I missed the very first league game because I was still banned from the year before. I can’t remember what I’d done, but that was when rucking was rucking so boots or fists would likely have been involved. People who’d never been to a rugby match before would say, ‘what’s gone off there? There’s been 27 acts of GBH and everything else’! I loved the fact that it would all be forgotten once the final whistle went and you’d shake hands, walk off and then go and get pissed together. The camaraderie you get from rugby is something else.
My debut Rotherham match was at home to Old Crossleyans, we won 17-9 and Kevin Plant scored a try. Planty never scored tries, but he kicked a load of points. He had an absolutely sweet left foot on him; he were brill. The bottom left hand corner at Clifton Lane, next to the drive, used to be called Planty’s Corner because he always banged over the goals from the left side when we were attacking the clubhouse. Clifton Lane was unique. If you played it right, you could have the wind behind you both halves. If you defend the clubhouse first half, the wind comes with you because you’ve got Herringthorpe Playing Fields behind. But by half-time, it can come off the valley at the other end, where the cricket pavilion is. It doesn’t just blow in one direction.
We had a lot of local lads who came up through the system together, from the Colts. Climbing the leagues with your mates was a lot of fun. There was probably 13/14 of us and a few from outside who came to the area because of work. Dave Wright, a hooker from down south, came up because of his job as a teacher and became one of us. He wanted to find a rugby club and one evening when he was driving around he saw the car in front had a Rotherham RUFC sticker up in the rear window. So he decided to follow it. Luckily for him they were going to the club for training that night otherwise he could have ended up anywhere.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 06, 2024 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 06, 2024 من The Rugby Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Campese: Schmidt is wrong man for Aussies
DAVID Campese delivered a blunt message regarding Joe Schmidt’s position as Australia’s head coach, claiming the Kiwi isn’t right for the role because he doesn’t understand the Wallabies’ culture and history.
How London Welsh are working way back to top
William Gupwell goes down to south-west London to find a club out to rediscover itself
Sorry, Geoff, but let's not de-power scrums
EVERY week I can’t wait for Sunday to come around so that I can read The Rugby Paper and see what is really happening in our game.
Howdy! England pair saddle up to spread the word
JESS Breach and Ellie Kildunne have launched their new podcast Rugby Rodeo with one ambition in mind – to grow the profile of the women’s game.
I put in three good shots on Jonah Lomu
BACK in the day, when we first started in Leagues in 1987, we began in North East 2.
Dupont & Co need to take on the very best
I THINK we established long ago that my admiration of Antoine Dupont knows no bounds, he is the best rugby player I have ever reported on or watched in the flesh, pipping Gareth Edwards by a short head, but there is no question that there is a gaping huge hole in his CV which many cite against him when the all-time lists are compiled and debated.
Tuipulotu's power is too much for Cardiff
SCOTLAND star Sione Tuipulotu has been hailed as one of the best three 12s in the world following his player of the match display in this 13-try rollercoaster at the Arms Park.
Following in father's footsteps ... but for how long?
CAST your minds back, those of you who are sufficiently long in the tooth, to Melbourne in late October 2003.
Borthwick should call up these young props
IT WAS surprising that neither of England’s U20 world champion props, Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale) or Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester), were in the England training squad going to Portugal ahead of the autumn series.
Lively Reed lights the spark to ignite Sharks
AARON Reed proved to be Sale’s pivotal weapon, and the perfect foil in both attack and defence to ensure Sharks came out on the right side of a nine-try nailbiter on Friday.