BARNEY Nightingale's learning isn't just confined to the classroom at Newport High School after the teenage centre's incredible start to the season.

The 17-year-old has been a beneficiary of Newport Gwent Dragons midfield injury crisis, making a pair of Guinness Pro12 appearances off the bench against Connacht and Glasgow.

It has been a rapid rise for the teenager from Chepstow, who didn't even feature on the region's team photo.

Nightingale, born in Bristol on November 5, 1996 when teammate Ian Gough was recovering from his 18th appearance with Newport against Clermont, only joined the full Dragons academy this summer after impressing with the junior academy at his school.

His studies – a BTEC in sport, Welsh Baccalaureate and a rugby course NVQ – mean that he cannot get to every training session at the Dragons' base in Ystrad Mynach and when he is granted leave it is on the condition that he catches up with missed work.

Nightingale is more than happy to combine education on and off the field as he chases his dream of becoming a professional rugby player.

"It's been brilliant and I am learning so much," he said. "You don't really get taught stuff so much as picking things up from the way that experienced players like Ashley Smith and Pat Leach do things.

"It's all happened so quickly and it is incredible to be training alongside players like them and seeing how they do things.

"Coming off the bench has been a brilliant experience and I am loving every minute at the moment, but I just need to take things a small step at a time.

"I know that I need to keep working hard and I just want to take every opportunity that comes my way."

That includes putting what he has learnt with the Dragons into practice with Newport in the Principality Premiership.

He made his debut for the Black and Ambers in Ebbw Vale last weekend and showed the same wholehearted attitude and tenacity that has impressed the region's head coach.

"Barney has been remarkable," said Kingsley Jones. "We brought him in for pre-season because of a lack of depth in midfield and he was sensational against Bristol and Lydney then came off the bench against Northampton for a run-out, got a turnover and created a try.

"When you have kids like that they are fearless with everything to gain and nothing to lose. There is still so much for him to work on and he is developing all the time as a young lad, but I really like his attitude."