England’s caretaker rugby coach, Stuart Lancaster, has asked a former army corporal shot in the face while serving in Iraq to address his squad at their Yorkshire training camp next week. The Sunday Times' David Walsh talks to Simon Brown (via paywall).
"Asked what his message to Lancaster’s men would be, Brown told The Sunday Times: “You guys are the cream of the cream of English rugby, you are young, you are talented, player for player you can stand against the best players in the world. But you are also young and you need to learn. So why not go out there and just show what you can do. Be proud to wear your national shirt. Rugby is fun and you are earning money doing what you love to do. How many of us wouldn’t offer up limbs to have the opportunity to put on our national shirt, and you guys have that opportunity.”
"Brown was invited to speak to Warrington’s rugby league team before a 2010 Challenge Cup match, which Warrington won. The club’s coach, Tony Smith, said: “It helped keep us grounded. He’s lost sight in one eye and most of the sight in the other eye and, when you hear those sort of stories, it really comes home to roost. I’m not saying [victory] was all down to Simon Brown but it was worthwhile.”
"Lancaster has also asked Dave Brailsford from cycling and Hugh Morris, managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board, to address the players during the five-day training camp at Leeds."
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