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Competing with the heavyweights of schools rugby as a comprehensive school is enough of a challenge , but to do it in a part of the country where Rugby League and Football capture the sporting fervour of the young population is close to a miracle, and that is precisely what Len Davies has helped Lymm High School achieve over the decades, leaving him with the apt moniker of ‘Mr Lymm High Rugby’.
Davies is set to retire this summer after 38 years at the school in a stint stretching back to the days when it was known as ‘Lymm Grammar School’, and Football reigned supreme.
“It used to be a Football school when it was Lymm Grammar School, but a new head moved over from Manchester Grammar School and brought in members of staff to introduce rugby, including an ex-Wales international called Danny Harris,” Davies explained.
But it took another 20 years before the school became the beast its been in recent years producing the likes of England International David Strettle, as well as Ross Harrison, Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks), Davies’ son Andy Davies (Newcastle Falcons), more recently James Mitchell (England u20s & Sale Sharks) and a number of age group internationals.
“I took over as head of PE in 1981 and was lucky with the support I had from the members of staff, but the big change came in 1998/1999 when a new head came in who insisted on members of staff having coaching qualifications right across the board, which meant starting from the younger years. It meant the players never plateaued, there was no dip in standard, and by the time we got them in the senior years it was just a case of polishing them a bit.”
There is undoubtedly a tinge of pride in Davies’ voice when he mentions players who have gone on to play at the ‘elite’ end of the game, but far greater reward lays elsewhere.
“It’s great to guys like David, Ross Harrison, My son and Mark Jennings going onto become elite players. But what’s also great for me is to see the number of boys who are representing the local rugby club Lymm. That social link which encourages them to keep playing when they leave school, and know that wherever they go in the world, they can make friends through rugby, and that for me is probably the most important thing.”
Lymm’s most famous rugby son Strettle (pictured below, front row, 4th from left) is a curious point of reference for Davies who remembers a good but not ‘outstanding’ player donning the blue and white shirt.![David Strettle Lymm High School]()
“I guess you could say that although he was very good, he wasn’t one of the outstanding individuals at the school!
“David played for the North of England at school, he then went to Sheffield Hallam University, where he was picked up by Rotherham. He then played for England 7s and it was through that that Quins picked him up.”
But extolling the value of rugby to young students at a state school in the North West doesn’t come without its challenges. Rugby League and Football lurk with a gravitational pull, as well as scholarship offers from the big boarding schools looking to purloin talented players.
“My son played for Warrington Wolves through the age groups, and the problem with Warrington is that they expect the boys to stop playing for their school at a certain point, whereas with Sale, they’re more willing to talk about what’s best for the individual.
“We also have great links with Lymm RFC, and that strong bond means that the boys get a double dose of rugby union. There is a consistency with the sport.
“With Football, it’s not played on Saturday mornings so the sports don’t clash!
“We used to get invitations for midweek games from some of the big boarding schools, but I stopped those fixtures when I found out they were trying to poach our boys. It’s a bit like with Warrington, you don’t want to put the work into developing these boys only for someone else to take them and benefit from it.”
The school has enjoyed plenty of success in national tournaments in recent years. David Strettle featured in the 2000 side which reached the NatWest Cup (then Daily Mail) Vase final, there was the 2006 team which won the Vase.
Then in 2007 the school lifted the u15 Cup with Len’s son Andy (Pictured with trophy below) captaining the side, before winning the u15 Vase in 2010.![Lymm 2007 U15 Daily Mail Cup Winners]()
But when prompted to name the best of the lot, a pause is concluded with mention of the current crop who reached the u18 Cup Quarter-final the last two years.
A side which features talented England u18 and Sale Sharks half backs Alex Mitchell (pictured below) and Mark Dixon, and adopts the school’s running rugby ethos in its purest form.
“I’d say the current team in terms of balance is probably the best side I’ve seen at the school.
“The 2006 vase winning side was a good side, the 2007 u15 cup winning side was also very good (Andy Davies & Mark Jennings), but they were probably more forward orientated which isn’t the traditional Lymm way.![England u18s v France 10]()
“We’ve always encouraged a fluid attacking game of rugby where you only kick in your twenty two if you have to, it’s almost frowned upon to kick, and sometimes it can run us into trouble as happended in the first half against Oundle (Oundle beat Lymm in the NatWest Schools Cup Quarter-final recently). But it’s all about 15 boys enjoying their rugby.”
VIDEO: LYMM HIGH V OUNDLE HIGHLIGHTS 2015 >>>
On Dixon and the Mitchell brothers Davies added:“They’re exceptional talents, and I can remember they played together in the same side on the South Africa tour.
“We played Monument High School’s u17 side who were national champions the year before and we beat them, they had never been beaten on their own patch and the three of them were outstanding. It’s pleasing to see the level they’re at, and hopefully they’ll be given more opportunities, but they’re also great ambassadors and nice young men.”
What does the future hold for rugby at Lymm with Davies’ imminent departure?
“At this moment in time with the financial constraints within education, it’s harder to find those members of staff who aren’t just outstanding in the classroom, but who can be outstanding outside of it too.
“It means we have to rely that much more on parents and the local rugby club Lymm who are great, but it means there isn’t that member of staff looking after every age group like we once had
“We have a new head coming in who’s an ex-Hockey international, so hopefully he’ll be keen on the extra-curricular side.”
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