Tales from the Members' Bar

No. 2 Alex  Rae

Following feedback from last week's piece, I can announce that Alex Rae has no discernible preference for one particular brand of biscuit. Like all young, professional sportsmen he looks after his diet and his physical condition. He knows that cutting corners is the short cut to failure.

When Alex arrived at Saints he arrived in the package deal that liberated four bright young stars from the Worcester Academy. Jim Percival and Dylan Hartley took most of the headlines at the time which probably goes to show that if you are blond, you are more than half-way to being noticed. It was strange really, because it was Alex who had had solid achievement in England age-group rugby. He had already been in the England Clubs Under 18 team, played in the semi-final of the Under 19 World Cup [We should have won that!].

In the following season, he was an Under 21 squad member with a couple of replacement appearances in England's grand slam. As he got ready to step up into the senior role, the IRB reorganised the age groupings. Under 20 was the new Under 21 and Alex no longer qualified. He has massive respect for the coaches he encountered in those days with particular mentions for Nigel Redman and a pair called Mallinder and West.

A Coventry lad, Alex was at Coundon Court a couple of years behind Jim Hamilton. His early years in junior club rugby were spent at Barkers Butts. At approximately the same level of the pyramid as Old Scouts and BBOB, Barkers Butts has a proud record as a nursery for players that go one to achieve international honours. He may not be to our taste but one of that alumni to whom Alex pays maximum respect is Danny Grewcock.

Since coming to Northampton Alex has had a solid grounding in playing for the Wanderers for two years before stepping up this year. If you are one of those that think he has risen without trace, it is probably because, last season, he managed to play only four matches at home.

When we spoke about his rise to first team regular, the smile he beamed and his incredulous look said that he has to pinch himself occasionally to make sure that it is not all a dream. He is grateful for his opportunities and realises that that if he falls from the high standards he and the coaches set for him, there is plenty of competition eager to make a grab for that starting spot.

His man of the match award against Moseley was a bit of a surprise for him. He was not sure that he had played all that well. When it was pointed out that he appeared in a remarkably high proportion of the action shots from the game - including tracking Sharky's long-range effort at the death - he was suitably modest. One photograph he would happily forget about and never see again would be Richard Slater's effort (#37) from the Bees match. He was at a loss to know how he managed to get over the line but not the ball. Finishing more like Ben Kay than Chris Ashton, Alex seems destined not to top this season's try-scoring charts.

arw

8.11.2007

Esher Rugby Club – The What, Who and Whereabouts.

Ahead of the ND1 clash between Saints and Esher on their own patch, here is a little bit of research into the club, how to get there, where to eat and drink and what to expect. I’ll leave the proper match preview to someone else but for now, here is the “Rough as a Badgers Backend Guide” to Esher.

Our chum in Moscow would probably call Esher the “Nots” because they are not actually in Esher but in Hersham just along the road. Now, having been unfairly criticised in the national press once before when I was a tad uncomplimentary about Galashiels, I will tread very warily in describing Hersham.  For a start it is “cultured”, being one of the cradles of punk, with local band Sham 69 recording one of their hits about the place.  The chorus of “Hersham Boys” goes:

 

You will know when you are at Hersham Station as there will be a collection of tatty looking buses operating the rail replacement service. South West Trains from London Waterloo will get you as far as Surbiton (where you can visit Margot and Gerry Leadbetter) on 16 February and then it’s, “On The Buses” starring Reg Varney. Apparently, this little expedition will take about an hour in total from Waterloo. Esher, where there is a much better selection of hostelries than Hersham is on the same line and will be 10 minutes by bus from Surbiton and about the same to Hersham.

There is a large modern clubhouse at one end of the ground, just by the main entrance and food and drink will be available from there. To get the full sp, I asked a chap I know in “property” who played for the Not Nots and then the Nots to give me some local info. He delegated the job to some bloke at the club who writes:

Enjoy the day and the game at Esher, where this will probably be the biggest attendance in their history.