By Simon Thomas
Alun Lawrence is proof that a lot can happen in 12 months in the life of a professional rugby player.
When he helped Cardiff Rugby secure a BKT United Rugby Championship victory over the Scarlets a fortnight ago, it coincided with a telling anniversary.
“That was a year exactly from when Jersey went into liquidation,” he explains.
The back row forward had joined the Channel Island club from Cardiff on loan at the start of 2022 and then signed a permanent deal.
He went on to play a key part in them lifting the English Championship trophy in April 2023, only for the club to collapse five months later.
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That left him facing a very uncertain future and questioning whether he might have to call it a day.
Happily, Cardiff came calling and he is now flourishing in his second spell at the club, as he looks forward to Saturday’s Arms Park rematch with the Scarlets.
It’s all a far cry from what he was going through a year ago in the wake of Jersey Reds going under.
“That was an incredibly difficult time,” he admits.
“You are in the complete dark and the unknown about what’s going to happen and where you are going to go. That went on for about two months.
“The first four weeks or so, I just didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know if I wanted to play rugby again. I had fallen out of love with it a little bit.
“I actually visited schools on the island thinking I might go into some sort of teaching or coaching role and just part ways with rugby from a playing aspect completely.
“But, luckily enough, I had a lot of support around me from my girlfriend, my family and friends.
“I was only 25 at the time and they convinced me I still had a lot left in the tank and something to contribute in the game.
“Then I got the opportunity to come back to Cardiff which was fantastic. It sort of turned my career around.
“I will always be so grateful for that opportunity.”
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Now some ten months into his second stay at the Arms Park, he has begun the new season with a bang, figuring in all three URC games and starting the last two at No 8.
“You come so close, you think ‘Shall I pack it in?’ and then you get the opportunity to keep going, you can’t take that for granted,” he said.
“You want to work hard because you never know what is going to happen.
“I suppose that’s the weird beauty of professional sport, you are not sure what’s round the corner, you don’t know what’s coming next. So you’ve got to enjoy every moment and I am enjoying myself big-time at the minute.
“Just the realisation that the Scarlets game was exactly a year on and to share in that performance was pretty special as a full circle kind of thing. It was pretty surreal.
“It’s the polar opposite to how I was feeling 12 months ago. I’ve gone from thinking I wasn’t going to play again to now enjoying my rugby ten-fold. It’s been crazy really, a whirlwind.”
Choosing the first choice Cardiff back row when everyone is fit is some challenge.
6: Botham, Mann, Donnell
7. Thomas Young, Dan Thomas
8. Faletau, Mackenzie Martin, Alun Lawrence— Simon Thomas Rugby (@simonrug) October 1, 2024
The 26-year-old added: “I think I have come back a better player. I learned a lot in the Championship.
“I wasn’t playing as regularly as I would have liked to the first time round at Cardiff, so to go to Jersey and be the starting No 8, playing week-in week-out, you are always going to improve through being on the paddock. I have grown a lot as a player and probably a lot as a person as well.”
Lawrence has also shown he is a man of many parts since his return, stepping in as an emergency hooker against Glasgow Warriors last weekend following injuries to Liam Belcher and Evan Lloyd. He made a good fist of it too, with a four out of four return from his throwing-in at the lineout.
“I wasn’t involved in any jumping role, so it maybe made sense for me to have a go at it,” he said.
“I did a little bit in school, throwing towards the basketball hoop at lunchtime. But, in terms of my extensive training at throwing, it’s pretty limited!
“A lot of credit has to go to Teddy Williams as a lineout caller. He kept them as simple as he could for me. He called a lot towards the front which I was very grateful for!”
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