My Life in Rugby

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s My Life in Rugby news, interviews, opinion and other content.

I just loved sport. It was my get-out. My freedom

9 March 2025 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER FIJI, EXETER, RACING 92, WORCESTER, OSPREYS, NEWCASTLE, BATH & TOYOTA SHOKKI SHUTTLES CENTRE/FLY-HALF JOSH MATAVESI FOR the last seasonand-a-half I’ve […]

My Life in Rugby – Mike Hamlin

23 February 2025 1 comment

MIKE HAMLIN THE FORMER GLOUCESTER, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, SOUTH WEST AND ENGLAND B FLY-HALF I was born in Gloucester and grew up in Coney Hill, only a […]

I don’t think I could have asked for a better finale

16 February 2025 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY CHARLIE HODGSON THE FORMER BRITISH & IRISH LIONS, ENGLAND, SALE SHARKS & SARACENS FLY-HALF MY playing career wasn’t always rosy – I […]

the wonderful people What stands out are

26 January 2025 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER SOUTH AFRICA ASSISTANT COACH WHO WAS IN CHARGE AT STORMERS, WESTERN PROVINCE, ULSTER, NORTHAMPTON, EASTERN PROVINCE KINGS, EDINBURGH AND WORCESTER […]

I was astonished when Leicester got in touch

19 January 2025 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY MICHAEL VAN VUUREN THE FORMER JUNIOR SPRINGBOK, CHEETAHS, STADE FRANCAIS, KINGS, LEICESTER, BATH, LONDON SCOTTISH, LONDON IRISH, NORTHAMPTON, BEDFORD, AMPTHILL, EALING, WASPS, […]

Tom Shanklin – 2005 Grand Slam was pinnacle of my career

12 January 2025 0 comments

My Life In Rugby The former British & Irish Lions, Wales, Cardiff & Saracens centre, who now commentates for Premier Sports on URC, Champions Cup […]

My office at home is like a shrine to rugby

5 January 2025 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER MET POLICE, WASPS AND SARACENS NO.8, WHO REPRESENTED MIDDLESEX, LONDON, BRITISH POLICE & THE BARBARIANS LEE ADAMSON Decent: Lee Adamson […]

Playing rugby was a free passport to travel – Maurie Fa’asavalu

29 December 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby – Maurie Fa’asavalu THE FORMER SAMOA RU, GREAT BRITAIN RL, HARLEQUINS, OYONNAX AND ST HELENS PLAYER, WHO IS NOW COACHING WEST […]

Sailing around the Med for a year is next for me – Tyler Ardron

8 December 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby TYLER ARDRON THE CANADA FORWARD, CURRENTLY AT CASTRES, WHO PREVIOUSLY PLAYED FOR OSPREYS AND THE CHIEFS In 18 months’ time, when […]

‘I decided to work hard and Eddie Jones backed me’ – George Kruis

17 November 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby – George Kruis the former England, Saracens and Panasonic Wild Knights second row Man-mountain: George Kruis on the charge for England […]

I came on against Italy and made a difference – Lee Dickson

29 September 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby – Lee Dickson Enjoying life: Lee Dickson playing for Northampton Saints PICTURES: Getty Images Lee Dickson the former England, Newcastle, Northampton […]

Three hat-tricks for the Baa-Baas was a peak

7 July 2024 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY DEREK STARK THE FORMER SCOTLAND, BARBARIANS & GLASGOW WING Scoring for Scotland with my first touch of the ball after getting the […]

I’m thrilled to see Bath enjoying its success

30 June 2024 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY GJ VAN VELZE THE FORMER BULLS, NORTHAMPTON, WORCESTER AND BATH BACK ROW/LOCK My journey with rugby began at the age of […]

Pirates were one hell of a club to be at for so long

16 June 2024 0 comments

Feature MARLEN WALKER THE NOW-RETIRED CORNISH PIRATES PROP MY LIFE IN RUGBY Beating Saracens when we hadn’t played for almost a year was probably the […]

I’ll miss the shared joy after a big win

9 June 2024 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE NOW FORMER NORTHAMPTON SAINTS, WASPS, LONDON IRISH, ROTHERHAM, MACCLESFIELD AND STOCKPORT HOOKER TOM CRUSE Now that my playing career is […]

Playing rugby ‘Bristol fashion’ suited me well

2 June 2024 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY – RALPH KNIBBS THE FORMER ENGLAND, BRISTOL & CLIFTON CENTRE I spent some of my youth in Knowle West, 30-plus years […]

Calcutta Cup win the highlight of my career

26 May 2024 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY Scott Steele – Former Scotland, Leicester, London Irish Harlequins & Edinburgh Scrum-Half I was sat on a mattress on the floor […]

A thrilling ride but now it’s time to call it a day

19 May 2024 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY CHARLIE BECKETT – THE DONCASTER AND FORMER LEICESTER, LONDON WELSH, GLOUCESTER, JERSEY, AMPTHILL AND EASTWOOD SECOND ROW For one last time […]

Mine was very much the road less travelled

12 May 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby – Mike Ross, the former Ireland, Harlequins and Leinster prop talks about his life in the game I started playing rugby […]

You lived on the edge with Scotland

5 May 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Neil Edwards – The former Scotland, Barbarians, Rosslyn Park, Harlequins & Northampton second row talks about his career in the […]

To play for Gosforth & Bath was wonderful

28 April 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Rob Cunningham – The former Scotland, Anglo-Scots, Boroughmuir, Bath, Gosforth, Tynedale & Northumberland hooker talks about his life in the […]

Scoring in Hell Fire Corner was great

21 April 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Greg Goodfellow – The former Cornwall, Chinnor, Redruth, Cornish Pirates, Coventry, Mounts Bay & Hawick scrum-half talks about his life […]

It was an honour to reach the 400-mark

14 April 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Chris Dicomidis – The former Pontypridd, Cardiff, Wales U21 & Cyprus international looks back at his career in the game […]

London Irish was just so full of real, good people

7 April 2024 0 comments

David Paice, the former England and London Irish hooker, looks back on his career in the game IT feels like a lifetime ago now that […]

Putting 50 points on the Aussies was a highlight

31 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Ruaridh Jackson – The former Scotland, Glasgow, Wasps and Harlequins fly-half talks about his career in the game IT was […]

I’m ambitious. I want to coach as high as I can

24 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Alex Rae – The former Northampton Saints, Saracens, Wasps and Bedford Blues lock, now head coach at Coventry, talks about […]

I was thrilled to bits to be picked for England

17 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Magnus Lund – The former England, Sale and Biarritz flanker talks about his life in the game AS most people […]

It’s a huge honour to play for your country

10 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Marcus Rose – the former England, Cambridge University, Leicester, Coventry, Harlequins and Barbarians full-back looks back on his career in […]

The team culture at Exeter blew me away

3 March 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Bryan Rennie – The former Scotland A, Border Reivers, London Irish, Exeter & Bristol centre, now general manager of the […]

I just love playing and had an amazing career

25 February 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Mark Best – The former Ulster, Jersey Reds and Doncaster Knights centre discusses his career in the game PLAYING in the […]

To have played 41 times for Wales is a blessing

18 February 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Emyr Lewis – The former Wales, Llanelli & Cardiff No. 8 looks back on his career in the game FOR […]

My first foreign mission was in deepest Siberia

11 February 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Rob Debney – The former international and Premiership referee talks about his journey in the game RUGBY refereeing took me […]

The Grand Slam win in 2005 was a fairytale

28 January 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Mark Taylor – The former Wales, Ospreys, Sale, Swansea & Pontypool centre and now WRU performance pathway coordinator talks about […]

I tried hard to make the most of what ability I had!

21 January 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Gordon Bulloch – The former British & Irish Lions, Scotland, Glasgow & Leeds hooker talks about his life in the […]

I was preparing for battle and needed to be ready

14 January 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Steve Ojomoh – The former England, Bath, Gloucester, Parma, Newport & Moseley back rower talks about his life in the […]

Cheika brought an axe in and wielded it about

7 January 2024 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Jono Lance – the former Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, Worcester and Western Force utlity back talks about his life in […]

Each day was filled with song, fun and laughter

17 December 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Graham Dewes – The former Fiji prop and 2007 Rugby World Cup hero talks about his memories from the game […]

To play for the Baa-Baas was a nice way to finish

10 December 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Graham Kitchener – The former England XV, Worcester & Leicester lock talks about his career in the game IF I […]

Bloodgate? I wish I’d done things differently

3 December 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Tom Williams – The former Harlequins & Esher winger/full-back looks back on his life in the game WHEN I look […]

‘Since the year dot, I have been involved with Saints’

26 November 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Lennie Newman – The former Northampton forward and team manager talks about his life in the game EIGHTEEN months after […]

‘Back then, there were a lot of quality fly-halves’

19 November 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Tony Clement: The former Wales and Swansea back talks about his life in the game Taking into account my time […]

I’m driven on by the power of psychology

12 November 2023 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER ENGLAND, LEEDS, NORTHAMPTON AND SARACENS FLANKER CALUM CLARK Following many years of study, training, and development, I have recently […]

‘Rugby gave me hope, away from life in a cell’

29 October 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Simon Bunting: The former Yorkshire, Rotherham and Doncaster prop talks about his life in the game To achieve what […]

‘Playing for Ireland was the major prize’

22 October 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Rob Saunders: The former Ireland and London Irish scrum-half talks about his life in the game Captaining and representing Ireland […]

‘A couple of senior caps would have been nice’

15 October 2023 0 comments

My Life in Rugby with Chris Catling – The England A, Gloucester, Exeter, Worcester, Beziers & Amatori Catania full-back talks about his time in the […]

‘Fantastic to be part of Exeter’s rise to the top’

8 October 2023 0 comments

The former Exeter Chiefs number eight talks about his life in the game When I made my Exeter debut against Fylde as a 17-year-old in […]

I stole a career, getting paid to do what I loved

1 October 2023 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER MACCLESFIELD, ROTHERHAM, WORCESTER & HARLEQUINS SCRUM-HALF CHARLIE MULCHRONE I’LL be honest with you, I feel like I stole a career […]

‘I refused to let injuries ruin the career I loved’

24 September 2023 0 comments

The former Wales A, Neath, Swansea, Ospreys, Sale Sharks and London Welsh back row THE thing I took most pleasure from in my playing days, […]

My Life in Rugby with Paul Burke: ‘As a whole, I feel very blessed with my career’

17 September 2023 0 comments

The former Ireland, London Irish, Bristol, Cardiff, Harlequins, Munster and Leicester fly-half talks about his life in the game I WAS born in London and […]

My Life in Rugby with Junior Paramore: ‘Nothing comes easy in life…You have to work’

10 September 2023 0 comments

The former Samoa, Bedford and Gloucester number eight talks about his life in the game GROWING up, I preferred indoor sports; I only played basketball […]

My Life in Rugby

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