An Old John at the U20 Rugby Union World Cup – Alumni Stories, Guy Lovgreen

One of our Old Johns, Guy Lovgreen (1996-99) has recently been asked to join up with the All Blacks for their under 20s Rugby World Cup campaign. They are (as usual) hot favourites to lift the trophy at the end of June.

The former York St John Geography and PE student is a teacher in Lancashire, but has been involved in playing and more latterly coaching Rugby Union since leaving the University in 1999. Having gained his level 3 coaching badge in 2009, he quickly progressed through the coaching levels, and now is part of a very successful Sedgley Tigers (national league) coaching staff, and is also involved with the Lancashire county sides.

“Initially I was asked by the New Zealand team to help with the backroom match analysis/ game management for the opening match, but following that game, they asked me if I was interested in joining them for the remainder of the campaign. It’s an honour to be involved even in this small way with such a prestigious and prolific team like New Zealand, and hopefully they’ll have a very successful campaign. I have always held York St John University in high regard, and I will always be thankful to the mentors, lecturers and friends that I made there – it was without doubt, the best choice I could have made to have come to study at St John. The ethos and support were large factors in shaping me and my future.”

Thanks for sharing this with us Guy, we hope you have a great tournament with the New Zealand U20s, but hopefully not at England’s expense!