One of the old rugby maxims is ‘you can never have too many prop forwards’. This has been well and truly tested by recent events at Fylde.
The squad started the 2021-22 campaign with four principal props, all young and talented prospects being developed under the expert eye of Joint Head Coach Alex Loney – Matt Ashcroft, Zack Barrow (up from the Hawks in 2019-20), returning to his old club Sam Kyle-Clay, and newcomer, another former KGS student, Corey Bowker. In the early weeks of the season they were rotated and looked a strong quartet who would quickly settle to the demands of National Two (North).
The first setback was a painful injury to Matt Ashcroft picked up against Bournville at the Woodlands in October. A couple of weeks later ahead of the trip to Sheffield Tigers Zack Barrow suffered an injury and inexperienced Ethan Hulme was called up from the Hawks to cover. To bolster the depleted squad, former skipper Adam Lewis came out of retirement to help and was one of the replacements against Hull Ionians at the Woodlands. He not only saw 2nd half action but also scored a close quarters try.
At Luctonians at the end of November Sam Kyle-Clay was the next injury victim. Facing the prospect of the visit of league leaders Stourbridge to the Woodlands, the only reasonably experienced available prop was Corey Bowker. Fortunately, Matt Ashcroft had recovered sufficiently to be named amongst the replacements. However, emergency action by the rugby management was necessary to bolster the squad and another former KGS student, a team mate of Bowker, was identified. Joe Higgins is a member of Lymm RUFC and with the assistance of the Cheshire club he was signed on a loan basis for games in December and his registration was rushed through last Friday.
Joe duly took his place in the starting line-up against Stour in the awful wind and rain – and did very well in the most testing of circumstances, lasting the whole game against one of the biggest and most experienced front rows in N2(N). Props Stefan Thorp and Mark George, plus hooker Jack Lea, are a huge unit and they have dominated most opponents to date.
So who is Joe Higgins? We caught up with him after the Stour game.
“I played rugby league from a young age and only started playing union when I went to Bridgewater High School in Warrington before moving to Kirkham Grammar School for the 6th Form where I became a room mate of Corey. My junior club rugby was played at Warrington RUFC and I was also part of the Sale Sharks Academy set-up. I moved to Lymm RUFC during the first lockdown and have played four games for the 1st XV but mainly games in the 2nds.”
The Higgins family has a rich history at Lymm RUFC with his grand parents both stalwarts of the club in the 70’s and 80’s so it was a natural move for him to join the senior squad there. Joe has a younger brother, Will, a talented young hooker, on the same upward rugby career track.
“I really enjoyed Saturday against Stourbridge. It was a big step up for me but the lads helped out massively and made it easier. It was very interesting learning all the line out calls just before the game but the coaches helped a lot. They got me down early and walked through everything. The scrum was tough against an experienced prop but was a good challenge to try and show what I can do!”
