I know firsthand how tough this path can be for young players chasing their dreams, and for the parents who walk it with them. I’ve lived it myself as a player, and now I see those same battles through the eyes of a dad. The excitement, the pressure, the doubts, it’s real on both sides! 

As a teenager, I was constantly told I was too small to make it. Trial days filled me with anxiety, and just when I built momentum, injuries would hit at the worst possible times. Somehow, I kept battling. I pushed my way through the trial system and earned a spot with England U18’s… eventually finding out there was no professional contract.

So I left school and went to Durham University, thinking rugby would stay in the background. But fate had other plans. During a Yorkshire U20’s game, I caught the eye of the Sale Sharks academy manager, who, truth be told, had actually come to watch someone else play. I made an impression that day, and by the end of the summer pre-season, I was offered a contract.

Three months later, I was starting ahead of a former Fijian international fly-half. A year on, right around my 21st birthday, I made my England debut. It was a whirlwind, and perhaps something that looked like a dream come true from the outside.

But here’s the truth I didn’t realise at the time: playing professional sport is about far more than what happens on the pitch. The pressure, the doubts, the endless comparisons, especially to someone like Jonny Wilkinson, began to eat away at me. I bottled things up, because like many young players, I didn’t know how to cope with the mental side of the game. I was surviving, but I wasn’t thriving.

That’s when everything shifted. I started reading, learning, and developing my own methods. Not just to cope, but to build genuine confidence and resilience. Those strategies have now become the foundation of what is now the Mindset Academy.

My journey wasn’t the smooth, scripted path that kids (and parents) often imagine. I didn’t glide into professional rugby effortlessly. I stumbled, I struggled, I was overlooked, written off, and knocked down. But I also discovered that with the right mindset, you can rise again and again, stronger each time.

And that’s why I do this now. Because whether you’re a young player dreaming big, or a parent trying to protect and support your child, I understand. I’ve been through it as a professional, and I’ve lived the worries as a dad too.

This journey isn’t easy, but it is possible. Especially with the right tools, the right mindset, and the resilience to push forward when the path gets tough. That’s what I’m here to share, so the next generation doesn’t just survive, but truly thrives and genuinely enjoys rugby for the rest of their lives.