We left Ollie Hoskins having moved from Western Force to London Irish, and in floods of tears in the changing rooms after a disastrous return to action following the Covid lockdown.

However, soon he would be hitting rugby’s pinnacle and showing the world that all his work and sacrifices were paying off.

The good times didn’t last though and in June 2023, after months of rumour, his club London Irish went out of business. It left him trying to understand what had happened to a team that was re-establishing itself in the capital which meant he and many others from the club were scrambling around for new jobs.

It worked out in the end when English champions Saracens came calling, but the pain of seeing a club he had grown to love go to the wall lingers and there are questions galore, not least who exactly were the US consortium interested in buying the Exiles?

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Growing up in Perth, Western Australia, Oliver Hoskins wanted to do one thing – play rugby. It turned out he was pretty good at it and when Perth was given the licence for Australia’s fourth Super Rugby team it appeared that he wouldn’t even have to leave home to play professional rugby.

Hoskins soon found out that his path to the top wasn’t a simple line, with ups and downs pockmarking his young career and in the end, he left his home town club.

Eventually he made the move to London Irish, where he found a mentor who helped turn him into a powerful tight-head prop, and a regular Premiership starter.

He talks about how he dealt with struggling to make the step up to professional level, the overwhelming feeling of imposter syndrome, and getting to grips with life in London. 

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What’s the worst thing that can happen to you on a rugby pitch? How about nearly dying?

John Fenlon doesn’t need to imagine that because that’s what happened to him during a veterans match one cold Friday evening.

Swift action by teammates and the opposition meant he ended the night in hospital, and he is now back to full health, chasing his children around and even putting his boots back on now he’s received the all clear.

In this chat he recalls his memory of the night, how reality brought him back to earth quickly, and the debt of gratitude he owes those who kept him alive.

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