MY LIFE IN RUGBY

Getting dropped a week after scoring a hat-trick against Worcester in the Premiership was the lowest point of my six years at Bath. The coach, Steve Meehan, said he wanted more experience for the next game and selected Alex Crockett instead.

I got near to a half-century of Premiership appearances at Bath but I was blighted by reoccurring injuries and found it hard to nail down a regular spot. But I certainly had no regrets about signing for John Connolly at the age of 18.

‘Knuckles’ knew me from his Swansea days. I’d always be around St Helens as my dad, Trevor, played for the club and then became part of the backroom team as fitness trainer. I’d be down at the club at any given opportunity, sneaking off from school at lunch-time so I could train with the likes of Scott Gibbs.

Moving to Bath was an eye-opener for someone of my age. My first session was in the gym, an environment in which I felt comfortable. Coming from Wales, you often grow up with a bench presser close at hand, so I was pretty confident around weights and thankfully didn’t look too much out of place even in the presence of such big men as Zak Feaunati and Danny Grewcock.

Everyone at Bath was really welcoming. When we trained at Lambridge, all the boys lived nearby, and we were so tight as a team and went for coffees together.

I think you could see that on the pitch as well. People may have mocked the facilities there, but I’d seen a lot worse in Wales. You make it what it is, and I loved it. There was a massive old-fashioned communal bath there and Peter Short was always very entertaining.

I think The Shed enjoyed my first proper outing in Bath colours as much as I did. I had my name on the back of my shirt and they found that hilarious, coming up with all sorts of banter. I took all that in my stride and fully embraced the rivalry between the two clubs. In fact, the highlight of my time at Bath came at Kingsholm, when we won the European Challenge Cup in 2008.

I’d played most of the games in the run up to the final against Worcester, and to get on in the final and pick up a winner’s medal was special.

On top of my injuries – I also tore my labrum against London Irish – Chev Walker’s arrival from Rugby League on an RFU deal also halted my progress. I can see why they gave it a go, but it was quite obvious that it didn’t work out and Bath were picking him because they were told to, not because of his form.

Towards the end of my time at Bath, I went out on loan to Newport Gwent Dragons, in search of some game time. The team was struggling, and I don’t think I was on the winning side once, but it was still good to finally represent one of the Welsh regions and play Heineken Cup rugby against the likes of Toulouse.

Conor O’Shea gave me the opportunity of a fresh start at Harlequins but, again, I picked up an injury quite soon after arriving.

I tore my pec off the shoulder bone and I was out for four months. When I came back from that, I went to play for Esher only to suffer the same injury on the other side. In my time on the sidelines I started coaching at Feltonfleet School and I’m still there to this day.

On returning to fitness, I continued playing for Esher in National One and found the rugby to be very enjoyable and a lot less stressful than the professional game. Whilst there, I also had the honour of playing for the Barbarians against Clontarf in 2014.

After a spell as playercoach, I decided it was time to step back from the playing side and concentrate on my duties as defence coach. It is good to be able to give something back to a club that has treated me so well. – as told to Jon Newcombe