Clubbing together
Rugby, raconteurs and a really decent pint – it's the heady brew responsible for St Jacques' 30 years of success, as Rob Batiste reports.
GET together some rugby enthusiasts from an engineering firm, a pub with a rugby-mad landlord and a group of young lads with energy to burn and pint glasses to empty – and what do you get?
In short, St Jacques Rugby Club, which is 30 years old this year. Rugby teams all over the world have a fantastic capacity for enjoying themselves.
And while for three decades St Jacques has filled the role of Guernsey's second club, when it comes to the 'after-match' celebrations it has a strong case for being crowned the island's number one.
While the club does not have a motto as such, if there were one, it would centre on friendship, both among themselves and the welcome it extends to the dozens of visiting sides who have experienced its inclusive brand of hospitality.
'Friends forever', suggests Brian Queru, arguably its best ever player along with founder member Martin Petit and the brilliant centre Alastair Jardine. 'We had a lot of pride in our club and the reason for that is that it was us who started it,' added Queru, who joined fellow stalwarts Steve Pugh, Bob Le Bargy and Stefan Bampton to chew the cud over a club still going strong and with big ambitions.'
