AFTER receiving his first Wales call-up earlier this month, Ben Carter was described by national team boss Wayne Pivac as the man with the potential to step into the shoes of the great Alun Wyn Jones.

This week, Pivac revealed that forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys had given the 20-year-old Dragons lock the responsibility of calling lineouts in training.

Pivac, whose team host Canada in Cardiff next Saturday, also went on to say that Carter had taken to his new role “like a duck to water”.

Given the impression Carter has clearly made on Pivac, a senior international debut this summer looks on the cards, something the player could never have expected at the start of the season.

He only made his regional bow last November, but a string of eye-catching performances for the Dragons saw him fast-tracked into the Wales squad.

Carter is enjoying life in camp alongside the likes of Wales legends Jonathan Davies and Leigh Halfpenny, even if the training is making him “so tired”.

“It’s been really tough, a big step up from regional training in terms of fitness and standards,” he said.

“The intensity in training has been really high. We probably don’t get as much rest as we would at regional level.

“Sessions might be a bit shorter with Wales but it’s really intense when you are training and you’re going hard.

“Also, with things like standards, everything has got to be spot on, but it’s a good place to be in terms of learning and developing and just enjoying it.

“It’s good having a great group of players around me.”

He continued: “I’m in the camp, giving it a good crack and doing my own thing. It’s probably tougher than I thought it was going to be. It’s intense but everyone looks after you so well.

“The staff are really helpful. Anything you need and they are there to help you with it, whether it be recovery, in the gym or extras after a session.

“I’ve had quite a lot of talks with Jonathan Humphreys, he’s been really good. He spots a lot of little things to do with lineouts and that’s really helpful.

“He’s already picked up on a lot of things I could be improving on, and that’s great for me because that’s what I want to do.

“I want to soak up as much as I can in this camp, learn as much as I can, and take that back to the Dragons.”

On his lineout duties, he added: “It’s nice to be trusted in that role. I’m still learning it and I’ve got a lot of good people around me.

“I feel really privileged I’ve been trusted with that role.”

Fans will be back at Principality Stadium for next weekend’s Canada clash and the double-header with Argentina which follows.

Carter hasn’t played in front of supporters since Wales U20s lost to Scotland last March, but that could all change if he gets the nod from Pivac over the coming days or weeks.

When asked if he has imagined what it would be like to win a maiden senior cap, he said: “I haven’t thought about it that much. I haven’t really had time to because it’s been so intense. We’ve been so tired.

“That’s the driver for the whole thing, and when it does get tough you think about that. I’m just really excited and should I get the opportunity it would be amazing. It’s always been a dream of mine.

“I was lucky to play in the Principality Stadium with the Dragons, and that was exciting. I was just in awe of the stadium, let alone if there were fans there.

“But I’m also looking forward to, should I get the chance, having my family there to watch.

“They rarely miss a game. I don’t think my dad has ever missed one, and he hasn’t been able to see me play for the Dragons yet, so that would be really nice.”