THIS feeling has been with me now for at least 30 minutes. A feeling of dread, helplessness and mild-to-middling panic. At this very moment all I want to do is be somewhere else. Anywhere else.
For right now I am pulling up my socks and about to start a Tuesday night training session with Welshpool Rugby Club.
I haven’t played with an egg-shaped ball since mandatory lessons in high school, and when I look around and see 20 big lads warming-up I soon knew why.
So why have I agreed to do this? Actually, let me re-phrase that, why did I choose to do this? Well, after reading reports that Welshpool had to cancel a league match due to a shortage of players, I wanted to uncover the truth behind what’s going on at Welshpool RFC.
In Gogledd Cymru Division Two it is Llanidloes and COBRA who are setting the early pace. Newtown, having won two of their opening three matches are also doing well, but Welshpool are languishing a the bottom having conceded 226 points to the mere 27 they have scored.
What has happened to the town’s rugby club? The only way to find out was to enter the lion’s den and take part in a heated training session with the lads.
They might be bottom but even before arriving at the club’s Maesydre pitch I knew rugby training wasn’t going to be easy. Just yesterday Builth Wells’ coach, Jeremy Pugh, called our sports editor and told him training for them this week would consists of “getting an electric cattle prodder and shoving it up the players’ backsides”. Welshpool play at a lower standard to Builth Wells... let’s hope their training methods are a little different!
The moment had arrived. I was welcomed to the session by coach Dai Roberts and training began with a call for 50 press-ups, my heart sank.
The press-ups came and went, followed by shuttle runs and then a few fun exercises where we had to knock each other’s standing arms away and push each other about. Yes, I said it, I was starting to have fun.
When the intensity of the training gathered pace things became even more enjoyable, even if it was tough. Crashing into rucking pads and tackling bags was totally new to me, but I took it in my stride while soaking up valuable advice from senior members of the squad.
“Hit it lower with your shoulder,” they would say as I dived into a tackling bad. Or “get down and lift with your legs,” they would encourage as I ran into a rucking pad.
The next fitness exercise had me breathing even heavier, but again it was great fun and included numerous aspects of the game from tacking, passing and running. In groups of four we had to pass the ball to each other before taking out a man and rucking, then we did it again, then some more sprints, some more passing and then more passing, while bigger people than me tried to knock me over.
It was hard work doing it over and over again, but the three lads in my group were really patient and not once did they lose their temper when I made a mistake or was slow getting off the ground. In fact, that is one of the things I learnt about the lads at Welshpool Rugby Club, they are all there to help and encourage you, as opposed to putting you down (unless it is tackling practise).
Once the fitness work was over, the group was split into two - forwards and backs. I was put with the forwards (I think it was to keep the numbers even opposed to my immense power and strength) and was put through the basics of being in the scrum.
Using the machine I started as a hooker, then in the second row, followed by being a number eight. For those who have never been in a rugby scrum before I can tell you it is quite an experience as it is very rare your hands are not holding onto someone’s shorts or visa-versa. No wonder there is such good camaraderie between players!
But on a more serious note - bearing in mind I’d prefer to see myself as a flying winger, a skillful centre or a tricky fly half - I had loads of fun learning about playing in the scrum and will now watch the game on television with a completely different pair of eyes.
The best part about playing as a forward though was most definitely being in the line-out and being lifted in the air so you can rise above all others and catch the ball and retain possession for your team. There is actually quite an art to being lifted but, once you begin to master it, it’s good fun and I can imagine it being an exhilarating experience in a competitive match.
But the best part of the whole night came at the end when we had a small game of about eight versus eight inside a small square. At times it was brutal and rarely was I not gasping for breath, but the buzz you get with ball in hand is hard to repeat elsewhere. And to top things off I scored a try!
The game ended all square (I think our team won but there was a bit of controversy over the final try) and I was shattered, but equally I was surprised how much I had enjoyed myself.
You might read this and think I have no choice but to say I enjoyed myself but the truth is as soon as I got home I emailed the coach to thank him for including me and then asked if it would be ok to keep on going to training. So with that in mind why don’t you give it a try too? I promise you will have a great time and the lads down at Welshpool Rugby Club will make you feel welcome.
Anyone interested in joining Welshpool Rugby Club should attend a Tuesday night training session at Maesydre shortly before 7pm.
Oh, one last thing, I promise to stop calling you egg-chasers from now on. Rugby is most definitely a sport for athletes and you have my respect!