The secret of youth for Richard Wigglesworth? Luck and excellent player rotation

DURABLE Leicester No.9 Richard Wigglesworth says luck allied to an insatiable appetite for self-improvement are fuelling his desire to keep playing.

Wigglesworth, by some distance the Premiership‘s longest-serving player having made his top-flight debut for Sale in November 2002, had racked-up 294 league appearances before this weekend and is on course to become the first man to hit the 300 mark.

“No, mate,” is the instant reply when asked if he is planning to retire, before he explains the reasons behind his remarkable longevity.

Wigglesworth, 37, told The Rugby Paper. “First, you need luck – I’ve been lucky with having no massive injuries. I’ve only had a couple of operations, which would be less than normal – and try to stay out of the way of the big lads has always been a motto that has served me well!

“Also, the older I have got, the more professional I’ve got, out of necessity really. I’ve tried to learn from those people who have been around and there are some great examples in rugby, and outside of rugby, of people who have lasted a long time.

“I’ve looked at what they do and it always came back to they were really professional, looked after themselves – what could they do to get themselves right? I’m not going to say I haven’t had my fair share of luck, but those were two big factors.”

With statistics obtained by TRP revealing that 62 current players made their Premiership debuts a decade or more ago, has improved player management played a part?

“I hope so,” Wigglesworth, right, says. “There has been a lot of talk around player welfare and the game gets some stick, but a lot of clubs do a lot of really good things.

I was rotated at Saracens with Neil de Kock and then latterly Ben Spencer, and  was that defi-nitely part of it too. That’s part of the ‘luck’.

“I was at a club with players they could rotate. I hazard a guess of those lads who are still playing they have not played every minute of every game. If they have, then fair play to them.”

While Wigglesworth has long-term ambitions to coach and is enjoying the mentoring role he is now fulfilling at Tigers with upand-coming No.9s Ben White and Jack van Poortvliet, he remains equally committed to delivering high standards as a player.

He explained: “From my side, there is a desire to get better and win more games. We’re at the start of something here at Leicester, miles away from where we want to be but if you’re part of a good culture, it feels like you can really go somewhere.”

On teaming-up with Steve Borthwick again, he adds: “I met Steve when I first played for England – he was my England captain on my debut (against Italy in 2008). Then, when I moved to Saracens, he was captain for my first couple of years.

“I was unbelievably impressed with him as a leader then. Now, coming to Tigers, I’m very impressed again with what I’ve seen.

“He was the reason I came and, given time, he will make a big impact on this club and a big impact on helping me get better.

“I’m going to coach, but right now I’m still a player and I feel like I’ve immersed myself as much as I have been able to during Covid, enjoying the company of the lads.”

By NEALE HARVEY