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Quilter Nations Series: England v Australia
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham Date: Saturday, 1 November Kick-off: 15:10 GMT
Coverage: Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app
When Steve Borthwick was named England head coach in December 2022 - nine months before the World Cup - he had a lengthy to-do list.
On it was having a look at a promising flanker in Newcastle who had been recommended to him by a World Cup-winning former team-mate.
"As soon as I took this job, Richard Hill spoke to me about Guy Pepper," Borthwick told BBC Sport.
"I went up to Newcastle to meet him in 2023 and watched him play. He only played 30 minutes, but in that time he was incredible."
Pepper quickly established himself as Newcastle's starting open-side flanker in the 2023-24 season, having made his debut as a 19-year-old in the previous campaign.
He moved to Bath in the summer of 2024 and helped them become league champions with a series of impressive displays - fighting off tough competition in the back row to win player of the match in the semi-final, and again in the final.
His form led Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan to compare him to New Zealand great Richie McCaw, and on Saturday he will start for England against Australia.
But while his rise may seem linear, the truth is different.
Pepper had to stop playing for a year at the age of six because of arthritis, is still under treatment and has injections every two weeks, external after an issue with his right ankle when he was 14.
"It was a shock to us all and a bit of a bump in the road for him," his father Martin told BBC Sport.
"We didn't really know as a family what was going on but he got some great, immediate help from doctors and nurses, particularly at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
"He was well looked-after, and it is something that has been part of his life since he was five or six.
"He treasures that he is able to play, as he had times where he has not been able to do stuff which when you're young is frustrating and confusing.
"He manages it, and appreciates every minute he gets on the field now."
Martin is the senior deputy head of Barnard Castle School in County Durham, which lists former internationals Rory and Tony Underwood, Tim Visser, Mathew Tait and Lee Dickson among its former pupils.
He coached his son at school, and helped with his progression into Newcastle's academy.
Pepper was able to complete a degree in sport and exercise science from Durham University but Covid and injuries prevented him from gaining age-group England representation.
That did not stop him being on the radar of former Scotland number eight Gary Graham, who was a mainstay in the Newcastle side when Pepper first trained with the senior team.
"We had heard about him but he was just off the back of a big injury, so we had heard the hype but hadn't seen it," Graham told BBC Sport.
"You could see he was going to be a special player. He took his chance and played all those games in the first team and you could then see what he was about.
"He stuck to his work and was very professional as a young academy player - I have not see someone quite as professional. He was going at everything 110% and knew what he wanted to achieve."
An all-action flanker, Pepper made a Premiership record-equalling 34 tackles in a defeat by Saracens at the end of December 2023.
Newcastle lost every game that season, but the impact of the 6ft 3in youngster was not going unnoticed.
"I left after the 2022-23 season and there weren't that many senior boys left, and Guy stepped up into that leadership role," said Graham.
"In his final year at Newcastle, he was up there with some of the best back rowers in the league. Going to Bath wasn't a bad move as he was playing better than the Bath back rowers that were there."
Under former Bath coach Lee Blackett - now England's attack coach - Pepper thrived with ball in hand and developed his all-round game.
A powerful carry and offload set up Jack van Poortvliet for England's series-winning try against Argentina in July to cap a remarkable season.
"His development in the last year has accelerated - he has been a player on the radar for a good period of time," said Borthwick.
British and Irish Lions duo Tom Curry and Henry Pollock will be on the England bench on Saturday - underlining the quality of Borthwick's back-row options.
But Pepper retains his place, having started England's most recent Test - against the United States in the summer.
His father has spent time in Ibiza during the half-term break from school but has a flight booked for Friday so he can get to Saturday's game.
The full Pepper clan - including Guy's brother Max, who plays for Bristol Bears - will be in attendance at Allianz Stadium.
"It has been a busy six months or so but we are so thrilled for him," said Martin. "I hope he just goes out and enjoys it.
"Hopefully the team and him are successful and he retains his spot for the coming weeks. It has been phenomenal news for us all - I just hope our flight is not delayed!"
