My guest this week is Jack Vass, a young English rugby player who grew up in Kent, came through the Saracens Academy and is now playing with the Espoirs at Toulouse. Jack has previously appeared on the Amateur Rugby Podcast as a French rugby analyst, but this time we're talking about his own journey through the game.
Jack's route has been anything but straightforward. He moved away from home as a teenager to attend Trinity School, dealt with significant periods of injury, continued his studies and eventually made his way to France, where he has experienced a very different approach to developing and playing rugby.
We talked about:
Growing up in Kent and the influence of Jack's dad
The kicking sessions that became a foundation of his game
How playing football helped develop his rugby
Moving away from home at 15/16 to attend Trinity
Why France was always part of Jack's plan
The differences between English and French rugby
Keeping the ball alive and playing through contact
Why French rugby has helped develop his offloading game
Dealing with injuries and setbacks
Balancing university with rugby in France
His plans for his final year at Toulouse
I particularly enjoyed the discussion about the differences between the two rugby cultures. Jack isn't simply saying that one is better than the other. He's describing what he has learned from being exposed to both, and how that has changed the way he plays.
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