From playing barefoot rugby in South Africa to battling in England‘s west country of Gloucester, tyro Gareth Blackmore has already enjoyed quite the rugby journey.
The 18-year-old, who has recently transferred from back row to hooker, grew up near Durban before moving to Cape Town in 2013 and captained prestigious rugby school Rondebosch Boys breaking numerous 1st XV records.
Blackmore was subsequently selected for Western Province Schools in South Africa’s provincial tournament, The Craven Week, which his Western Province side won.
“When I was younger we always played barefoot,” said Blackmore. “Even when we had cold mornings where your toes would have frozen on the frosty pitch, there were never boots involved. I found it really fun and was one of the best times playing rugby with no stresses because you could do whatever you want. Being a kid throwing the ball around is where I got my love for the game.”
However, due to South Africa’s suffering economy Blackmore has made the move to Gloucester.
He said: “I sat down with my dad and we discussed the best path forward. Gloucester approached me, offered a contract and I thought trying something new at a young age will be good for me. I’d been in South Africa my whole life and to learn a different style of rugby I knew would be amazing.
“They were very welcoming from the get go and were always communicating with me and showing me how much they wanted me. The weather is very different, I came in December last year flying on Christmas Day. They didn’t want me to play for the rest of last season, so I played at Stourbridge for a bit of fun but have now gone through preseason and into the BUCS programme. They are happy with how things are going, I just need to perform and prove to them I’m a worthy player.”
Blackmore, who is 6ft and 16st but hopes to increase his weight by a stone, is also playing for BUCS Super Rugby side Hartpury University at the start of this season and hopes with him being English qualified that he can attract the attention of the U20s selectors.
He said: “I’ve got a few minutes so far in BUCS but I want to get my name out there more. Coming from a different country it can be difficult to get your name out there but I just need to be patient and let my rugby do the talking.
“Hopefully I can be able to play age grade rugby which is at a high pace and is physical. I want to become a better athlete. I can play for both South Africa and England, most probably England while I’m here and contracted but either way whatever happens I can go back and forth because I have a Visa that allows me to play for England.
“They announced the England U20s high performance squad recently but unfortunately I wasn’t selected. I just don’t think I’ve been playing enough. Consistently I want to play BUCS Super Rugby and get my lineouts going. If I gain some weight I feel that can benefit me a lot more. I want to build some connections and become more skillful.”
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