A promise.

England boss Eddie Jones named his 31-man Rugby World Cup squad for Japan on Monday afternoon with a number of surprise inclusions.

There was no room for the likes of Chris Robshaw, Brad Shields, Danny Care, Ben Te’o and Danny Cipriani – instead the England boss opted for some left field choices.

One player who definitely didn’t expect a call-up was 23-year-old Northampton forward Lewis Ludlam, who had only just made his debut in the win over England on Sunday.

For a man who this time last year was fighting for a contract – it’s an incredible rise.

“I said to one of the other lads: ‘Are you sure? Is this the squad?’ The next thing you know, you’ve got lads shaking your hand saying, ‘Congratulations’. [It has been a] bizarre couple of weeks.” Ludlam said.

And it you want some proof that Ludlam is most definitely one of the good guys, the flanker manage to track down his primary school teacher before his debut on Sunday to fulfil a promise made 13 years ago…