A ‘special moment’ as Jason leads out Colts

The popular tighthead prop was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma last year and his teammates shaved their heads in solidarity last month to raise money for Cancer Research.

Having been given the all clear, Gaspar led the side out for last weekend’s Colts Premier League match with Worthing at Footes Lane, playing the first quarter of the game and returning to the action towards the end of a thrilling game which ended 26-24 in the visitors’ favour.

The front-rower was something of a reluctant hero for the home side.

‘To be honest, it’s been quite easy – not “easy” easy, but when you hear about cancer stories, they’re usually atrocious. But mine’s been fairly mild. Yeah, I’m quite happy to be back,’ said a modest Gaspar.

‘I’ve been looking forward to it. That’s the thing I miss most was just getting back to playing. It was a great game.

‘It was quite tough. Their team was very good, credit to them because they did play play up to us. I thought it could have gone either way at the end, but they just snatched it.’

Gaspar added that the support he had received from his teammates had meant a lot to him.

‘Look at all their heads – [they’ve] got no hair. Definitely a great bunch of lads and I cherish it,’ he said.

‘I don’t know what it would be like if it was just me on my own. So it definitely makes it a lot easier.’

The next target for Gaspar is a big game coming up away to the old enemy on Sunday.

‘Buzzing. I don’t know if I want to keep playing or just work on my fitness because I’m not back up to 100% yet, but Jersey is not one to miss,’ he said.

Guernsey Colts coach Dave McGall emphasised just how much it meant for the squad and the whole local rugby community to see the young prop return to action.

‘He was making quite light of the treatment, but six months of chemotherapy, three months of radiotherapy and he absolutely was a complete Trojan all the way through it,’ said McGall.

‘Huge credit to his mum and dad and his family, and all the support that the Colts and the Colts family and the Raiders family have given him through it.

‘He said it was quite easy, I don’t think fighting any cancer is easy. But for him, he’s been coming down to training when he’s feeling okay, staying connected with the team, and when he was given his all-clear two weeks ago, which was fantastic, he was at training and he was able to tell the team.

‘They raised over £10,000 for various charities through their head shave and we just said, “look, if you’re up for it, we’d like to start you, don’t know how long you’re going to last, and you lead out the team in front of the home crowd as well”.

‘For me and for all of the coaches, that was a very, very special moment. Delighted he got through, he lasted for about 20 minutes and then had a breather, and came back on.

‘That’s what rugby’s all about really I think.’