#DoItLikeHarry - from viral Twickenham mascot to England U18s prospect

Eleven years ago, a young Harry Westlake went viral.

After winning a competition to be an England mascot, he spent the days running up to England's meeting with Italy learning the words to the national anthem.

Standing in front of then England captain Chris Robshaw, the six-year-old certainly took his chance.

Fist clenched over his heart, Westlake belted out God Save the Queen with such gusto, that images were shared widely across the internet, spawning a hashtag #DoItLikeHarry.

A couple of days later, a little more tired and quiet, Harry was interviewed on BBC Breakfast. Midway through the chat, presenter Naga Munchetty asked him: "One day will we see you on the pitch singing as one of the players?"

This April, we just might.

Now 17, Westlake has been included in an England training camp in preparation for a warm-up match against France next month and April's U18 Six Nations Festival in Vichy, France.

"England Rugby was always a massive thing for me growing up," says Westlake, looking back.

"I just loved England and I'm very patriotic.

"I remember getting into the tunnel and asking Chris Robshaw if he was ready.

"Then we cracked on, went out and I think I thought I was going to play!

"You see me walking out and almost staring everyone down.

"Before it, my mum had said to me, 'Make sure you sing it loud and sing it proud'.

"So I just thought, 'All right, I'll do that'."

Westlake was playing for Devonport Services under-7s at the time, but already had his eyes on the big stage, with plans to become England fly-half or centre.

That part probably won't come to pass.

Westlake, who plays in Exeter's academy, is now a hard-running back row, channelling the energy and drive of Ben Earl and Henry Pollock, even if he does cite childhood hero Owen Farrell as the embodiment of the mentality he aspires to.

Westlake has already had to show resilience to keep pursuing his dream.

"Rugby has always been the focus, even if the ride hasn't necessarily been as smooth as it could have been," he says.

Westlake has Crohn's disease, a chronic gut inflammation.

"I'm on medication which I take every eight weeks, which sort of ticks me over and gets me through," he explains.

"There was a two, three, four-year period where it was pretty tough, but we're getting through it now.

"It affects energy levels so for two or three days before my medication is due, I'll struggle and then a day after I'll struggle as well."

Harry's anthem moment was not his even his first experience meeting the England squad.

After using an image of Harry on father Kevin's shoulders at a match the previous year in publicity material, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) had brought both into the team hotel to meet the players and coach Stuart Lancaster.

After his viral rendition of the anthem, Harry, decked out in a black suit, even hosted his own online mini chat show, external with England internationals Dylan Hartley, Luther Burrell and Kieran Brookes as guests.

Are any of his new age-grade team-mates aware of his brief childhood burst of rugby fame?

"The core group of friends I have now, I've been friends with since I was about six, seven, eight anyway," says Westlake. "So they all know and share the clips - it gets around.

"But no, I don't think any of the England Under-18s know about it yet."

If they haven't seen the recorded version, Westlake is determined they get to hear him sing live.

"I'd love to be playing in a [senior] England shirt in five years' time," he says.

"I think that's everyone's goal who's in this camp at the minute to progress through the pathway and become an England player eventually.

"I've already thought about the anthem. If I get the chance, then definitely I'll give it some - 100%."