RISING STARS

I used to watch rugby sevens all the time with my dad.

- JOE ROBINSON

How did you get into rugby? I used to watch rugby sevens all the time with my dad. I didn’t enjoy watching rugby at first but I got interested when seeing Fiji Sevens back in the day. It was the team with Jerry Tuwai and Samisoni Viriviri, both legends. It was around 2016, when they won the Rio Olympics.

Why did you choose to play rugby? My dad loved the sport and got me into it. He took me to my local rugby club, Trentham RUFC, in Stoke but I started quite late, aged 13 or 14. It all started there.

What positions did you play? I played in the back row when I started, a bit at flanker but mainly at No 8. Then when I hit 16 at the Tigers academy they pulled me forward to prop. Now I play loosehead and tighthead, but the latter I’ve done for longer.

Did you play any other sports growing up? I didn’t take it seriously but I loved playing volleyball.

When was your first rep game for England? It was for the U18s, a friendly away in France. I was really nervous because the atmosphere was big and there were a few thousand fans there to watch us. Even when I was warming up, I couldn’t really think straight because it was so loud. I was nervous the whole game.

Who was your hero growing up? I’d have to say Jerry Tuwai, he was so good. There was a small film called Sevens From Heaven about that team. I watched it on YouTube on repeat when I was growing up. It made me love the game.

I also remember watching highlights of William Ryder and Waisale Serevi, the greats of the sevens game.