Chesham Rugby Club

What age did you start playing rugby?

About 5 or 6 then a big break then started again at 13/14 years old

How did you get into rugby?

Our uncle, Mike chard, introduced me and Alex to tag rugby at a very young age then we stopped. When I was 13, Alex started playing for stags again and a season later I joined him, with the honourable Pete Wharton as coach. Also I wasn’t ever good at football so rugby it was!

Why do you play rugby?

Rugby in its essence is a team of people working hard and putting their bodies on the line to achieve a common target, while crashing into each other, what’s not to love? It requires strength of body and mind and is still a very social and fun sport.

What do you enjoy about rugby compared to other sports?

Rugby requires all 15 players on the pitch there is no solo champion not like tennis or athletics, you win together and lose together. Coming from a family of 4 brothers, a pack mentality develops and rugby encompasses that. There is also structure and discipline in rugby that seems to be lost in televised football.

What can rugby offer people/kids?

Regardless of age rugby offers a great social game in which participants can get fit, enjoy sport, keep healthy, and make good friends.

Why do you play rugby for Chesham Rugby Club?

I started because it was a local club; I have stayed because every week I have a great time at training and matches. They are a great bunch of people with a positive attitude and a drive to succeed together. The banter at Chesham is brilliant and no one is safe from it! Also, the post-match drinks are always awesome

What does it mean to you to play with your brothers?

It means a lot to play with the lads. It’s nice to share the highs and lows of the game with them, when we are all in the same team we talk all week about that game and when we play for the different teams we spend all week comparing games and players. We are all very competitive and so always in competition with each other.

What does Chesham Rugby Club offer?

From my experience at other clubs (in Bristol and Italy) Chesham players are all positive together on the pitch and in the bar. Chesham earned “Bucks Friendliest Club” and it is felt there constantly. The switch between professionalism on the pitch and at training, to banter and jokes in the bar is very fluid and works.

What does it mean to you to play for your town?

We have all lived in Chesham for 20+ years and playing for the town is a great honour, hopefully Chesham Rugby Club will become more popular within the community and local residents will see how much they do for the town.

Why do you coach at the club?

I spent a year coaching under 8’s and it was fantastic. I did it because Chesham is a club run by volunteers and without everyone trying to help it wouldn’t be there; also it’s another way for more rugby in my life! Never a bad thing.

What are your plans for the future?

Keep playing rugby until my body stops and possibly go into a career involving sport and rugby

Anything else?

Go hard or go home
Get back up.