Rugby World UK – July 2019

85

S THEY emerge from the changing

block, laughter erupts from the mouths

of all observers. The trio of Frampton

Cotterell players were clearly aiming for

this reaction when they opted to pull

shirts numbered 15, 13 and 11 over their

middle-aged frames. These days none

of them would wear a shirt number

higher than eight in a match, but for this

Rugby World photo shoot they wanted

to raise a few smiles, with the skintight

material – a sharp contrast to the heavy

cotton jerseys they wore when starting

out – riding up over a couple of bellies.

“I can’t breath,” says one.

“It’s like a corset,” says another.

Once they have changed into

better-fitting shirts, our photographer

Grass Roots

Words Sarah Mockford// Pictures Andrew Sydenham

Longevity is the name of the game at Frampton Cotterell RFC.

Rugby World meets three players who have reached a significant

milestone in the community game – 800 matches of senior rugby

A

club

The