Clare Balding might be the most famous member of her family, but her 6ft 9in nephew is doing his best to change that.

Jonno Balding, 19, is one of the young forwards coming through at Gloucester. And he has his eyes on an England shirt.

Not just any England shirt, either. The teenager wants to play at a Rugby World Cup.

Asked by Mail Sport if winning the tournament was the ultimate dream, Balding replied: "That's the dream, isn't it?"

He has already played for England at age-grade level and earned a place in the Under-20 Six Nations squad.

There's also a Welsh twist to the story. More on that shortly.

Balding has his eyes on England

Balding signed his first professional deal with Gloucester in 2025.

At 6ft 9in, he was hardly going to slip through the academy unnoticed.

But the youngster is well aware that being a giant doesn't mean you're ready for Test rugby.

"For people in my position, it's a game of developing," he told Mail Sport.

"I'm definitely not the finished article but I'd like to see a bit of improvement week on week, year on year."

He is also keen to avoid being thrown into the deep end too soon.

"If I'm pushed before I'm physically ready that can lead to injuries, poor form, stuff like that."

Fair enough. There aren't many 19-year-olds who would turn down the chance to rush into the big time.

Gloucester boss George Skivington certainly likes what he has seen.

"He is a big man and everyone who coaches him speaks of how coachable he is and his desire to get better."

For now, Balding's job is simple. Keep learning, keep improving and make himself impossible to ignore.

But Wales could spoil the party

There is one small problem for England.

Balding also qualifies for Wales through his grandmother.

And the idea of him wearing red has already been floated.

His aunt Clare previously revealed that the late Eddie Butler had taken an interest in the youngster's rugby future.

Speaking on the Stick to Rugby podcast, she recalled Butler asking: "If he's going to be any good, could he come and play for Wales?"

It was a light-hearted exchange, but the eligibility is real.

England appear to have the upper hand for now.

Whether that remains the case will depend on how Balding's career unfolds.

Rugby runs in the family

The Baldings are hardly short of sporting pedigree.

Jonno's father, Andrew, is a leading racehorse trainer. His grandfather, Ian, also made his name in racing.

Before that, Ian played rugby for Bath.

And it was his grandfather who helped get Jonno hooked on the sport.

"I started when I was four or five at Overton Rugby Club, which is near where I live," Balding recalled.

"My grandfather was quite a good player, he played for Bath, and it was him that got me interested in the sport."

The family are also fiercely competitive.

"We come from a very competitive family," Balding admitted.

You suspect Christmas board games in the Balding household aren't particularly relaxing.

Then there's Auntie Clare.

The BBC presenter has been helping her nephew deal with the less glamorous side of professional rugby.

"Clare's been a great support," he said.

"She's good for reading through them because she's done a fair share of that!"

It's probably handy having someone in the family who knows a thing or two about contracts.

Could he make the 2027 World Cup?

The next Rugby World Cup in Australia is now less than a year away.

Balding would need a remarkable rise to force his way into Steve Borthwick's plans for that tournament.

But he has never claimed to be the finished product.

For now, his focus remains on Gloucester and making the most of his opportunities.

When he signed his academy deal, Balding described playing at Kingsholm as "really a dream come true."

The next dream is rather bigger.

An England cap. A World Cup. Perhaps even a winner's medal.

And if he gets there, Clare Balding might finally have to settle for being the second most talked-about member of the family.