Started out in the front row when I was at school. I was much bigger than everyone else, so myself and the other big lad in the year got engine room duties. That was ages 13, then pretty much every year after that I got smaller. Second row the following year, then back row. By the time I went to uni,
I was only large enough to play in the backs, but was somewhat hobbled by retaining the speed and sidestepping abilities for a traditional prop. Crash ball centre it was. Then the injuries started. Busted ankle about two weeks into the season when I was doing my masters. That took ages to get right and running was pretty painful in the mean time. Took about three seasons and two operations to get it good enough to start playing again. Joined the Civil Service Club and then, midway through Jan had my leg broken. At that point I decided to hang up my boots (from the contact stuff anyway).
And, if I’m honest, none of it was played at a particularly high standard. But I very much enjoyed the camaraderie and social side of things.
I also had a crack at the touch stuff in the last 5 years I was in Abu Dhabi (returned to the U.K. at the start of 2018).