year and was later seen celebrating his birthday with Clare and Andrew at the darts in December.

The teenager, who turned 19 on December 29, revealed in an interview with Gloucester two years ago that it was his grandfather who inspired him to take up rugby.

‘I started when I was four or five at Overton Rugby Club which is near to where I live,’ he told the club website.

‘On a Sunday morning with dad, we’d go and play touch rugby. That’s where it started for me. It was great fun and it’s part of what got me into the sport.

‘My grandfather was quite a good player, he played for Bath, and it was him that got me interested in the sport. It was his footsteps I wanted to follow in.

‘We come from a very competitive family, whatever sport it is, even board games get competitive. So, it is exactly where I got it from and what encouraged me to take up competitive sport.’ 

Jonno is one of five Gloucester youngsters to make England’s U20 Six Nations squad, including club team-mates Olly Allport, Freddie Ogden-Metherell, Will Knight and Harry Wright.

Jonno, who turned 19 on December 29, pictured above with a friend on social media

Clare is best known for presenting sports major events such as the Olympics and Wimbledon

Clare congratulates her nephew Jonno on Instagram after he signs for Gloucester Rugby

Jonno’s grandfather Ian (pictured left in 2010 with son Andrew) made 92 appearances for Bath Rugby before becoming a horse trainer. He sadly passed away aged 87 on January 2, 2026

England U20s kick off their Six Nations campaign against Wales U20s on Friday February 6, before facing the youth teams of Scotland, Ireland, Italy and France in that order. 

‘As a squad, we’re looking forward to setting the tone for the campaign and starting our journey together in Portugal this week,’ head coach Andy Titterrell said ahead of his team’s training camp. 

‘Our objectives this season are to embrace the mindset of getting better, supporting each other in a high-performance environment and earning the right to achieve top honours. Most importantly, we want to build connections on and off the field, between coaches and players, in an open and honest environment.

‘Building towards the Six Nations campaign is an exciting prospect for all involved. Recent years have seen some of the best attended England U20 fixtures in over a decade and we aim to grow the rose with strong performances and player development.’