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RUGBY UNION Horwill plays it by the books for new chapter after professional days

The former Australia captain talks in depth to MARK TAYLOR. from sport, but I think having at the start of term. to observe and absorb the cultural something to retire to is helpful, Some may have come from elements and expectations of ife was very different for watched that much rugby,” says Background reading, but also in an aspect that having professional academies, while Cambridge. James Horwill the last the 34-year-old lock. “I’ve watched assessments, assignments, note- something to give you a bit of others may have just played for fun His priority has been to “only time he played at a few Quins games – I went to one a taking and preparing for lectures flexibility,” he says. or at school. add impact where it’s useful, not Twickenham. couple of weeks ago – but I haven’t now fill his days as he studies an “You speak to a lot of guys that “It’s a big mix of people,” says just talking for the sake of talking. LIt was on June 2, and he was really watched too many just executive MBA. went straight into something just Horwill, “but the skill has I’ve tried to make sure I don’t captaining the Barbarians to a 51-43 through doing other things. It is a course that has opened up because they wanted to go into definitely improved throughout the speak too much but whatever I do win over on England XV in his “You keep across the scores and a different world far away from the anything. year. say has a purpose and a reason”. farewell from the professional game. see where it’s all going, but you life of the pro game. “They didn’t like what they were “I think the standard is strong, He added: “Steve is the captain Horwill heads back to HQ don’t have the time to anaylse it.” “I think it is one of the best parts doing but were stuck doing but it’s a uni rugby side. We’re not and that’s the way it should be. He tomorrow with Cambridge We are meeting during a rare about it,” he says. “You do meet something for two years they pretending to be professional outfit has done a great job, I think, so it’s University to face Oxford in the gap in Horwill’s diary as he interesting people but the life of hated, and that didn’t help their or a semi-professional outfit, we’re about helping him but also about Varsity Match, but in just 192 days, balances family life and hitting the being a professional rugby player transition. a university side and I think we go leadership.” so much has already changed since books. is in a bubble. “It’s been good for me, but it quite well as a uni team.” It is fitting and poignant that in he brought down the curtain on a It is in part coincidence that the “It’s been great to go in and might not work for everyone.” There have been times during the same year Horwill wins his 15-year professional career. venue is one Cambridge spend time with people that have a Making that transition even the build-up matches to the Varsity first Cambridge Blue, it marks the “I’ve hardly institution, Fitzbillies, to discuss completely different mindset and comes down to the simplest things, that you would give a penny for the 10-year anniversary since another two others, the University of done some amazing things. It and Horwill admits that one of the thoughts of Horwill. great Australian, Dan Vickerman, Cambridge and Cambridge makes you feel you haven’t actually biggest tasks is just organising life. Viewing from the stands has led Cambridge to victory at University RUFC. done that much. Managing time becomes a big brought its own levels of Twickenham in 2009. But convenience was a “I played sport for 15 years thing as, in his own words, frustration during the term, but Horwill and Vickerman were compelling draw – Horwill has professionally, but these people “professional sportsmen have both of Cambridge’s internationals club team-mates and then second- swapped the wide open expanses of have found things to cure diseases, more time on their hands than have been the embodiment of row partners for Australia at the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford as others have done amazing work when you’re not”. calmness and patience. 2011 Rugby World Cup, but his office for the Old through science or business. “It sounds quite basic but in It may be a conscious effort at Vickerman was forced to retire Addenbrooke’s Site of the Judge “A lot of people are very professional sport, you get told times, but Horwill explains that it through injury a year later and in Business School on Trumpington interested in the world of where you need to be, at what time, is about understanding the squad 2017 died by suicide. Street. professional sport because across what you need to wear and what and that one game matters more “He was a fantastic rugby player There has been little chance to the board it’s quite a public you’re doing,” he explains. than any other – which took a and spoke so highly of this place,” think of the life left behind, with profession. People want to know “You basically don’t have to while to get used to after a career said Horwill, who is the recipient any spare time dedicated to his how it works, what it’s really like. think. when winning every game was all of the second Dan Vickerman wife and one-year-old daughter. “It works both ways, and I think “You come out, and it’s up to important. Scholarship and was presented And of course, the odd rugby that’s the great thing about the your own thoughts. It’s definitely a “Sometimes these guys put a lot with the award by Vickerman’s match here and there, but now course and Cambridge, challenge because it’s different to of pressure on themselves because widow Sarah and two sons. back as an amateur. particularly the diversity. what you’ve done and about they want to get this game coming “What happened was incredibly What is immediately striking is “They really promote that managing your time.” up, and it’s such a big game and it’s sad. Like we talked about before, how much the new way of life diverseness for people to work with In a slightly different way, it is of huge importance to them, and to the transition is difficult. Even the appears to suit Horwill. each other from different these type of life lessons that me,” says Horwill. people who you think are most If you did not know his backgrounds to help each other.” members of Cambridge’s squad, “They over pressurise prepared struggle. I think that’s background or rugby Horwill was clearly focused on which has many undergraduates themselves so me getting important to understand. heritage, the 6ft 7in what his next steps would be after and an average age in the low 20s, frustrated is not going to help the “He had such a big impact on the strapping Australian retirement, but it is a difficult are also figuring out. situation. I try to drive the club, you can tell by the way people would be just subject and one which can cause Husband and father Horwill and standards as much as possible but speak of him that were around another of the struggles. fellow second row and former you need to work out how that’s when he was here. legion of He describes the transition from international Flip van der Merwe done and the way we go about it. “He was a great man and since academics in professional sport as being are further along in their life “It was given to me pretty early he’s passed, you can understand the city. complex, and says that having experiences. on – ‘there is one game that the impact he’s had on a lot of something to get his teeth into, and But the age range is nothing new matters, so just worry about the people not only on the rugby field put his energy towards, has been as Horwill was 32 when Marcus one game that matters’.” but off it. ideal. Smith broke into the Harlequins In order to achieve that goal, “Hopefully, we can emulate a “I think everyone is different first-team squad aged 18. Horwill has been there to support little bit of what he was able to when it comes to transitioning The difference is the broad range captain Stephen Leonard if and achieve, particularly in the Varsity of abilities and rugby backgrounds when required, but has been keen Match.”

MARK TAYLOR talks pleasantly surprised with the set-up her toes, and she relishes having a nearly as focused.” Grant bidding to make it second time lucky at Twickenham here,” explains Grant. full plate. Sharing the travelling workload to to a former Scotland “They obviously don’t have the “I find that if I have a sports Saracens has also helped, with Michaelmas Term in Cambridge “It’s pretty unique, and not a to view it in the context of At Durham, it is one of the largest depth yet but it’s something they’re schedule then it means I’m much Bluebell Nicholls also on the books under-18 ace making University’s build-up to the Women’s situation I thought I would be in – the history of the match women’s university rugby working on. more productive with my studies of the Southgate-based side. Varsity Match. it’s in different contexts, I think,” that has come before. programmes in the country at the “They’ve got a big dev squad this because I know I have a finite It has given the duo time to learn an impact at the Blues. The style and ability was evident she says. “I hadn’t moment. year, with a huge turn-out of girls, amount of time so I’ve got to use it to understand each other, and they from the off in the Light Blues’ first “With Durham, it was a appreciated what They have three teams in the and Bryony (Warnock-Horn) is well,” she says. will be looking to put that to the test hen Coreen Grant walks pre-season game in September, first. We had never made it it meant to get a BUCS league – the first being in the working really hard on the college “With English, I don’t have many against Oxford tomorrow. out of the Twickenham which was ironically against that far before so it was Blue before I came National division - and a host of side of things to try to get that up contact hours so it’s a lot of self- “It’s been great as a centre tunnel tomorrow, it will Durham University, her alma huge for the club and we here and how many college teams that act as a feeder and running. discipline and motivation to do my partnership having her at both be retracing the mater. knew Exeter were going people I’ve talked to system for the club. “I think the big difference is that own solitary study. Saracens and Cambridge to work Wfootsteps of the spring. Now studying an MPhil in to be really strong have said we used to “It’s been fairly advanced for a for the Cambridge team, the Varsity “If I have training to look forward out how to not just play together but Time has not stood still for the English at Corpus Christi, Grant competition. go to the Varsity Match back in the while and since my first year there, is the focus which wasn’t something to in the evening, then I get a much as people as well. Like how to deal 21-year-old centre in either her had done her undergraduate degree “It was about the best day. it’s grown hugely as well,” says I had appreciated at all.” more productive day done in the with stress, whether we are chatty academic or rugby pursuits, and in at Durham and helped them reach of university rugby that “It’s such a big day out and it Grant. Something that is very much the library. or withdraw into ourselves,” says little more than eight months, she their first BUCS Championship there was in the country, has so much rivalry that I hadn’t “It’s become a lot more of an elite same is striking the right balance “It helps to structure my days and Grant. will be once again be representing final in April, when they ended up and a complete anticipated. I think with the performance centre.” between work and play. it’s also such a stress relief. “If something goes wrong on the her educational institution at losing 30-26 to the University of showcase for Varsity, the important thing is the In contrast, Cambridge are Not only is Grant studying for her “If you’ve had a tough day in the pitch, how to deal with it. English rugby’s HQ. Exeter. women’s rugby and coverage it gets for women’s rugby.” making big strides to develop the MPhil and representing Cambridge, office then just forgetting about for “It’s been really good having that Coreen Grant in action for And this time, she will be aiming The former Scotland under-18 being the best. There is a big difference between game at the university, and trying to she is also training and playing for a while, having a head space that is relationship at Cambridge and Cambridge University RUFC to leave with a win. international is now heading back to “Whereas with the two clubs, Durham and extend their reach into the colleges. Saracens Women. completely separate is good. I find Saracens and hopefully that will women’s team against Swansea Grant has caught the eye this Twickenham with the Light Blues. Cambridge, I have Cambridge, as well. “I’ve actually been really The busy schedule keeps her on when I’m not exercising I’m not translate on the pitch.” Picture: Ben Phillips