“We know the forwards will always do their job.”
It’s the tongue in cheek comment Bobby Howe has given to me on more than one occasion when I’ve asked him for his thoughts about a forthcoming match. But it’s not without a serious undertone. Blackheath’s pack has developed one of the most formidable and consistent reputations in National League Rugby, and for nearly a decade their current forwards coach has been at the helm.
Bobby Howe has Blackheath running through his veins. Apart from a three-year stint in the US in the late Eighties (he never made it back following a tour to California), the former hooker spent his entire playing career with the Club, notching up nearly 250 appearances, as well as representing England U23 alongside the likes of Stuart Barnes and Dean Richards. Finally hanging up his boots in 1999 after 18-years at rugby’s coalface, he’d thought he’d had enough of the game. “I'd done a bit of coaching with the Blackheath Women's team (where he met his future wife Claire, who played on the wing) but I'd never really thought about it long-term. Then late in 2000 I got a call from my former skipper Chris Kibble."
Kibble had taken charge at a low point in Blackheath's fortunes. Bobby now became part of a management set-up that built a team almost from scratch to first arrest the decline, before winning promotion and establishing Blackheath once again as one of the top 40 clubs in English rugby.
“The pack was lightweight and badly organised and the first job was to bring some cohesion to the set-piece so we could at least compete in that department. That means that although we’ve never had the heaviest set of forwards around we’ve been able to punch above our weight, yet still play a mobile game when the conditions allow.”
As for recruitment of players, Bobby’s philosophy is simple. “It’s a case of relying on what you know and see for yourself rather than what you hear from other people. We never had the desire (or the budget) to bring in big names. We identified key players to build around and over the years we’ve had some great stalwarts. Early on it was Dom Walton and Alex Natera and now we have a core group of loyal players: Ali Vanner, Tom Bason, Des Brett, Simon Legg, Neil Dewale, all with around 150 First XV appearances. Dave Allen could easily have gone on to play at a higher level but has decided to stay loyal to Blackheath and now we have a crop of talented youngsters coming through like Jack Knight, James Cleverley, James Catt and Harry Allen.”
And Bobby is quick to point out that the coaching aspect is not a one-man show. "I've had great support from Andy Wolstenholme. Andy was my predecessor as hooker and came into the management set up around the same time as me. Because he's not so prominent at matches, people don't realise the huge amount of work he puts in behind the scenes."
But although Bobby is keen to spread the credit around, his boss Yusuf Ibrahim has no doubts about where a majority of the praise should go. "I've been with Blackheath for five years now and my respect for Bobby has grown and grown" said the Club's Director of Rugby. "His technical analysis and dedication to the task is second to none." Now, at the close of his ninth season as forwards head, Bobby is part of a coaching team comprising virtually all former Blackheath men. Is having former playing contemporaries around him a good thing? “Oh absolutely! There’s a huge amount of trust and we’re very open with each other. We communicate very freely.”
Rugby is a huge part of Bobby’s life but away from the game the 47-year old has his hands full too. “With Claire having a busy career, most of my time is devoted to our children Molly and Thomas. I’m looking forward to the summer when I can be with them more, but come the new season I’ll be raring to go again. It’s a great life.”
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