Olly Brown - Flanker with a future

Flanker Olly Brown has long been recognised as one of the integral parts in the Boroughmuir machine. Indeed it came to many as a big surprise that he was not picked up by one of the Scottish professional teams at the end of last season. But with another year’s experience under his belt, Olly is philosophical about his disappointment, “During last year, especially at the start of the season, I got quite a bit of press atttention and people were saying nice things about me so I was hopeful I’d get a contract. Unfortunately it didn’t happen and the press aren’t talking about me anywhere near as much this year so who knows. It’d be nice to get a contract but it’s not the end of the world if I don’t.”

Despite having had such a successful rugby career to date, Olly has not let any of it go to his head, “I’ve not been surprised by the success of the last few years. When we were relegated I was in the 2^nd XV but there was a confidence throughout the club that we would bounce straight back. When I got my chance in the 1^st XV the next season we did really well, taking the second division by storm and winning the cup. And then last season to be in the title race for more than half the year and win the cup again was fantastic. I think this has got a lot to do with the fact that every single one of us knows that there is someone snapping at our heels and if you don’t perform, the coaches will have no troubles in giving someone else a chance. We’ve all got to keep our feet on the ground, even if we win the league this year, none of us will be guarenteed a spot in the side next year.”

At only 21 years old, it would be excusable for Olly to struggle to find players he regards as the best he has played with and against but with very little deliberation, two names came out. “The best player I’ve played with would have to be Calvin Howarth. I’m not just saying that because he’s a mate, ‘Hobbes’ really was brilliant to play with. You always knew that if you could get him the ball, he would get you up the field. The best I’ve played against would have to be the Australian international George Smith. I played against him at Under18boy level and even then he was very good.”

The Durham born flanker has benefited from the high levels of coaching at the club. “In my opinion Iain and Sean are two of the best coaches in Scotland, definitely at club level and as good as if not better than the district coaches as well. I enjoy the style of rugby they like us to play and you have a confidence in what they tell you to do. The only thing I might say is that maybe we could have some new training drills once in a while.”

The Scotland U-19 and U-21 International has no plans to leave the club in a hurry either. “I’m plannig to stay for a good while yet. I love the clubs and the whole atmosphere around it plus I’m at University here so the immediate future is sewn up. After that I plan to stay in the area for a long time and unless I get a professional contract, I can’t see me leaving the club anytime soon.”  

It may be a dirty word around the club at the moment but Olly was happy to talk about the title race. “We truly believe that we can do it. We’re under no illusions, we know it’s going to be extremely tough, especially at Mansfield Park but we know we have the talent and temprement to do it. We’ve been to two cup finals so we know all about the big game pressure so that shouldn’t faze us and we will give it everything we’ve got.” The desire to win the league is even stronger after the cup exit at the hands of Glasgow Hawks, “That was awful. After winning it for two years, it made it even more difficult to take. We know though that it was more of we lost it rather than they won it. I’m not trying to take anything away from Hawks, they did what they had to do, they frustrated us by slowing our ball down but we know we still had the chances to put it away, it was very difficult to take. It’s just made us more determined to win the league.”

Olly Brown epitomises the youthful exuberence which has been at the core of Boroughmuir’s resurgance to the top of Scottish rugby. He’s been extremely successful in such a short career and at 21, there is a lot of time for further honours to be won. Whether he earns a professional contract is irrelevant to the club at this vitally important stage of the season but if it were to happen, everyone at the club would be behind him all the way. Olly knows just as well as anyone though that the blinkers have to be put on, there is one goal in mind and the Durham born flanker is as focused as anyone on achieving it.

Simon Furnivall