Senior Team Player Profiles
Name: Ian Wyllie
Nickname: Wiggy
Position: Scrum Half
Season Joined: 1996/97
Profile: This will be his second season as club captain and will be looking to build on last season with some good young players and a few returning experienced heads. Likes to dominate round the base of the scrum and attack from the breakdown.
Name: Fraser Knight
Nickname: Mr Vestal
Position: Prop / Hooker / 2nd row / Flanker
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: He is a versatile forward who won both players’ player and player of the season last year. Can play anywhere in the pack, but looks to have made the hookers position his own. Fraser is a consistent performer who likes to get stuck into the dirty work.
Name: Dave Carruthers
Nickname: DC
Position: Tighthead Prop
Season Joined: 2004/2005
Profile: One of the first names on the team sheet, Dave is solid in the tight and dynamic in the loose. Sometimes needs to be rained in a bit but capable of causing damage to the opposition defence.
Name: Anthony ‘Fruit’ Jones
Nickname: Fruit
Position: Hooker
Season Joined: 1993/94
Profile: Although not available as often as we like, it is a boost to his team mates when he pulls the number two shirt on. Excellent hooker and plays like an extra flanker we hope to see more of him this season.
Name: Matt Warren
Nickname: Wazza / Dubs / Tubs
Position: Prop / 2nd row
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: Matt is a young player who has played for our colts and 2nds in recent years before moving into the 1st last season. Work commitments have reduced his appearances but is both a very popular and able member of the squad
Name: Dave Evans
Nickname: Farmboy
Position: Prop / Hooker
Season Joined: 1998/1999
Profile: Dave missed nearly all of last through work and was missed on and off the pitch. An old fashion front row, he scrummages, lifts in the lineout, rucks and mauls and leaves the fancy stuff to the ´Girls in the backs’´
Name: Marc Anthony
Nickname: Mant
Position: Hooker
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: Predominately a second team hooker but filled in on several occasions last season. His strengths are in hooking and throwing at the line out. And knows where all the good pubs are.
Name: Paul Carruthers
Nickname: PC
Position: 2nd row
Season Joined: 2005/06
Profile: Paul is another one of our young forwards who having played most of last season will be looking to really push on and take games by the scruff of the neck this year. He is one of our biggest forwards and could become a good no.8 in a few years, must learn some of the dirtier works involved in forward play to add to his strong running.
Name: John Glover
Nickname: JG
Position: 2nd Row
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: John is our main line out jumper and someone who we rely on to win a lot of ball both our own and the opposition’s. He is very quick and is deadly in broken play with balls in hand. We look forward to seeing a lot of that this season.
Name: Luke Allsopp
Nickname: Sloppy
Position: back row / 2nd row / fly half / centre
Season Joined: 2004/2005
Profile: Suffered two really bad injuries to both shoulder and ankle last season and as a result did not really feature. He is now fit again and I think we will see the best of him this season back amongst the forwards. Big and strong with excellent hands he also has a good rugby brain and will be key in helping the younger forwards develop.
Name: Simon Arbuthnot
Nickname: Animal
Position: 2nd row / No.8
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: One of the older heads his appearances are less frequent but is a great addition to any team either at lock or back row. He is a fantastic line out jumper and a strong ball carrier.
Name: Olly Thorndale
Nickname:
Position: Blind side
Season Joined: 2004/2005
Profile: Played his first full season last year and came on leaps and bounds. Now settled into one position he has become a vital member of the squad. Arguably he is the biggest tackler in the team. Needs to raise his game again this season and should look forward to working with new coach Woody to improve his tight game.
Name: Matt Joyce
Nickname: Joycey
Position: Flanker / Prop
Season Joined: 2007/2008
Profile: Like Olly played his first full season in the ones last year. And like Olly has shown huge improvement. Originally asked to play in the front row he is more effective on the flank, our quickest forward he scores his fare share of tries. Like Olly needs to learn more about the tight side of the game and then would be an outstanding prospect.
Name: Martin Johnson
Nickname:
Position: No. 8
Season Joined:
Profile: Martin is one of our most experienced players, and a great leader on and off the pitch. If we could get him playing every week it would be a massive boost to the players. He is strong player in all departments, and whilst not possessing the pace he once did he is still an effective ball carrier.
Name: Darren Ariss
Nickname:
Position: Flanker
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: Only played a couple of games last season through work commitments and was a real miss probably our best forward he links the forwards and the backs and usually has the highest tackle count at the end of a game. Looking to be around more this season and will be a massive boost to have him.
Name: Tony Jones
Nickname:
Position: No. 8
Season Joined: ?????
Profile: Another hugely popular and influential player, big, strong and aggressive he is one of the names the other players look for first on the team sheet. Suffered a bit with injury last season we should see him back to his best this season.
Name: Chris Edsall
Nickname: Sharkey
Position: 2nd Row / Back row
Season Joined: ??????
Profile: Chris is another who if we could keep away from injury would be a major asset to the squad. He is good in rucks and mauls and scores a few for a forward. Hopefully this will be the season he shows his undoubted promise.
Name: Luke Busby
Nickname: Busby, Busbinio
Position: Centre
Season Joined: 1995/96
Profile: Luke has been around the club since he was in short trousers a real club man and a vital part of the 1st team backs line. Without doubt the biggest tackler in the backs he combines this with organizing the defensive line and great hands in attack. If we can keep him injury free we should be solid in defence.
Name: Tom Johnson
Nickname: TJ
Position: Centre / Wing
Season Joined: 2005/06
Profile: Now firmly established in the 1st team Tom has often moved from wing to centre last season and has pace to burn, his handling is much improved over the last 12 months and he will be one of the contenders for top try scorer com the end of the season.
Name: Sam Horswill
Nickname: Arseface
Position: Fly Half / Centre
Season Joined: 2006/07
Profile: Moved to ten half way through last season and did well very strong runner and solid in defence. We may lose him to the army this season and while we all wish him great success he is someone we will miss on and off the pitch.
Name: Terry Snutch
Nickname: Trisha
Position: Centre / Fly Half
Season Joined: 2006/07
Profile: After a promising start to the season injury and marriage saw him miss the back end of the season, if he returns this year his attacking skills will be a big boost whether he is playing ten or twelve.
Name: Rob Horsfall
Nickname: Arseface
Position: Full Back / Wing / Centre
Season Joined: 2005/2006
Profile: Rob is a handful in any of the three positions above and is strong in the tackle and has good hands and long kick. Scores lots of tries and hopefully a full season will see him challenge for top try scorer
Name: Dave Ward
Nickname: Wardy / Bignose
Position: Fullback
Season Joined: 2007/08
Profile: New to us last year he burst on to the scene with a debut try. Good under the high ball and loves to attack from deep. Tall and quick Wardy is a real handful. With a full pre season we hope to see the best of him in 08-09.
Name: Paul Daws
Nickname: Dawsey
Position: Full Back / Wing
Season Joined:
Profile: Dawsie missed all of last season with a knee injury and was missed. Looking to be available again this season his dynamic running brings a real edge to our attack. When on top form there is no better attacker in the league.
Name: Gregg White
Nickname:
Position: Wing
Season Joined:
Profile: Like Wardy, Gregg is new to the first last year but also burst on to the scene with tries. He is a big powerful runner who often takes two or three defenders to bring him down. We look forward to seeing him run riot through opposition this season.
Name: Steve Grimsley
Nickname: Gunner
Position: Wing / Centre / Flanker
Season Joined:
Profile: Former 1st team skipper, Steve has moved around the positions over last couple of seasons and is capable of doing a job in any of them. Which is a captain’s dream, but for his own sake he needs to decide where he wants to play and try to make that position his own. His strength is in the tackle and puts in a high number every game.
Name: Darren Marsh
Nickname:
Position: Centre
Season Joined:
Profile: Darren has been a regular in the 2nds last year after joining during the season. His impressive displays ensured that he was given a run out in the 1sts towards the last few games. Hopefully a full pre season will see him knocking very loudly on the door this year.
Name: Rupert Parkin
Nickname: Big Lad
Position: Wing
Season Joined:
Profile: Started last season in the 1’s with a string of man of the match performances, but other commitments meant his appearances become less frequent. Will need to find that early season form
to force his way back in.
Name: Rich Gray
Nickname:
Position: Full Back
Season Joined:
Profile: As the older statesman of the backs Richard found himself in and out of the side last year and often covering from the bench. When plays never lets anyone down and whilst not the quickest anymore, he gave some memorable defensive performances last season, memorably against Clee away and Bromyard Away. I’m sure he will have a part to play this season too.