Rugby World UK – July 2019

sliding doors. However, he’s just enjoyed
his third season with the French outfit.
It’s here his path crossed with Katz.
“My journey is very different to Jamie’s,”
says the fly-half, who grew up with a
football family and was driven towards
academia. He studied for an international
business degree while leading the
Loughborough University rugby team’s
attack. After a year working in the City
of London as part of his course, Katz
solidified his dream to pursue rugby. No
chances in England stood out, so he set
course for adventure. He went to Spain.
“I thought I’d feel it out but it was an
amazing couple of seasons there,” Katz
says of his time with El Salvador, in
Valladolid. “In our second year we
did the league-and-cup double and
for the final of the Copa del Rey in
2016 they filled a 26,000-seater
stadium. The King of Spain came
out and we managed to win it. The
atmosphere was rocking and up
until that point I’d never had an
experience like that.”
Katz’s confidence was high. He
had the chance to qualify for Spain

if he stayed on. He’d met his wife

there. However, something was

nagging at him to take another

risk, so he moved on again.

After a stint with Jersey, Katz shifted

to France to play for freshly promoted

Massy in the ProD2. He liked the

league, felt he could improve there. A

season later he landed with Béziers.

The 28-year-old admits the nomadic

life can be unpredictable and tough on

personal relationships. His wife’s support

through each move has been precious.

For Hagan, a chance to settle, pass on

advice to young players and earn good

money for his family has been uplifting.

Katz has unwavering

belief in his ability. He

is switching club again

and will be in Italy next

season, but he hits on

a thought that applies

to all players moving:

“If you want to earn a

living from the sport

and be abroad, you

have got to be hard

as nails about it.”

Special Report

Here is what some think of

the moniker ‘journeyman’

“I don’t see it as having a

negative connotation. My

route was not a textbook,

schoolboy-academy route.”

Paul Doran Jones

“It’s what my career morphed

into. It is who I am.”

Jamie Hagan

“I work, I provide for my family.

I don’t see any negative

connotations or positive ones.”

Michael Bradley

“Players like me, journeymen

of a reasonable standard but

not internationals, certainly not

stars, are hardest to evaluate.”

John Daniell

“I understand the negative

connotations because the ideal

would be to find your level and

call that place your home.”

Sam Katz

“It can mean somebody who

needs new adventures or who

doesn’t cut the grade. Maybe

it’s somewhere between both.”

Phil Pretorius

“You are a Toyota Corolla,

spag bol on a Tuesday night. In

short you are a journeyman”

The Secret Player, P98

WHAT’S IN

A NAME?

Time as a Rebel

Jamie Hagan

Leaving a mark

Doran Jones during one of

his two stints with Gloucester

DID YOU

KNOW?

The 571 players named

in English Premiership

match-day squads last

season were born in 29

different countries and

133 made their debuts.