Viral Mascot Harry Westlake Now England Rugby U18 Prospect

Remember the kid who stole hearts singing the national anthem like his life depended on it? He's back, and this time he might actually get on the field.

Harry Westlake was six years old when he won a competition to be an England rugby mascot in 2014. Standing in the Twickenham tunnel before the Italy match, he belted out God Save the Queen with such fierce pride that the internet couldn't get enough, turning #DoItLikeHarry into a viral moment.

When BBC presenter Naga Munchetty asked the tired little boy if we'd ever see him playing for England, it seemed like a sweet impossibility. But Harry took it as a promise to himself.

Now 17, Westlake has been selected for England's Under-18 training camp ahead of a warm-up match against France and April's Six Nations Festival. The Exeter academy player has transformed from a tiny mascot into a hard-running back row forward with real international potential.

The journey hasn't been easy. Westlake lives with Crohn's disease, a chronic gut inflammation that affects his energy levels and requires medication every eight weeks.

"There was a two, three, four-year period where it was pretty tough," he admits. For several days around each treatment, his body struggles, but the teenager refuses to let the condition define his limits.

Why This Inspires

Harry's story reminds us that childhood dreams don't have to stay dreams. That six-year-old who stared down England players with pure confidence wasn't just playing pretend. He was rehearsing for a future he believed in enough to chase through genuine hardship.

His mum's advice still guides him: "Sing it loud and sing it proud." Whether facing health challenges or the pressure of elite rugby, Harry has carried that instruction into every aspect of his life.

His new teammates don't know about his viral fame yet, but they might hear that legendary voice again soon. "If I get the chance, then definitely I'll give it some," Harry promises about singing the anthem as an actual England player.

The boy who once joked about thinking he was going to play that day at Twickenham is now five years away from his goal of wearing the senior England shirt. And if anyone's learned to tackle impossible odds, it's the kid who turned a mascot moment into a mission.