Anthony Lavers Ventnor RFC Player
Name
Anthony Lavers
Team Nickname/s
Anton
The year joined Ventnor RFC and started playing
1976
What’s the primary position you played at Ventnor RFC?
Back row forward
Other positions you played at Ventnor RFC?
Full-back
Your favourite professional rugby player
Johnny Wilkinson
Your favourite UK rugby club?
Bath RFC
Your favourite international rugby team?
France Rugby
Why did you play rugby?
Fitness, beer and rugby songs. Physicality improved my soccer.
Most enjoyable part of playing rugby?
Fitness, beer (VPA) and rugby songs.
Least enjoyable part of playing rugby?
Training
Who did you love/did you love playing rugby with at Ventnor RFC?
Roger Evans and Len Down were two of the best players I played with in nearly 25 years with 3 clubs. Mickey Burrows was a good captain. Dave Green was a classy centre. Duncan Jones and Bob Milton were stand-out forwards. Max Arthur had great talent. Ceri Williams was one of the fittest flankers I saw.
Most memorable club moment on the pitch and why?
I played in the first Ventnor side to beat the Hurricanes. It was 10-7. They fielded Jon Griffiths a future international. We won the Island Sevens in 1981, beating IWRFC A in the group and thrashing Fareham Heathens in the final. Pace of Marcus Evans was quite an asset.
Least memorable moment at the club (on or off the pitch) and why?
Travelling away one or even two short nearly always spoiled the day. It happened a few times. I could never understand how anyone could do it to their team mates, barring utter disaster. We did have a couple of wins a player short, but usually it meant no chance and a big beating
What’s your most embarrassing moment in rugby?
In the Ventnor 1st XV that mistakenly played Ellingham 2nd XV – and lost. Our 2nds played their 1st XV and lost without dishonour. We just ran onto the wrong pitch and no-one noticed until the match was underway.
Who’s been the biggest influence on you playing rugby?
Dave Ball was a very supportive coach at Ventnor. Gus Baker and Charles Bawdon gave encouragement at Sandown High School. Mickey Burrows was a good captain.
Who at the club would you most like to be stuck in traffic with and why?
Mike Buttle – good fun and good humoured. Roger Evans – brilliant sense of humour.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen or heard on the pitch?
An Esso player after a 2nd XV match excited by a few pints of VPA sliding naked along the muddy surface of the Watcombe pitch like a horizontal surfer
What’s your favourite drink?
VPA
What’s your favourite film?
Chariots of Fire
What’s your favourite song?
Nessun Dorma
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Carry On Films
What do you like to do away from rugby in your spare time??
Tennis
Do you have any hidden talents, if so what?
I’ve sung in choirs at a respectable level
What is your proudest achievement representing Ventnor RFC on or off the field?
I scored a hat-trick of tries for the 1st XV in a 24-20 win against Southampton Colleges playing at flanker. It was the week I got engaged in 1982.
Why you play/ed for Ventnor RFC?
Martin Godden was a partner at Jerome & Co, where my father was senior partner. Martin heard that I was playing at university and I played a few games during vacations in 1975-76.
My very first game was for the Presidents XV v the 1st XV at Ventnor Middle School, when I was still a Sixth Former in 1975.
Other clubs you have played for?
University College London 1975-78 Singapore Cricket Club Rugby Section 1984-87 Abingdon RFC 1989-2002.
Any other sports you play.played?
I played a lot of soccer and cricket. I still play tennis and snookrer
