His
introduction to rugby football was with the rural North Tawton club, where father
Edward and an uncle played, it also a favourite 'tour' venue for our Reserve teams
in decades past!
Richard moved to nearby
Okehampton to play his junior rugby - a club that produced Leicester and England
prop forward Julian White. Spotted as a talented and developing young player he
was invited to become a member of the South West of England Rugby Academy (SWERA)
based at Exeter, and was guided by Craig Townsend, brother of Scotland's Gregor.
He
played for England at 16 and 18 Group levels, combining academic studies with
the rugby academy training.
Joining
Exeter Chiefs, Richard played against us in September, 2005, coming off the bench
as a seventeen-year-old! After being an understudy at Exeter to Kevin Barrett
in 2006-07, his move to the Cornish Pirates provides the opportunity for the gifted
young Devonian to challenge for a regular first team place as he continues his
rugby development in a move across the Tamar.
He
was a member of the Devon squad that beat Lancashire 27-6 in the 2006-07 season
County Championship Final at Twickenham, his appearance as a replacement immediately
setting up a try for Regardt Van Eyck, which put the result beyond doubt.
Highlights
for Richard have been winning the Daily Mail Cup in 2005 with Exeter College,
who beat St. Peter's, York, in the final, and helping England U19s to third place
in the 2006 World Championships contested in Dubai.
