91Èȱ¬

Gloucester lock Freddie Thomas' first call-up to the Wales squad is a "real success story" for the club, says director of rugby George Skivington.

The 22-year-old has come through the Cherry and Whites' pathway, starting at under-13 level in their academy before breaking into the senior team.

He has played in all four of Gloucester's Premiership games this season so far, starting three, and scoring three tries.

"Fred's been brilliant for us this year," Skivington told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Gloucestershire.

"We've been working hard on Fred and his pals [academy players] now for a number of years and it's great to see them come through, really dominating.

"[They're] Pushing people out of the team here but also putting their hand up for international selection."

Thomas is one of five Gloucester players included in Warren Gatland's 35-man Wales group for the autumn internationals alongside fly-half Gareth Anscombe, scrum-half Tomos Williams, centre Max Llewellyn and wing Josh Hathaway.

He was capped by England at under-18s and under-20s levels but switched allegiance as he qualifies through his Welsh grandparents.

"From our point of view [Thomas is] a real success story because we've invested a huge amount of time, effort, commitment to these young lads," Skivington said.

"When they go and get recognition of an international honour, there's a lot of people behind the scenes celebrating that because of all the hard work that's been done to support him."

The Cherry and Whites, however, had no players called up by Steve Borthwick for the recent England squad, and Skivington said remedying that was another "objective" for the club.

"I believe that will come through in the next couple of years," he said.

"In the here and now it's great to have lads going off to international camps, bringing stuff back, bringing standards back from these places.

"Fred's probably the first of that new crop who've been here a long time to go on to do it. We want to get a group of our lads into the England squad in a couple of years to replicate that."

The club also announced this week it has received new investment from lifelong fan Jack Ingles - a portfolio manager at a London hedge fund.

Ingles takes a minority stake alongside existing shareholder Tim Griffiths, while Martin St Quinton remains majority owner.

"It's a brilliant thing that people want to get involved in rugby," Skivington said.

"The financial side is brilliant, but also Jack's a long-time supporter - he loves the club, he's from around here, he knows the club, he wants the club to do well so we're really lucky that he's come on board."