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.

Scotland ticket was too good to resist

6 March 2022 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY MICHAEL CUSACK Leading the fight: Michael Cusack in action for Leeds against Leicester FORMER SCOTLAND, LEEDS, DONCASTER, GLASGOW AND NEWCASTLE PROP […]

Proud I could play my part in green to unite people

27 February 2022 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER BRITISH & IRISH LIONS, IRELAND AND OXFORD UNIVERSITY FULL-BACK HUGO MACNEILL EVEN though I played for the British and […]

No way Nutty’s adding Park to bankruptcy list!

20 February 2022 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY BIRKENHEAD PARK HEAD COACH AND FORMER ENGLAND COUNTIES, WATERLOO, LEEDS TYKES, WAKEFIELD AND PERTEMPS BEES PROP MARTIN O’KEEFE STEVE Nutt, my […]

I’ll never get tired of talking about 1990 Grand Slam

13 February 2022 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER SCOTLAND, LIONS, MELROSE,HARLEQUINS, WORCESTER AND PERTEMPS BEES FLY-HALF CRAIG CHALMERS Lion cub: Craig Chalmers playing against Australia for the […]

Ireland came calling after my Sale switch

6 February 2022 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY CHRISTIAN SAVERIMUTTO THE FORMER IRELAND, SALE & WATERLOO SCRUM-HALF I WAS obsessed with rugby, I used to live, sleep and eat […]

Lord Sugar was only person to tell me ‘You’re Fired!’

30 January 2022 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER LEINSTER, CONNACHT, LONDON IRISH & IRELAND U20 FLANKER AND RECENT STAR OF THE APPRENTICE CONOR GILSENAN Leading from front: […]

My Bedford team could have made it in the Prem

23 January 2022 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER BEDFORD, LONDON IRISH, BARBARIANS AND MIDLANDS CENTRE BEN WHETSTONE RUDI STRAEULI used to have a saying, ‘Bedford players, friends […]

Bester had me doing 100 scrums after a night of booze!

16 January 2022 2 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY STUART CORSAR THE FORMER SCOTLAND A, GLASGOW, ROTHERHAM AND DONCASTER PROP THE two-and-a-bit years I spent at Rotherham was probably my […]

I didn’t ask Deano about money, I just said yes!

9 January 2022 2 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER ENGLAND STUDENTS, LEEDS, JERSEY & NEWCASTLE PROP SAM LOCKWOOD ALL my family are from Yorkshire and my dad played […]

My job at Sedgley Park was to punch people

2 January 2022 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS HEAD COACH AND FORMER ENGLAND COUNTIES, LANCASHIRE, SALE, SEDGLEY PARK, ORRELL, NOTTINGHAM, MOLESEY, CALDY AND FYLDE LOCK PAUL […]

I was a bit wild and needed discipline

26 December 2021 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER BATH, LONDON SCOTTISH, WASPS, SCOTLAND AND LIONS LOCK DAMIAN CRONIN Triumph: Damian Cronin, centre, sets up the ball in […]

I feel so much happier since stepping back

19 December 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER IRELAND U20 AND, HARLEQUINS SCRUM-HALF NOW AT UTAH WARRIORS NIALL SAUNDERS In early 2017, I was told by the […]

Sickening Sarries start installed my work ethic

12 December 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER SARACENS, BRISTOL, WORCESTER, HARLEQUINS AND DRAGONS SCRUM-HALF NOW AT ROSSLYN PARK LUKE BALDWIN I turned down a place on […]

Training with the SAS very nearly killed me!

5 December 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER LEINSTER, ROTHERHAM, GLOUCESTER AND MUNSTER WINGER SHANE MONAHAN IDEFINITELY experienced the fickle nature of professional sport at first hand, […]

Jack’s prediction came true, just no one saw it!

28 November 2021 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER BATH, GLOUCESTER, EXETER, ENGLAND A AND BARBARIANS SCRUM-HALF IAN SANDERS Cross-code challenge: Ian Sanders in action for Bath against […]

Dodgy wine cost me England cap!

21 November 2021 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER ENGLAND U21, BARBARIANS, BRISTOL, COVENTRY, STOURBRIDGE AND BERRY HILL BACK ROW JULIAN HORROBIN Club legend: Julian Horrobin playing in […]

Winstanley’s guidance got me ready for Premiership

14 November 2021 2 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER SALE SHARKS, WORCESTER, ROTHERHAM, LEEDS AND ROUEN PROP ROB O’DONNELL BIG tall props were fashionable in the mid-2000s – […]

Knights brought out best in me

7 November 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER MUNSTER, PLYMOUTH, DONCASTER AND LEICESTER FLY-HALF DECLAN CUSACK Calling the shots: Declan Cusack playing for Doncaster PICTURE: Getty Images […]

I took the Mick in good spirit

31 October 2021 1 comment

MY LIFEIN RUGBY FORMER TOP-FLIGHT REFEREE DARREN GAMAGE MY very first game as a referee was the only game I have ever had to abandon. […]

Leaving Tigers was a mistake

24 October 2021 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER SPRINGBOKS, SWD EAGLES, PUMAS, BULLS, CATS, BOLAND, FREE STATE CHEETAHS, TREVISO, LEICESTER, LEEDS, WASPS AND SHARKS LOOSE FORWARD MARCO WENTZEL […]

Tackling was my strength, shame I couldn’t pass!

17 October 2021 1 comment

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER US EAGLES, PARMA, NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS, ULSTER AND WASPS CENTRE PAUL EMERICK At the mecca: Paul Emerick in action for […]

My Life in Rugby: Tony Underwood – I carry Jonah scars but it taught me resilience

10 October 2021 1 comment

FACING your Jonah is one of the themes I talk to organisations about when I’ve been invited along to share my thoughts about resilience and […]

My fortunes changed under Alec’s tutelage

3 October 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY JON HUMPHREYS THE FORMER WALES, CARDIFF AND BATH HOOKER AND CURRENT WALES FORWARDS COACH GROWING up watching Wales in the 80s, […]

Exciting ride goes on alongside Pat

26 September 2021 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE BRISTOL BEARS RECRUITMENT MANAGER AND FORMER NORTHAMPTON FLY-HALF AND SAINTS AND BEDFORD COACH PAUL LARKIN Saints life: Paul Larkin, left, […]

From rugby ladders, to cleaning windows

19 September 2021 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER NOTTINGHAM, HARTPURY UNIVERSITY, ROTHERHAM AND DONCASTER BACK-ROWER. TOM CALLADINE Businessman: Tom Calladine with his work van HAVING my own […]

If we had Battle of Gnoll now we’d all be in jail!

12 September 2021 1 comment

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER LIONS, WALES, NEATH, OSPREYS, RICHMOND AND BRISTOL HOOKER BARRY WILLIAMS Good memories: Barry Williams playing for the Lions in […]

I had great coaches everywhere I went

5 September 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER LONDON IRISH AND WASPS CENTRE AND CURRENT US EAGLES DEFENCE COACH ROB HOADLEY Champion: Rob Hoadley, right, with the […]

Winning a breakdown was my greatest joy

29 August 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER BRUMBIES, BATH, LEICESTER AND EXETER FLANKER TURNED DEFENCE COACH JULIAN SALVI WHEN I look back on my career, nothing […]

When we lost in France the butcher blanked me

22 August 2021 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER ROTHERHAM, SALE, BOURGOIN, LONDON WELSH AND LEICESTER HOOKER NEIL BRIGGS When you think about the carefully managed programme we put […]

My Life in Rugby – Jeremy Davidson: Beating the Boks was pinnacle of my career

15 August 2021 2 comments

Now running things up at Brive, Jeremy Davidson reflects on his time as a Lion

I had to tell Cov players there was no cash left

8 August 2021 0 comments

MY LIFE IN RUGBY THE FORMER BIRMINGHAM- SOLIHULL PLAYER AND COACH WHO WAS ALSO ONCE IN CHARGE OF WORCESTER, STOURBRIDGE AND COVENTRY PHIL MAYNARD WHEN […]

My Life in Rugby – Dom Barrow: Defeat to Racing left me crying at kitchen table

1 August 2021 2 comments

Dom Barrow’s retirement at the age of 26 was a surprise to all, but the former Leicester and England U20s lock can attest to having an eventful career

My Life in Rugby – Geoff Evans: Poisoned anchovies sabotaged my tour

25 July 2021 0 comments

Former British & Irish Lions centre Geoff Evans details a hellish night at the team hotel in 1974

Players lost their kit in a daze every week

18 July 2021 1 comment

MY LIFEIN RUGBY THE FORMER RICHMOND AND ESHER FLY-HALF ROB KIRBY My time at Christchurch Boys High in New Zealand was where my rugby dream […]

My Life in Rugby – Kieran Murphy: Insulted in French, but I couldn’t understand!

11 July 2021 0 comments

The former Scarlets, Brive, London Welsh and Ealing Trailfinders will head for a job in the City

My Life in Rugby – Ashley Johnson: World Cup snub led me to Wasps

4 July 2021 1 comment

LIKE any black player growing up in South Africa, you couldn’t be mediocre, you couldn’t just be another talent, you had to excel if you […]

Dream stay at Pirates delivered big break

27 June 2021 0 comments

MY LIFEIN RUGBY BRISTOL BEARS WOMEN’S HEAD COACH AND FORMER BATH, NORTHAMPTON, SALE, CORNISH PIRATES, HARLEQUINS AND AMPTHILL HOOKER/FLANKER DAVE WARD IT all began for […]

My Life in Rugby – Aled Brew: Ko’d by Burger after my World Cup try

23 May 2021 1 comment

After my time at Bath ended, I still had a little bit of fire left in the belly, as they say, so I agreed to […]

My Life in Rugby – Alex Davies: My first year at Leeds was the fondest of all

9 May 2021 0 comments

SOMEONE pointed out to me that winning silverware doesn’t happen very often so I can count myself as one of the lucky ones having celebrated […]

My Life in Rugby – Neil Doak: Lara wicket highlight of my international career!

25 April 2021 0 comments

SPORT has played a huge part in my life. I played quite a lot of sports – football, golf, tennis – and I always hoped […]

My Life in Rugby – Chris Czekaj: I won Challenge Cup after leg break horror

18 April 2021 0 comments

FOUR years after I’d scored on my Wales debut in 2005 against Canada, I did so again in the same corner of the same ground […]

My Life in Rugby – Dougie Flockhart: We took Bristol to the wire in play-off

4 April 2021 0 comments

THE Dumfries Primary 4 tournament, aged six or seven, was my first taste of rugby. Up until that point I was football through and through. […]

My Life in Rugby – Ian Nimmo: Leicester lads had me labelled as strange

7 March 2021 3 comments

THE FORMER LEICESTER, COVENTRY, NOTTINGHAM, CORNISH PIRATES, NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS, LONDON IRISH AND LONDON WELSH LOCK RIGHT the way through my ten-year pro career, rugby […]