Sadly, the money just isn’t there below the Premiership. I was probably playing as well as I’d ever been but even then, it was difficult to get a contract for £30k. It’s a constant struggle to get by.
Not that I had any complaints about Doncaster. I got on with all of the coaches there and the owners were really good to me. Bodes (Steve Boden) and I still catch up every now and again, which I really appreciate. He understood where I was coming from and I understood where he was coming from when it came down to contract negotiations. He was upfront and honest about the amount of money he had to spend, and it makes it so much easier to have a relationship with a director of rugby/coach when it is like that. Some aren’t quite so straight-talking.
I’m now a building surveyor for a company called Moore MacDonald. They’re the main sponsor of Ballynahinch, the All-Ireland club that I play for. They took me on as a graduate and I am grateful that something came up because I was a wee bit stuck for a while after I’d left Donny. Like a lot of other former pros, I found the transition difficult. One minute, you are surrounded by a bunch of lads roughly your own age and the next you’re not, and it can be quite isolating.
Denne historien er fra February 25, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra February 25, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
