halfway line and waited for our entrance. Fireworks went off and we began our descent. Itâs the first time ever Iâve been quicker than Rob at anything. Before I knew it, I hit the turf of the Millennium Stadium. I donât think that patch of ground has been right since!
The match itself was an absolute joy. It was great because I got to play on the same side as both my brothers, Craig and Gavin â the only time ever all three of us have been on the same side.
Weâd arranged something even better for the last two minutes. My father, who had been team manager, and my son Steele, who was six at the time, came on to the field. It was an extra-special moment. There we were, five Quinnells, all on the same side, all wearing number eight.
We packed down for a scrum on the 22 metre line for the last move of the game. Kieran Bracken fed the ball, my father picked up and passed to Alex King. Steele, who up âtil now had shown little interest in rugby, had positioned himself correctly and took a pass from King. He ran toward the try line, only to be faced by the mighty frame of Salesi Finau.
The Tongan, 5' 10" tall and 5' 10" wide, tried to get out of the way but couldnât. If Iâd done what Steele did next, Iâd probably be still be playing now. He looked up and passed straight to Finau, who, panicking, threw it straight back. My father and I together picked Steele up and carried him over to touch down and score.
I think after the match Steele signed more autographs than any of us. It was to be the last time Iâd ever put my boots on for a match. It was so good to be able to share that moment with my family.
Chapter Fifteen
At school, rugby had been my salvation. It was something I could do which wasnât hindered by my learning difficulties.
Itâs interesting when I look back now, because I can see the ways in which I consciously and unconsciously dealt with my problems through rugby.
Of course, it helps if youâre doing something that you are interested in. Since leaving the game, Iâve met so many people with learning difficulties who are immensely talented in different fields, whether it be music, art or sport. Like me, they all found an interest and pursued their goal. Many were diagnosed early and coped with their problems whilst focusing on their interests.
But so many have similar stories to mine. Their schooling was a time when they felt completely isolated. Like me, they found solace in the things that interested them while their education suffered.
In rugby I quickly learnt that any lapse in concentration could result in me getting my head knocked off. Thatâs something that has helped me focus a fair bit! On the park I found it helped to break the game up into small sections to allow me to concentrate on one phase of play at a time. Sometimes it would help to play from whistle to whistle, although this very much depended on who was refereeing the game that day. An open, flowing game might be great to watch, but played havoc with my concentration levels!
As soon as one phase was over I wouldnât dwell on it. Once finished I knew I couldnât affect what had happened, so I cleared it from my mind. Then I would be fresh for the next phase.
As I moved on and the game became more professional, I found myself in team meetings and the like. Unlike at school, I made sure that for these I was right in front. Maintaining eye contact with the coach whilst he spoke helped me to avoid drifting off.
In the latter years at Llanelli I was required to keep a diary, recording my diet, exercise and general thoughts on the game. This was left to Nicola. In rugby as well as outside of it I had support. At Llanelli, if, after a group discussion between the forwards, things had to be written up on the board, Robin McBryde was magnificent. He understood, and would do it for me.
When I had a go at coaching Llanelli after retirement, I was sure never to put myself in a
The match itself was an absolute joy. It was great because I got to play on the same side as both my brothers, Craig and Gavin â the only time ever all three of us have been on the same side.
Weâd arranged something even better for the last two minutes. My father, who had been team manager, and my son Steele, who was six at the time, came on to the field. It was an extra-special moment. There we were, five Quinnells, all on the same side, all wearing number eight.
We packed down for a scrum on the 22 metre line for the last move of the game. Kieran Bracken fed the ball, my father picked up and passed to Alex King. Steele, who up âtil now had shown little interest in rugby, had positioned himself correctly and took a pass from King. He ran toward the try line, only to be faced by the mighty frame of Salesi Finau.
The Tongan, 5' 10" tall and 5' 10" wide, tried to get out of the way but couldnât. If Iâd done what Steele did next, Iâd probably be still be playing now. He looked up and passed straight to Finau, who, panicking, threw it straight back. My father and I together picked Steele up and carried him over to touch down and score.
I think after the match Steele signed more autographs than any of us. It was to be the last time Iâd ever put my boots on for a match. It was so good to be able to share that moment with my family.
Chapter Fifteen
At school, rugby had been my salvation. It was something I could do which wasnât hindered by my learning difficulties.
Itâs interesting when I look back now, because I can see the ways in which I consciously and unconsciously dealt with my problems through rugby.
Of course, it helps if youâre doing something that you are interested in. Since leaving the game, Iâve met so many people with learning difficulties who are immensely talented in different fields, whether it be music, art or sport. Like me, they all found an interest and pursued their goal. Many were diagnosed early and coped with their problems whilst focusing on their interests.
But so many have similar stories to mine. Their schooling was a time when they felt completely isolated. Like me, they found solace in the things that interested them while their education suffered.
In rugby I quickly learnt that any lapse in concentration could result in me getting my head knocked off. Thatâs something that has helped me focus a fair bit! On the park I found it helped to break the game up into small sections to allow me to concentrate on one phase of play at a time. Sometimes it would help to play from whistle to whistle, although this very much depended on who was refereeing the game that day. An open, flowing game might be great to watch, but played havoc with my concentration levels!
As soon as one phase was over I wouldnât dwell on it. Once finished I knew I couldnât affect what had happened, so I cleared it from my mind. Then I would be fresh for the next phase.
As I moved on and the game became more professional, I found myself in team meetings and the like. Unlike at school, I made sure that for these I was right in front. Maintaining eye contact with the coach whilst he spoke helped me to avoid drifting off.
In the latter years at Llanelli I was required to keep a diary, recording my diet, exercise and general thoughts on the game. This was left to Nicola. In rugby as well as outside of it I had support. At Llanelli, if, after a group discussion between the forwards, things had to be written up on the board, Robin McBryde was magnificent. He understood, and would do it for me.
When I had a go at coaching Llanelli after retirement, I was sure never to put myself in a
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