My Life in Rugby: Neil Calrk – Exeter and former Bristol hooker

Getting promoted with Bristol was special but there was no comparison when I went up with Exeter three years ago. Exeter are the club I owe everything to.
They gave me my first break in the game and gave me a chance after I suffered a serious ACL injury a few years later. I was playing at Bristol when I badly injured my knee in pre-season training in 2006.
Then five months later when I was about to return to training it went again. That was a really tough time because my wife had just fallen pregnant with our first so she left her job and Bristol had promised they wouldn’t fire me.
When I got injured the second time they let me go, so it’s fair to say I wasn’t best pleased. It made me start to wonder whether I wanted to carry on with rugby but thankfully I had some good people behind me and I got a chance with the Cornish All Blacks.
That got me back into the game and then in 2007 Bath called me up about providing cover for Lee Mears while he was away at the World Cup. It was just what I needed to be back in a professional environment, but still able to get games with the Cornish All Blacks.
During that time I was in regular contact with Rob Baxter, who I’d played with at Exeter and was also my coach at Exeter Uni.
He told me they were interested in me if I could get three months under my belt and when I went there it was like going home. After growing up in Cornwall – where I was more interested in surfing than rugby –  Exeter were was my first club.
I made my debut for them just after turning 18 which made me one of the youngest forwards ever to play in the Championship. At the time I’d never have imagined the club would turn in to what it has become.
We played at the old County Ground and while we could get 3,000-4,000 spectators the facilities were completely different to now. I stayed for four years before leaving for Bristol. It was really down to a clash of personalities between me and coach Ian Bremner.
I arrived at Bristol as a lot of people left so it was a case of starting again, but I scored the try that got them promoted in 2005, against Orrell. That first season of Premiership rugby was a massive learning curve for me as backup for Mark Regan who was instrumental in my growing up.
The unfortunate way it ended at Bristol made the way we went up with Exeter even more special.   And even better,  I was voted Players’ Player of the season.
Getting into the Premiership with Exeter was a different experience to when I was there with Bristol. I was first choice and really felt part of the team. For me this is a special season because it’s my testimonial year.
I’ve just recovered from a shoulder op so I’m having to bide my time to get some first team action but it has given me the chance to write a book*. Please try it!