I had a kidney removed four months ago... but I’m ready for the final
WEMBLEY MIRACLE FOR WIGAN PROP CLUBB
This afternoon, 113 days after having a kidney removed, Tony Clubb will run out at Wembley for Wigan Warriors in the Challenge Cup final.
it is a staggering story, even when told in his own straightforward words. ‘i’d had back pains but one morning it felt like someone was stabbing me in the back,’ he explained. ‘i was on my hands and knees.’
A panic phone call to the club doctor saw a scan arranged later that day. ‘They told me my kidney was dead,’ he said. ‘ That it was full of fluid and i would have to have it removed.’
Clubb, a 30yearold prop from Gravesend who converted to league from union at 15, feared the worst. ‘ i thought i was finished,’ he admitted.
‘Removing an organ? Game over. i told the wife i was going to have to get another job.’
The specialist at salford Royal hospital had other ideas. Clubb said: ‘The specialist, Euan Green, told me, “don’t worry. You’ll have keyhole surgery and be back in eight weeks”.’
he was right. Eight weeks later, Clubb scored a try in a 2812 victory over Widnes. ‘i had to rest for a month and then went back into training,’ he said. ‘Once i’d had my first contact and realised i wasn’t going to fall to pieces i was OK.’ And that was that. Wigan’s coach shaun Wane said: ‘he never contemplated finishing — he’s as tough as they come.’
Wigan have won the Challenge Cup 19 times and appeared in 30 finals, more than any other club — something of which Wane, who played for Wigan before being made coach in 2011, is proud.
he explained why the town is synonymous with rugby league. ‘At school you couldn’t not play rugby league,’ he said. ‘You feel different from everyone else. i’m from Wigan and i know what we’re about.’
standing in Wigan’s Wembley way are hull FC, last season’s winners, and their captain, Gareth Ellis, will also be reflecting on lifechanging moments before his final Wembley appearance prior to retirement.
The boy from selby — who will move upstairs at hull when he hangs up his boots — has been consistently among the world’s best, including three years in Australia’s vastly superior NRL. ‘i felt i was representing us,’ he said. ‘Then someone took the mick out of my accent and Chris heighington, our back rower, absolutely gave this bloke a real good spray. it made me think, “they’ve got my back”.’
Ellis’s coach is also no stranger to a ‘spray’ — even from hull fans. Lee Radford made a poor start to his coaching career in 2014 and fans wanted him axed.
The memory was not lost on pals who attended his recent stag do in Amsterdam. ‘My mates are (hull Kingston) Rovers fans and they all wore ‘Radford out’ Tshirts,’ he said. ‘Thankfully we can make jest of that now. But i remember once losing to Rovers and their fans sang “you’re getting sacked in the morning”. That wasn’t nice. it had to change.’
Change it did, and hull go into today’s match believing they can become backtoback winners.
Radford’s chief task has been to keep his team focused — but not before some serious business was completed. ‘We’ve had a huge debate today over the shoes we’ll wear,’ he said. ‘ We’ve got an Australian picking them. That’s never a good thing.’