SSgt Dean Bradley (RAPTC) is ending one chapter of his life this September when he leaves the Army, and while this means that his association with Army Rugby also closes, he has recently been moving into a new era in his oval ball experience by representing England Touch’s Men’s 40 team at the European Touch Championships.
SSgt Bradley is no stranger to rugby at a high level both on and off the field, having helped the Army Masters win multiple Inter Service Championships and acted as strength and conditioning coach for the Senior Women.
Touch Rugby has offered SSgt Bradley an opportunity to continue with oval ball sports, playing at an international level against peers from Europe, and, potentially, the world next summer when England hosts the World Cup in Nottingham.
“I only started playing Touch last year, and found that because of the speed of the game it really helped my Union game,” SSgt Bradley explains. “I became much quicker and fitter because there is no let-up in Touch, the intensity is high all the time.
“I knew my Masters lifespan was coming to an end in contact. Without that security of being looked after by the rehab chain if you get injured I knew I needed to look after my body. I knew the World Cup was coming and spoke to [England team mate] Dan Connolly and he wondered whether I’d like to get involved.
“I got in the South West team and subsequently got picked up by England.”
SSgt Bradley made his England debut in Vichy, the first representative tour away from red shirt rugby, and he says that it was a great experience with plenty of parallels with his professional life, especially with England having no fewer than 13 different teams across 10 categories.
“Within the Men’s 40s squad everyone is great, they’re really nice people who have been very welcoming to what I can bring from the 15s and Sevens games into Touch,” he says.
Image © England Touch
“Being part of the military I’ve not found it too dissimilar. Whatever context we’re performing in is very much the same team ethos, high drive, high performance standards.”
As he prepares to transition away from Army sport there is a time for reflection, but which also means too many memories to highlight any one in particular from 20 years in the Service.
“From Under-21s in 2000 through Army Sevens to the Masters, I’ve just enjoyed all of it,” SSgt Bradley acknowledges. “The Army gets that ethos right in each team, with commonality between them. Being part of the Army has helped me fit in whatever context I’m in. We want to win and have high performance standards, but we want to have enjoyment as well.”
SSgt Bradley headed home from Vichy with a winners’ medal, England Men’s 40s beating France in a closely-fought final. The Touch Rugby World Cup will be in Nottingham in summer 2024.
Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks
Header and featured image – Alligin Photography © Lee Crabb
