MY RUGBY WORLD

The comedian on his love of Saracens, Rotimi Segun and the StoneX Stadium

- HAL GRUTTENDEN

How did you get into rugby? I unravel as a fan because I didn't start going reguarly until I was in my thirties.

My dad would take me to Internationals at Twickenham; it was the thing we did together but he died when I was 20, so I basically didn't go to rugby for 16 years because of that.

Did you play rugby yourself? I have chronic knees and had four operations in my teens, so I last played when I was 16. I've spent my whole life telling people I would have been a British & Irish Lion if it wasn't for my knees. I played at London Welsh.

What made you start following Saracens? I moved to North London in my thirties and got invited to a Sarries game and thought I quite like that club with the fezes. I now go with one of my two daughters.

Being from West London originally, did you feel like you turned your back on Quins? I must admit the psychotic dislike of Quins has grown and I've got worse and worse with it. Maybe it's because I'm from that part of London that I don't like them. Although the real fans who don't like Sarries are Exeter Chiefs.

Do you remember the first Sarries game you went to? I'm pretty sure it was against Gloucester at Vicarage Road. We won. I would have said it was around 2010-ish. I was very part-time at first.