Rugby World UK – July 2019

(Rick Simeone) #1
Age 19 (10 Dec 1999) Born Bath Club Bath
Country England Position Centre

W


hat sports did you play
growing up? Hockey,
cricket, football, rugby...
I started rugby at six or
seven with Bath minis,
my local club, and we played on an
outfield that backed onto the Rec. I
didn’t enjoy it at the start – I was shy
and didn’t know anyone – so I stopped
playing for a year or so, then my mum
got me to go back and make friends.
What do you like about rugby? Just the
whole culture, being part of a group, the
feeling you get winning with your mates.
Who was your childhood hero? Jonny
Wilkinson was for every kid my age. At
Bath, there are players who have been
there since I was growing up, so those
are boys I look up to, like Tom Dunn.
What positions have you played? I had
a season at scrum-half, but the majority
of my career has been at fly-half, and
I’ve played centre and full-back. I’ve
actually played everywhere in the
back-line and I’m comfortable moving
around, but I think I’ll settle at ten or 12.
What are your strengths? Probably
having an influence on the team and
being in the playmaking role. I enjoy
chucking the ball and moving it out wide.
Who’s been the biggest influence on
you? There’s not one single person, just
my family – all with different aspects.
My brothers used to go into the garden
chucking a ball around, the three of us
together. Mum would drive me to games
in the middle of nowhere when I was
younger. Dad (ex-England captain Phil
de Glanville) used to chat to me about
the game and give me a helping hand.
My older brother,
Jake, is at Durham
University – he has
a passion for music


  • and my little brother,
    Ollie, is in the junior
    academy at Bath.
    What do you do away
    from rugby? I’m
    studying biology at
    Leeds University. I’m
    on loan at Otley there.
    Playing in National
    Two has been great,
    allowing me to ease
    into men’s rugby.


2


TOM DE


GLANVILLE


RW VERDICT


De Glanville is
preparing well for
rugby by developing
at Otley and preparing
well for life after
rugby with a degree.
After competing for
England U20 at the
World Cup, his focus
will turn to pre-season
and pushing for
game time at Bath.

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