In the final part of a four-strong exit interview at the end of almost a decade at Old Bath Road, the departee looks back on some of his favourites – and the biggest thing he takes away!
“I prefer rugby to football now – I love it as a sport and everything about it.
“My background was in the latter, but you hear about rugby being an inclusive sport. What I’ve found is beyond that – so much more than football.
“You’ve got players from all different societies who just don’t care. They’re all accepted in the room and the sport teaches you so many values.
“What rugby requires from players, coaches, backroom staff – the time, the dedication doing small things which are never seen – is extraordinary.
“You can work somewhere for two months and have a bit of a bond, but eight years truly is special.”
‘I’ve enjoyed everything and have friends for life’
Expanding on the special memories he built up since 2018, Daryl continued: “Any time we won a close game was fantastic – the last-play penalty try against Rosslyn Park was amazing because it was another example of us beating a team who’d been in National One for a long time.
“I alluded to it in a mumbling fashion when I spoke to the players, but I’ve just enjoyed everything.
“There have been massive highs, quite a few lows, but the highs have always outweighed them.
“I’ve spent eight years with a fantastic group of people, I’ve probably worked with more than 300 players, and the squad now is completely different from when I started. It’s insane. I’ve got friends for life.”
Plenty of weddings
He followed: “Joe (Southwell) and I are truly close – I was best man at his wedding – Owen (Root) is one of my best friends who I speak to three or four times a week, which is actually less than when we working at school together for 40 hours a week and another three days at rugby!
“I’ve been to Harry Stapleton’s wedding, Josh Collis’, Tom Vooght’s, I’ve done fitness events with Scuba (Stevie Bryant), I see Ollie Cole, Paul Englezos, Fraser Honey – every time I go to Cornwall I’ll see him – and the list goes on.
“Jack Steadman was a fantastic man, Jamie Guttridge brilliant, Paul Schroter was one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known and just bought into the programme straight away – I don’t want to miss anyone off!
“But they all showed a huge level of trust in what we wanted to do, and I thank them for that.
“Almost everything I take from the past eight years are the friendships I’ve made – and it also feels special a lot still message to ask for tips on various things.”
‘Stapleys a huge success’
Completing the circle from the first part of his chat, Daryl re-emphasised the pleasure he took from senior players stepping up as he said: “Robbie Stapley ended up being a big success story.
“When I started he did nothing, but he was such a machine he could go out and just play to this unbelievable level.
“Then as he gets older, we’re at a time where we suggested he go on the euthanasia list because his body kept breaking down, he had no interest in doing the extras, and then I said ‘please can I just try and work with Robbie’ – we just didn’t know what to do with him!
“But then we had a summer where we went to the gym together the whole time, worked on little weaknesses he had, and there were times he was there before me. His excitement got me excited.
“Dan Michael’s done a fantastic job with him, but looking back Robbie at times probably just needed a little bit of love.”
Daryl added: “He was a pain in the backside but towards his final few years he knew he needed to work harder to keep going.
“He’s an epic leader, a Rams legend, and he walks into a room and automatically has the respect off his peers.
“But he never did pre-season testing, then towards the end he thrived off the idea of ‘I am training, I’m going to show the boys what I can do’.
“I take a sense of achievement from what they’ve done – they saw things were working.
“We spent a long time early on getting the gym open early every night, and the likes of Connor Stapley coming in on his way home from work was brilliant.
‘Max the best hooker in the league’
“Dan Swain would be on the tools in the freezing weather all day but would was always there working on small things to make him better. He is also an unbelievable bloke.”
With a new era emerging under the captaincy of Max Hayman, Daryl was also proud to see the former Newbury man’s development at OBR.
He said: “We’ve become great friends in the past few years.
“Watching him come over as a slightly porky, baby-faced, young lad and seeing him grow into a fantastic rugby player – the best hooker in the league – has been immense.
“It’s been a privilege for me to see the way he’s progressed in all parts of his life, including becoming a dad, and he’s just a wonderful bloke. Long may our friendship continue!”
And as ever, the team man finished by urging his comrades to keep moving forward as he closed: “Finally, to all the players – a statement from one of my favourite films ‘Moneyball’.
“We all get told one day we can no longer play the children’s game.”
“We don’t know when that’s going to be, but I’ve always taken from that ‘enjoy the now, because the now won’t last for ever. Have no regrets.’
“It’s been a blast, and I look forward to seeing everyone soon.”
To read the first three parts of Daryl’s memories, click on the following links – one, two, three
Rams return to National One action at home to Sale FC on Saturday, January 10. For tickets, click here
*Finally, from all the Ramily, thank you Daryl for all your efforts over the years!
