CCCU Men’s Rugby Facts:
Founded in: 1990’s
Number of teams: 4
Management Team: Olly Day, President
Current number of members: 82
How to join: Facebook message Olly Day or enquire within the SU
Olly Day is President of CCCU’s Men’s Rugby. He’s 21 and from St Bury Edmunds, UK.
Olly, when did you join the rugby team and what is your position?
I joined the Rugby Club in my first year, so September 2011. My favoured position is Fly Half (Number 10) but I have also played a few games this year at Centre.
What made you decide to become President?
Ultimately I decided that I wanted to become president because I am very passionate about sport and especially Rugby. As myself and a few others were concerned with how certain aspects of the club were run, I decided that the only way possible to change that was to stand to be elected president and then once elected I could change things for I what I believe have been for the better.
Is rugby your passion in life, if so why?
I wouldn’t say rugby is my only passion in life; however it is one of few. From what possibly started as just been fully rugby-orientated, it has transpired more into a passion for the club as a whole and ensuring that everything can run as smoothly as possible.
Tell us a little bit about what being President of the Men’s Rugby team entails.
Being President of rugby has involved me organising a vast array of things from kit (both Varsity and League) to arranging Tour for 25 guys during the Easter Holidays. Most of my time is spent dealing with questions from the members which I am always more than happy to do but ultimately trying to help anyone with any problems rugby related is what I try to achieve
Being President must involve a lot of extra work around your studies: how do you manage your time?
Well unfortunately I probably haven’t managed my time so successfully and am paying for it now with my current pile of university work. However that was the choice I made and to be honest I still have plenty of time to catch up but now that the bulk of issues and work rugby related are over, I can just focus on my work for the time being.
We’ve just finished Varsity 2014, in the lead up to Varsity; did you have any motivational phrases or activities you did with the teams?
In the build up to Varsity we try and focus everything we usually do i.e. fitness and own personal training around Varsity as this is probably the most heavily focussed match of the whole year. Usually, although not compulsory but we suggest a non-alcohol drinking policy from anytime between a month and 2 weeks before Varsity and on the whole, most of the guys are supportive of this and as a result we can then hope for a successful varsity for Men’s Rugby.
Your teams have been quite successful lately, is there anything that helped you and the teams prepare for the games that is specific to CCCU?
Having the extra fitness sessions in the sports centre have been paramount to our success, also the hard work that Antonia Dyson does within the SU is testament to the rearranged fixtures that we are able to play and the arrangement of transport to get us to games.
Finally, do you have a motto?
Although we don’t have a motto as such, a few of the boys like to coin the phrase used by one of our Freshers as ‘No Surrender’ which I suppose is relevant when playing a combat sport such as Rugby.
If you would like to know more about CCCU Men’s Rugby, you can email them: cccumensrugby@gmail.com; check out their Twitter: @c4_rugby, or follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canterbury-Christ-Church-University-Mens-Rugby/71931293789.
They even have their own website! http://www.cccumensrugby.co.uk