THE FORMER BEDFORD, PLYMOUTH AND DONCASTER FLANKER

ADAM KETTLE
My parents are fullfledged Scousers and my uncle Brian played a handful of first-team games at left back for Liverpool in the 70s so I was football-mad youngster growing up in the Wirral. It was only when I went to Wirral Grammar that I played rugby, begrudgingly.
I was always a big donkey at the back, anything that came near me – player or the ball – I used to put my foot through. So my mentality and body shape probably lent itself to the oval ball.
On leaving school, I played four seasons and 100-odd games for New ...