Stuart Preece

My first introduction to WRFC was playing for Kings School Worcester 1ST XV against the very successful Worcester Colts team lead by Ron Saunders. After the game Derek Thompson (Marble) approached me and asked if I wanted to play against an Argentinian touring team in a few weeks' time. I accepted but suggested midweek training would be an issue as I was a boarder at school and getting away would be difficult – the problem was solved with Ron Saunders picking me up in his old Hillman, taking me to training, and returning me before I was missed! We beat the Argentinian team under lights and my affinity with WRFC began and remains to this day.

I went on to play 10 years in the first XV, my debut season losing to Bromsgrove in the North Mids Cup Final 12:6 where I had to mark my opposite #8, a colossus of a player, called John Hunt. Those of you who played against him will recall his ball carrying and power – the stuff of nightmares. The WRFC team was then coached by Neville South, an absolute star of a man and his commitment and energy at the club was superb, he died too soon and is greatly missed.

Most of my seasons at Worcester involved the Losses column having a bigger number in it than the Wins column, with a promotion season into Midlands 2 being the exception rather than the rule. Post playing, I coached junior rugby up at Sixways (giving a little back) and was lucky enough to take my son's age group team from under 6's up to National Champions, winning the RFU National Under 17's Cup in May 2012.

With age comes the selective memory, and whenever I bump into old team mates in Worcester, occasionally watching the Wanderers or at Past Players days, the selective memory (or is it imagination?), recounts the wins, the outside breaks where we all outsprinted the opposition's winger for the touchdown, the mercurial handoff to offload the winning pass etc etc and we smile and remember.

Many thanks to WRFC for giving me these memories!