Tuhia tētahi tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I kuraina a Watkins ki Glyncoed Comprehensive me Ebbw Vale Senior Comprehensive i reira i tākaro ai ia ki te hawhe-wāhi me te pokapū. I tiimata tana mahi karapu me te RTB Ebbw Vale Youth RFC i reira i whakawhiti ai ia i tana tuunga ki te wahine kairau. I a ia e purei ana i te whutupaoro rangatahi, ka neke ia ki te kapa matua o Ebbw Vale RFC. I tīpakohia ia mo te wā tuatahi mo te kapa ao o Wales i te 1988 Five Nations Championship
, e haere mai ana hei whakakapi. Ko tana whakataetae tuatahi i puta i nga wiki e rua i muri mai i tana tukinga ki a Scotland i te National Stadium i Cardiff, i eke ai a Watkins i ana tohu a-ao anake me te whakamatau.