John will hope to follow in Beck's footsteps and make an impact in the Ospreys' first-team © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Ashley Beck | Ben John | Sonny Parker

Tournaments/Tours: RaboDirect PRO12

Teams: Ospreys | Wales

Promising centre Ben John is hoping to capitalise on his new three-year deal and force his way into the Ospreys side in the forthcoming RaboDirect Pro12 season.

Fellow 21-year-old centre Ashley Beck made a substantial impact on the Ospreys side during the 2010-11 season. And now John is hoping he can push on and follow in Beck's footsteps having made his Ospreys debut against Newcastle in the 2010 Anglo-Welsh Cup. Ahead of the 2011 season, John hopes to realise his potential and repay the faith the Ospreys' backroom staff have invested in him.

"It's a big season for me and hopefully I can make my mark" he said. "I'm targeting getting more appearances in the Pro 12 and the Anglo-Welsh cup, and if I get the chance then I have to take it. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season.

"It's a big boost for me knowing the confidence that the coaches have in me. By giving me a contract it shows that they think I have the potential to develop so you have to take confidence from that."

With Wales international Jamie Hook joining Top 14 side Perpignan and Welsh centre Andrew Bishop still in World Cup reckoning for Wales, despite being left out of Wales' second training camp to Poland, John will hope to step into the void in the Ospreys' midfield. John hoped to showcase his ability at the 2011 Junior World Championships, but missed out on selection due to a wrist injury. However, with a full pre-season under his belt, John will have reaped the benefits of training alongside the likes of experienced centre Sonny Parker.

"I was really disappointed about that (missing out on the 2011 JWC) but I wanted to sort my wrist out. I was thinking about the future, not the present. I'm fortunate enough to have been to one Junior World Cup so it's not as though I missed my only chance.

"The future is more important, I wanted to sort myself out so that I could get a whole pre-season in with the Ospreys, get used to things and make sure I understand all the calls and moves, so that if I get the call in the early part of the season I can be ready. I just want to collect as much experience as I can this year and hopefully I can build on what I've achieved with the Ospreys so far, getting some more game time along the way."