On
leaving Leicester, Peter played against the Pirates twice when with Nottingham
in 2005-06, him rated as one of the very best props in the league, and he also
appeared against us again when on loan to the 'Green & Whites' at Meadow Lane
in November, 2006.
He
started playing rugby with Broadstreet at the tender age of 5, a club which also
produced Adam Balding who, incidentally, had also gone to the same school as Peter
- Caludon Castle, Coventry. It was from there that he was selected for England
Schools 16 Group, playing in the same team as Cornishmen Adryan Winnan and Jason
Hobson, plus former 'Pirate' Ryan Peacey.
He
wrote to Leicester asking for a trial, proudly becoming a Tiger, and also later
attending Loughborough College part-time, successfully completing a course on
physical training.
The
Cook family, with teacher parents Ken and Sue keen on the outdoor life, have often
visited Cornwall over the years, staying at Lower Treave, St. Buryan, occasions
which gave Peter the opportunity to pursue his surfing hobby at such wonderful
beaches as Sennen and Gwenver. He also remembers watching his home city of Coventry
playing a pre-season 'friendly' at the Mennaye Field when on holiday in 1998,
not realising then that he would one day play for us.
Any
stay in Cornwall was always a highlight, but on the rugby front his outstanding
personal memory is enjoying the experience of entering a changing room alongside
such world greats as Martin Johnson and Josh Kronfeld on that occasion when he
was about to play his first game for the Tigers. Special? Yes, that had to be!
