Rob Mcabe Tight head prop/hooker
A solid scrumager, gives good protection to the hooker and is a thorn in the side for the opposition front row. Rob’s ball handling has come on in leaps and bounds and he shows good awareness around rucks and mauls, he also makes good progress with the ball in hand. Rob is without a doubt a fully paidup member of the front row union.
Fave player – Ben Cohen
Matt Stringer Hooker
In that twilight zone known as the front row, there lurks some strange creatures that thrive on getting their heads squashed and backs twisted and bent. Matt is no stranger to this world, infact he is very much at home there. He can hook with both feet, throws well at lineout and tackles hard. Generaly a good all round player but is happiest when scrumaging.
Fave player – Steve Thompson
Danny Watson Loosehead prop
A natural loosehead, no nonsense type of player, refuses to be twisted, shunted or moved back. He is solid in a maul or ruck and makes some good runs, when he tackles a player, the player stays tackled. Danny is a highly skilled ball handler and shows good awareness, he gets through a lot of work and always gives 100%, who could ask for more?
Fave player - Jonny Wilkinson
Matt Gibbings Lock/Flanker
A solid lock, strong as an ox, tackles hard and has the ability to be in the right place at the right time. A good runner and is happy to play anywhere on the pitch. Matt knows no fear and is more than happy to put his body on the line for the team, then he gets up and does it all again.
Fave player – Jonny Wilkinson
James Charvile Lock/Flanker
Part of the second row that doesn’t now how to go backwards. An integral part of the team, he handles tackles, rucks and mauls well and is always looking for work. Regardless of the problem on the pitch, James can usually find an answer to it. Nothing bothers him, he just gets on with thegame, a real asset.
Fave player – Jonny Wilkinson
Simon bence Lock
A good runner, it normaly takes more than one tackle to bring him down, drives through rucks with relative ease and hold the ball up well in mauls. A prolific try scorer and generally a good allround athlete. Daft as a brush but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Fave player – Martin Johnson
Will Jones Blindside flanker
A typical blindside, nothing flash just good solid hard work, Wills main assets are his ability to tidy up the scappiest of scrums, rucks and mauls. A skill often overlooked but can make the difference between winning and losing. Equal to that tackling and offloading in the tackle. Will has converted from fly half to flanker just incase the western mail rolled out the old headline “he’s no Barry John” well Barry John is no Will Jones.
Fave player – James Simpson Daniel
Dan Westall Hooker/Flanker
There is a fine line between bravery and insanity. Dan has a foot in both camps, happy to throw himself at anything and can be a loose cannon at times but he also shows a great deal of skill throughout his game. Dan is a dedicated player who plays with a smile on his face. The team would not be the same without him.
Fave player – Jonny Wilkinson
James Watson Lock/No8
Why run round a player when you can run through them, that seems to be James theory on Rugby. He is the captain for 2003-04 season and like all good captains leads by example. Tackles, handles rucks and mauls well usually first to every situation. Concentrates the whole match and never gives less than 100%.
Fave player – Steve Thompson
Danny Dixon Flanker
Danny joined the team late 2002-03 season with limited Rugby experience. He fitted into the team perfectly, he was able to handle, run, ruck, maul and tackle as if he was born on a Rugby pitch. Within a handfull of games he is playing like a veteran. Danny is keen, brave, fit and not afraid of hard work and instantly became part of the team. With coaching and experience we could have a hot property on our hands.
Fave player – Jason Robinson
Ben Laing full back/scrum half
Side step to die for. Reads the game like a pro, passes well, a born full back. He is an inteligent player. However Ben is more than willing to get his hands dirty and is oftern found at the bottom of rucks. He can also play the bagpipes.
Fave player – Ben Cohen
Anthony Hyndman Centre
Anthony’s main asset is he can make time on the ball, he is never hurried by an opposition which is a gift, not a skill that can be coached. A pocket battleship, never missis a tackle, runs like a forward with a sidestep, can run round or through a player and a fantastic kicker. Jonny who?
Fave player – Jason Robinson
Andrew Sidney Centre/flanker
Side step is a dirty word, run and run hard, you get through eventualy. Andrew is a converted forward who is very strong in the tackle and can set the ball up well, he is also happy to play on the wing or at full back, as long as he can tackle he is a happy chap.
Fave player – Richard Hill
Danny Sayers Centre/Wing
Jeckle and Hide sums Danny up, nice, polite, the sort of boy every mother dreams of. On the field the only way to describe him is an animal that has eaten to much raw meat. Tackles anything and everything, loves the hand off so much, he runs like a Dalek "exterminate".
Fave player – Jonny Wilkinson
Chris Dobbson scrum half/wing
A small player with a massive heart, scared of nothing, will tackle anyone. Chris is quick, agile, full of suprises, difficult to get hold of, full of confidence and trickery, dafter than a cupboard full of brushes, a monkey on acid if ever I saw one.
Fave player – Ben Cohen
Phil McCarthy Wing
Quick out of the blocks can choose a kick and arrive before the ball. A good passer of the ball if anyone can keep up with him. A keen hard worker and allround sportsman, plays the game with massive enthusiasm.
Fave player
Aston John – Wooley Winger/Centre
A convert from football, Aston has all the atributes of a natural ball player. Good hand, eye co-ordination anticipation, he is a good tackler, passer and is genraly a brave player. Did I mention pace? If you can catch him ask him about it.
Fave player – Jason Robinson
Peter Evans Fly half
A Rugby brain, can see things before they happen. Some would call it a sixth sense to Peter its his first sense. Fearless under a high ball, can kick from the hand under presure, tackles well, reads the game brilliantly and the Peter Evans Goose step, ask David Campese about it.
Fave player – Richard Hill
Coaches
Mike Jones
Failed his R.E o’level because the question was, describe the holy shroud, so young Mike wrote its red with three feathers on the front and No 10 on the back. Unfortunatly the paper was marked in England, had it been marked in his native Wales, he would be Archbishop of Penrhyndeudraeth by now. So Mike decided to coach Rugby on a Sunday instead. Preach the gospel of St Barry and St Garreth to the unconverted. He is the original coach of this team and coaches with a boyish enthusiasm which over the years has converted many reluctant boys into accomplished players. Between us we have seen the team grow from having to borrow players to make a side up to the present day, having a good squad, so good that the problem is who is the starting fifteen. With all these top class players to choose from he must feel like a kid in a sweet shop. We owe a lot of debt to Mike for sticking with it when things were difficult and for forming the nucleus of the team.
Fave player (past) – Arthur Lewis
Fave player (future) – Richard Hill
Dave Hyndmam
Calm and methodical, never raises his voice but gets his point over with the sort of enthusiasm of a person who has just discovered this thing called Rugby and is bursting to tell everyone about it. Daves midweek coaching has brought the team on leaps and bounds, with great patience he has taken a group of players and has got them playing good Rugby. Dave is a well of knowledge, and has the ability to pass it on to the boys. During the game he can see strengths and weaknesses and can advise the team on the best way to exploit them. Without doubt Dave has been a major factor in the teams transition from mini to youth Rugby. However never ask for a conservatory during the Rugby season.
Fave player (past) – Richard Hill
Fave player (present) – Chris Hyndman
Dave Sidney
That’s me that is. Like Mike and Dave I love Rugby and I want to pass this love of the game on to the team. I am quite big on discipline and I do not suffer fools gladly, however I am probably dafter than Chris Dobson at times. My biggest fault is that I am greedy, regardless of how the team are playing, I always want one more tackle, a bit faster into rucks and mauls, bigger push in the scrum. To the credit of the team they always do it. At the moment.
The lads are performing brilliantly on the field and in training, they are really pulling the rabbit out of the hat, of course I would prefer two rabbits and I am sure the lads will probably manage it.
Fave player (past) – Josh Kronfeld
Fave player (present) – Richard Hill
Manager
Richie Watson
Gone are the days of team sheets on the back of cigarette packets and last minute planning, Richie is Mr organisation and always plans ahead and keeps records. He is always thinking of ideas to help the team and nothing is too much trouble. He is popular with the boys, so much so that when they ask him to hold the tackle shield in training, they are always gentle with him. Richie is a good bloke to have around because it means coaches can coach and players can play. Richie sorts the rest out. He is also a calming influence, he stops me kicking water bottles, sometimes.
Fave player (past) – Will Carling
Fave player (present) – Martin Johnson
The Supporters
On wet January mornings, with hypothermia snapping at their ankles like a Jack Russel with a bad attitude, this dedicated bunch of people turn up week in, week out. They may not be be too numerous, but they give the boys the support they need and have been rewarded with some breath taking rugby from the team, and some breath taking language from the coaches. Without the support we would be really struggling and I would like to thank them all, for all they have done in the past, and what they are likley to do in the future. They are a real asset and will be forever a part of the team.
Who can fit one more muddy kid into their car?
P.S Apologies to new or returning players who I have not yet written profiles for.
