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Twelvetrees? It's the hottest name in rugby: England's newest star has boy band looks, a beautiful girlfriend and devoted family
Billy Twelvetrees made his international debut against Scotland on Saturday
He was only in the England starting XV to replace an injured colleague
By Keith Gladdis
With his boy band looks, beautiful girlfriend and Hollywood style surname the new star of English rugby might be forgiven for losing his head.
Especially after Billy Twelvetrees left his mother ‘close to tears’ after scoring a thrilling try in front of an 80,000 crowd on his international debut against Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday.
However, his proud parents Kevin and Beverley remain determined that the youngest of their four Twelvetrees boys stays true to his working class roots.
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Hottest name in Rugby: England's latest rugby hero Billy Twelvetrees (pictured with girlfriend Georgie Rollings) has a devoted family who could hardly contain their excitement at his international debut on Saturday
Accordingly, the Twelvetrees clan avoided the traditional pre-game picnics with champagne at the Twickenham car park in favour of a pint in the nearby Eel Pie pub.
They were joined by Billy’s three older brothers Jonny, Joe and Matt, his school PE teacher David Sainsbury and his childhood sweetheart Georgie Rollings.
So proud: Billy's mother was 'close to tears' after scoring a thrilling try in front of an 80,000 crowd on his international debut against Scotland in the Six Nations on Saturday
But even the Twelvetrees struggled to contain their excitement after watching their 6ft 3ins son smash his way through two Scottish defenders to score.
Comprehensive school educated Twelvetrees, 24, was only in the England starting XV to replace an injured colleague. But the performance by the Gloucester centre in Saturday’s 38-18 win over Scotland has left his relatives delighted and ‘overwhelmed’.
Smashed through Scottish defenders: Twelvetrees, 24, was only in the England starting XV to replace an injured colleague but his performance in Saturday's 38-18 win over Scotland has delighted his relatives
Billy’s brother Matt yesterday said: ‘Mum’s been close to tears all day, it’s all she’s talked about.’
Speaking from the family’s modest semi-detached home in the village of Wisborough Green, West Sussex, Matt said his parents were ‘overwhelmed’ about Billy’s performance.
He added: ‘The whole family were up in Twickenham last night. We are all so proud, it was amazing. We couldn’t have hoped for more. It was such exciting stuff.’
Billy’s career had seemed to have stalled at his previous club Leicester Tigers and Kevin Twelvetrees feared his son, who went to The Weald School comprehensive in Billingshurst, West Sussex, suffered because of his background.
His father has previously said: ‘In rugby there’s a bit of an old boys’ network. You’ve usually got to be related to someone to get the break.’
 Proud parents: Kevin and Beverley Twelvetrees remain determined that the youngest of their four Twelvetrees boys stays true to his working class roots
Now the name Twelvetrees is now set to become as well established as Billy’s World Cup winning England idol Will Greenwood.
Last week Greenwood had tweeted: ‘Greenwood now Twelvetrees.... love the horticultural theme developing in england centre shirt... any more out there...’
And it was a name that is causing fascination among many rugby fans.
TV host Claire Balding tweeted: ‘I want to call a racehorse Billy Twelvetrees. Just the best name.’
In fact, Twelvetrees is Billy’s mother Beverley’s surname and his dad Kevin adopted it when they married because it fitted with his tree surgeon business.
Billy Twelvetrees
  'Overwhelmed': Twelvetrees (pictured right aged 11 and left this year) is now set to become as well established as Billy’s World Cup winning England idol Will Greenwood
It has led to Billy’s nickname ‘36’ coined because his one-time captain at Leicester, Geordan Murphy had such a thick Irish accent his name sounded like ‘twelve threes’.
Mr and Mrs Twelvetrees went on a bicycle ride in the West Sussex countryside to ‘clear their heads’ after the excitement of Saturday’s game.
On the way home they popped into the family farmhouse of Billy’s childhood sweetheart Georgie Rollings, 24, five miles up the road.
Twelvetrees is said to be devoted to Georgie and the couple recently bought a house together in Gloucester to be near his team.
Georgie’s mother Georgina said yesterday: ‘Georgie is so proud.’
After the match Billy Twelvetrees said: ‘I did what I do best and I’m pretty pleased with the performance. As a youngster I always wanted to score a try for England at Twickenham and I’ve done that now.
‘I was just delighted to play in front of a great home crowd. I had all my family here, about 15 people came to watch. There were brothers, girlfriends out there.
‘My eyesight is not the best so I wasn’t able to pick them out of the crowd unfortunately but it was nice to know that they were out there.’
Victorious: Billy's (pictured at Saturday's game) nickname '36' coined because his one-time captain at Leicester, Geordan Murphy had such a thick Irish accent his name sounded like 'twelve threes'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-22...l#ixzz2Jruq7PFF
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