Jackson Szabo: ‘This time last year, this was never on the cards’

I THINK playing on a pitch like Twickenham, we wanted to try and utilise the space and we didn’t really get the quick ball out there to take advantage.

On that try, there was a bit of space and they were really good at pressing today but there was one moment where they eased off and that made it easier to go through.

I was the deepest guy back so I was just thinking that I should make yards quickly and see if something can happen.

I looked at the outside, thought I could beat my man one-on-one and took it pretty well in the end.

When you go past that last man, your hamstring starts to tighten up and you’re thinking ‘just make it’ because you don’t know what’s going on behind you – and once you make it to that line, it’s just a flood of emotion.

At the time, it is business though and you just have to think about how you’re going to affect the game next.

It was such a surreal experience to see so many people in one place. Normally people turn up to a game for entertainment but people turned up (on Sunday) because it meant so much to them, so I think there was a flood of emotion both on the pitch and off it.

This time last year, this was never really on the cards but the season has gone on and been a series of cup finals, so to get through and over the line hasn’t really sunk in like this.

I think that when every little boy starts playing rugby, they learn about Twickenham and winning there, and that’s what we’ve done.

Lloyd Davies: ‘We’re Trowbridge boys – we just keep going’

THAT was one of the most surreal, incredible feelings I’ve ever felt in my entire life.

From the absolute doldrums of being taken off in the last two minutes to elation when that final whistle went.

When you’ve worked so hard for something and it comes off like that, you just feel everything leave your body.

There are no regrets at all – it was an absolutely exceptional performance from the boys.

We knew that after we scored our last try, the clock said 00:00 but I asked (the referee) and he said that it was rolling, so we knew that we had five minutes to go.

We were pretty calm but you just keep thinking ‘is that five?’ and all the crowd thought that it was over.

We were just thinking ‘stay calm and defend for your lives’ and fortunately, it came off.

We thought we’d smacked the pride out of them (Leek) but they kept coming and fair play to them, they were a great side, with great energy and great strong boys.

But we’re Trowbridge boys – we never know when we’re beaten and we keep going all game.

I think knowing that people had made so much effort to come down was the hardest part and we didn’t want to waste it and lose. To stumble over the line by defending for our lives at the end was just incredible.

Just to be back playing was a dream but to make it back to South West One and to cap it off at Twickenham and to be able to say ‘we’re national champions’ is just the best feeling in the world.

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