Garforth finishes the alphabet
Leicester's men of letters will tomorrow make their collective farewell in the Heineken Cup final against Munster at the Millennium Stadium. The ABC club, made up of the front-row men Graham Rowntree, Richard Cockerill and Darren Garforth, is likely to be broken up in the summer, bringing to an end a successful and durable partnership that spanned the amateur and professional eras.
Though Rowntree and Garforth will be carrying on at Welford Road, the hooker Richard Cockerill is almost certain to end his career with Montferrand after spending most of the past two seasons on the replacements' bench as cover for Dorian West. It will mark the end of an era, one which, in terms of longevity, is unlikely to be repeated.
ABC refers to the letters the Leicester front row used to wear until three years ago, when all Premiership clubs were told to adopt numbers so as not to bemuse new spectators. The Tigers and Bristol had to drop their letters and Bath had to abandon their superstition of not fielding anyone in a No13 jersey.
Garforth, 36 last month, intends playing on for another season but Leicester have been linked with a number of tight-head props in recent months, most of them French. "We have a very good tight-head in Ricky Nebbett and I hope he is given his chance," said the veteran. "He is an excellent pupil, but it is difficult for the coaching staff because they want the club to remain at the top in Europe and the temptation is to bring in world-class players."
There is a shortage of quality tight-head props in the world game. "Tight-head is the hardest position on the pitch," said Leicester's director of rugby Dean Richards. "There is no place for them to hide. It is Darren's testimonial this year and no player deserves one more: no one could match what he has given the club in terms of passion and commitment, and if asked him to play for another 10 years he would jump at the chance."
Garforth sums up his position as an unglamorous one. "It suits my character to a T," he said. "Loose-head props like to be conspicuous in open play but on my side you do not often get the chance because of the work you have to do in the tight.
"I was fortunate in many ways, because I was 25 when I joined Leicester and had worked as a scaffolder since I was 16. I had natural strength, but since the game turned professional players have used gyms to build up their strength and that may be why there is now a shortage of tight-heads. When I started playing, Dean Richards was at No8 and there was no more naturally strong player; he did not need to spend five days a week in the gym. Give me raw strength any day."
Garforth will tomorrow be up against another old-school prop whose career has straddled the amateur and professional eras, Peter Clohessy, who will be playing his last match before retiring at 36. "I imagine we will have a few beers afterwards," said Garforth. "He is one of the game's characters. To be playing international rugby at his age says everything about him. He is a world-class prop and he will be missed.
"I cannot see props in the future playing on to their late 30s. It seems crazy to me that the English season will not end until June 8. I cannot see the point of the championship play-offs; the league should come to a natural end and the two European finals should bring down the curtain.
"I am glad that I played as an amateur as well as a professional. One of the remarkable things about Leicester is that we carried on our success into the professional game. The core of our side has been together for 10 years and it will be sad when the ABC club breaks up, but all good things come to an end. I have a scaf folding business and I want to qualify as a coach."
Leicester reached the final after Tim Stimpson kicked a 55-yard penalty to knock out Llanelli in the semi-final. The Scarlets contended after the match that Garforth had conned the referee by dropping a scrum and getting his opposite number Martyn Madden blamed, presenting Stimpson with his chance.
"Nothing to do with me," said Garforth. "We wanted quick ball from that scrum because none of us thought Stimmo would kick a penalty from that distance."
Garforth believes the Heineken Cup is most definitely refreshing, and he will be playing in the city where he won the first of his 25 England caps five years ago. "No side has ever won the trophy in consecutive seasons and we have the chance to make history."
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