JACK Condy has revealed it was the prospect of playing second fiddle to world class number eight Taulupe Faletau at Newport Gwent Dragons that persuaded the rising star to choose the Scarlets ahead of his home region.

The 19-year-old Cross Keys player has signed a three-year professional contract with the West Walians after also being pursued by the Rodney Parade side.

It came a whirlwind last few months for the powerhouse forward whose raw talent began to turn heads.

But with Wales and British and Irish Lions back rower Faletau, 24, still having a year to run on his contract with the Dragons and the possibility of him joining the raft of current Test players to sign national dual contracts, Condy decided his future was at Parc y Scarlets.

"It was such a tough decision to make," the teenager from Aberbargoed admitted. "Both regions have so much young talent and there were factors for me to weigh up like negative aspect of the travel down to the Scarlets and the positive of knowing so many of the development boys at the Dragons. It was really hard.

“I know Toby (Faletau) has only got a year left on his contract but he could get snapped up (on a dual Wales contract) so I could have found myself behind him for quite a while.

"There was also the fact that the Dragons have got a lot of other talented back row players and it would have been tough for me to slot in at No 6 as well.

“I feel I might have more first team games down at the Scarlets, but it’s going to be tough down there for me too because they've got so many good players as well.

"I know I have to knuckle down and be patient. I have to get my head down and work hard."

Condy acknowledged the debt he owes Ystrad Mynach-based side Penallta and Keys for developing him into the exciting prospect he has become, but admitted the round ball was his first love.

"I used to prefer football when I was younger. I was a centre forward for Aberbargoed Buds until I was 16. I was their target man! But I had to give it up after a bad knee injury."

He was persuaded to give the oval version a try and took to it rather well, captaining Penallta to victory in the Welsh Rugby Union Youth Cup final at the Millennium Stadium last year.

"Penallta are a fantastic club," he said. "I’m so glad now that I used to get dragged out of bed to play for them on a Sunday!

"They’ve got a superb structure going all the way up from the juniors to the senior team and they have some great characters."

On his subsequent rise with Keys, he said: "I had a tough first season at Pandy Park and it took me a while to find my feet.

"Things got much better though and I had a couple of good games in November before I missed our Gwent derbies over Christmas with a groin strain.

"I was given another chance in the new year and it was one I was determined to take.

"Keys are also wonderful club. Greg, Westie, Stodds and Jevon (coaches Greg Woods, Jonathan Westwood, Morgan Stoddart and Jevon Groves) have been great to me and I want to thank them for what they’ve done for me – I owe them loads. It’s definitely a club I would love to go back to one day."

Condy is former pupil of the Welsh-medium Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni in Fleur-de-Lys, Blackwood, a high school which has produced some notable professional sportsmen in recent years, including Arsenal and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey as well as Matthew Pewtner and Steffan Jones who both went on to play for the Dragons.

The ever modest and grounded Condy wanted to thank his old teachers for pointing him in the right direction: "It is an excellent school which helps push you forward all the time."