Where it all began
Our family was based around Otley rugby club. My dad played, his brothers played, my brother played and mum was a rugby wife. Good job I loved it from day one…
My breakthrough moment
Very late. I didn’t get through my North Of England trial in my last year at school, but Geoff Wappett, the England age-group coach, liked the way I played so he got me a game for the South-West. I scored two tries and got an England trial. Didn’t get through that either, but I was kept in the training group and when Tom May went on study leave, I replaced him for the Under-18 Five Nations. Tom didn’t get back in.
The coach I looked up to