After starting out at a local club Pontarddulais, I moved to Bonymaen RFC, which had one of the best youth set-ups around. Some very good players came through there, not least the world's most-capped player, Alun Wyn Jones. It's where the rain comes down sideways and you can get four seasons in one afternoon. Opposition sides dreaded playing there but we loved it.
Once I went on to Liverpool John Moores University to study PE and Geography I only intended to play for the university. But we trained at Birkenhead Park, one of the oldest clubs around, and it wasn't long before I joined them. I loved the history of the place, and with them only being in North 1 at the time, the lack of long distance travel, and the beer money I received, meant it complemented my student lifestyle very well.
Once I finished Uni, I got a job as a development officer at New Brighton and played for them for a season in Division 3. A Kiwi fella called Mike Howe was the coach and also an agent so he arranged for me and Ketts (Adam Kettle) to go to North Otago when they were looking for young loose forwards. It was 2005 so it was great timing with the Lions out there on tour.
The club were sponsored by a local electrical company and they gave us a job. Basically, we would just pass tools to the electricians as that's all we were trusted to do.
I think they just liked the idea of having some North Otago players on the books, plus we were easy targets for piss-taking because we didn't have a clue what we were doing; Ketts couldn't even put a light bulb in without smashing it in his hand or on the floor. Thankfully, the Union got us a coaching job and we had a great time travelling up and down New Zealand, watching the Lions whenever we could, as the job came with a car.
Denne historien er fra July 14, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra July 14, 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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Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.