He was educated at
Cottesmore School in Sussex. Southwell is also a keen cricketer. He was coached at
Eastbourne College by the former West Indian test cricketer
John Shepherd. He played three
One Day matches for the
Sussex Cricket Board as a batting
all-rounder before deciding to concentrate on rugby. He still maintains the ambition to play
first-class cricket, once his rugby career is over, in the hope that he will be able to fulfil his dream of becoming a double international. Southwell's ambition received the support of the former
England cricket coach
Peter Moores, who previously coached him at
Sussex. This support was to the dismay of
Frank Hadden who had previously voiced his concern over Southwell's cricketing ambitions ahead of the rugby internationals against Barbarians and the two-match Test tour of South Africa in 2006. Hadden had wanted the Scottish Rugby Squad to rest ahead of the showpiece games and was concerned that Southwell, who took three wickets for Heriot's and hit the winning runs against Edinburgh Accies, decided to play in the Masterton Trophy instead. ==References==