Jeremy Guscott, 1994
Jeremy Guscott for The Bath Chronicle, January 19, 1994
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I spoke to Jeremy Guscott, our local British Lions Rugby team member on the phone recently, and asked him some questions.
“You’ve been asked about being a role model in the past, and have humbly shrugged off the idea – how do you relate to that now, especially in the light of rising juvenile crime?”
“It’s difficult to weigh up how much I’m a role model, because that’s not really my job; of course, it’s very important to pay attention to the way you carry yourself, the attitudes you give off, and what you say. If any of thast influences younger people in a positive way, that’s good, but amateur sportsmen have other areas of concern.
My next question was: “Now, you said a couple of years ago, that you reckoned on having about four good rugby-playing years left in you – how do you feel now, approaching 28 this summer?”
Jeremy said: “I don’t look too much into the future – of course, I’m waiting to get back into full fitness at the moment.” Jeremy has been undergoing tests with the Rugby Football Union’s doctors and surgeons.
“What do you think about current ideas about age and fitness – are they just ideas, or does it make a lot of difference?”
“I think it depends on the individual, how they react physically and mentally – of course, the adage is always blown out of the water by people who go on much longer, including some who have gone on till they were 36, internationally. Research at the moment suggests that players will go on longer, even though the game has become more physical.”
I asked Mr Guscott what he thought of helmets.
“Ridiculous”, he answered, in a single word. I had used the wrong word. Fortunately, Jerry Guscott rescued me by continuing: “If you mean helmets as in American football, that’s ridiculous; if you’re talking about minimal protective headgear as players use in New Zealand, then I think there’s a place for that in the game.”
