They’ll all remember day Eddie called in
Jon Newcombe finds the England coach making dreams come true at the grassroots
“We’ve had one of the greatest coaches in the world to train us and the boys are buzzing”
Aguest training session from Eddie Jones on Wednesday night added to what has already been a tremendous season for Avonvale RFC on so many levels.
The England head coach visited the newly-crowned Dorset & Wilts Two North champions after one of the club’s players, Dave Tomlinson, completed the National Rugby Survey and was selected from 28,000 entrants to win the prize draw.
Initially Tomlinson thought it was a hoax but Jones was there in person in the village of Bathford, on the Somerset/Wiltshire border, to see 40-50 players, both senior and colts, put through their paces by head coach Kevin Moggridge, himself an RFU employee.
“Not only have we had a great season but we’ve had one of the greatest coaches in the world train us. The boys are absolutely buzzing. If that doesn’t spur them on to want to go on and achieve and carry on playing, I’m not sure what will. It’s been absolutely brilliant,” said Moggridge, a talent development officer for women’s rugby in the South West.
Despite the chilly evening, Jones stayed on at the Folly Field for a good two hours, passing on tips to the players and signing autographs.
“The enthusiasm was absolutely fantastic and the coaching staff are doing a great job,” Jones said. “They’ve got good numbers; the players look like they’re enjoying what they’re doing and it’s very positive. “If you don’t have grassroots clubs you don’t have rugby. This is the foundation.” Like Jones, Moggridge lives and breathes rugby and his values embody what the game is all about. While the 46-year-old has a better playing record this season than fellow Bathford residents, Bath Rugby’s Todd Blackadder and Toby Booth, he takes more pride in the numbers showing up at the oldest continuous junior rugby club in the local area.
“There was a big turnout at training on Wednesday, probably the best we’ve had, but in all fairness to the boys, the numbers are always good – we average 30-35 – and they have trained hard all season,” said Moggridge.
“Having Eddie down was the cherry on top of the cake. My goal this season was to integrate the colts and the seniors and get recruitment and retention up, and we’ve done that.
“To get a second team out on 10 occasions – the first time this has happened in more than 15 years – is absolutely brilliant.
“We’ve got some old boys who’ve got their boots back on and next season there’s going to be a local ‘Spirit of Rugby’ league, for social players.
“In the last few weeks we’ve picked up five new players, who are mates of mates and, all of a sudden, there is a real buzz around the club.”
Avonvale are bearing the fruits of a vibrant Colts set up that has produced the likes of Somerset U20s centre Kieran O’Connor, younger brother of Olympic swimmer SiobhanMarie O’Connor, and exciting Filton College winger, Drew Retford, whose father Steve is still plugging away at 45 years of age.
“Take Steve away and the oldest player we’ve got is 29. The average age of the side is only 22,” Moggridge pointed out.
“The most important thing for me is that they’re all getting closer as friends. Rugby, at the end of the day, is about playing with your mates.”