Canterbury fan Tim Cronin was happy to see his old mate Ricky Lutton making his first senior appearance for Ulster…
In an era when players are making their first class debuts sooner and being rushed through the system quicker than ever before, 27 seems relatively old to earn one's first run-on start. Nowadays talent is recognised at a very early age and it's easy to assume that those who haven't 'made it' by the time they reach their early-20s never will, but prop Ricky Lutton, who won his first starting cap in the Ulster shirt against Leinster on the weekend, has bucked that trend, proving there is still a place in the modern game for dogged determination and a will to succeed.
I first met Lutton when he joined my club side in Christchurch, New Zealand, in early 2011 following a season in Australia. Despite being solidly built he'd spent very little time in the weights room prior to arriving on our doorstep, but in the space of a year he developed both his game, and his physical presence, dramatically.
A former Oxford University student there's no question Lutton is an intelligent man. Once he found his feet in the gym he went about systematically learning and developing his technique, and his understanding of the exercises which would benefit him in his specific role on the field. By the time he left he held a number of lifting records at our club.
On the field he approached his game with a similarly analytical mindset, quickly adjusting to the different style of play in New Zealand, and catching the eye of Canterbury Rugby officials early on in his stay. That's not to say his game was all brains and no brawn though; in fact quite the opposite. The single-mindedness with which he undertook his work in the gym was evident on the field as well. Regardless of the task ahead Lutton refused to take a backwards step, and I'm sure a bit of age and some life experience played a part in his self-belief, his understanding of what could be achieved with some blood, sweat and tears, and his refusal to give up.
It's encouraging to see that, even though there's a flood of young players at the highest level of the game, there's still a place for the hard-headed campaigners as well. However gifted you may be there are certain things that can only be learned on the bottom of a ruck or when your team ends up on the wrong side of a towelling, and I was stoked to see my 'old' mate bring those experiences in to play on the weekend.
Tim Cronin is a Rugby fan and full time writer based in the rubble of the Canterbury Crusaders’ home town, Christchurch. Tim is a part of the Pukeko Sportsteam, where his role is watching, writing, and complaining about all things rugby.
