November 17, 2024 • 49 mins
Ever wondered how professional rugby players navigate the transition from one team to another while maintaining their game and sanity?
Join us as we chat with Callum Sheedy and Dan Thomas, ex Bears who recently set up shop in Cardiff. They share what it's like to move from familiar territory, the emotional rollercoaster of starting anew, and how commuting together helps them stay connected to their roots. You'll hear a personal story or two about their first days at ther new club, the nerves, the laughs, and the camaraderie that makes rugby life worth it.
The 2021 season was a rollercoaster for the Bears, and Callum and Dan give an insight into what happened behind the scenes and candidly discuss the aftermath of the crushing semi-final loss and how it affected the team's confidence and strategic direction. These insights reveal the intricacies of professional sports, where game plans are as much about mental resilience as they are about physical prowess.
But it's not all on-field drama. Off the pitch, Callum and Dan share their unwinding rituals, from arm wrestling to unforgettable nights out. We get into the nitty-gritty of their lives beyond rugby, including amusing tales of teammates and the quirks of international selection rules. Whilst they still harbor dreams of playing for Wales, both players remind us that while rugby is a game, it's also a career filled with personal aspirations and challenges.
Whether you're a Bears fan or just curious about the lives of top level athletes, this episode promises a rich tapestry of stories, insights, and laughs.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
you're listening to bears beyond the gate, a bristol
bears podcast made by fans forfans, with three season card
holders at ashley gate.
We love to club the game andall things bears.
Well, there hasn't been anybears related activity this
weekend, but we've still managedto get a pod together for you.
But this time, rather thantalking about games that have
been and games that have come,we've actually done an interview
(00:26):
and in the spirit of lastseason, when we spoke to Dave
Atwood and we also spoke to JoeJoyce, we tracked down another
couple of recently left bearsand had a little interview with
them.
And we didn't have to go toofar, boys, did we?
It was just over the bridge toCardiff and of course, that
probably gives it away.
(00:46):
Yeah, we did an interview.
We didn't have to go too far,boys, did we?
It was just over the bridge toCardiff and of course, that
probably gives it away.
Yeah, we did an interview withCallum Sheedy and Dan Thomas and
actually, uniquely for us, allthree of us were on the Zoom and
the two of them so there werefive of us on a Zoom trying to
conduct an interview, which youcan imagine, had certain
logistical challenges and alsowe had to be quite disciplined
in the way that we asked thequestions, but it was really
(01:09):
good of the boys to come on anddo it.
They were great.
They were great company.
So let's listen to that now.
Ok, so I'm really excited towelcome Callum Sheedy, shido and
Dan Thomas DT.
That's what we call you, boys.
Welcome them to the BearsBeyond the Gate.
So, boys, thanks very much forgiving up your evenings.
I hope you're well.
(01:31):
Callum, you're wearing yourLeeds top.
Is that a statement or is thatjust what you wear casually?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, it's just my casual.
I didn't actually know I had iton until you said it five
minutes ago, so I would havedressed a bit smarter.
So I apologise for that.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Just out of interest.
I mean, first question is likewhy are you a Leeds fan?
I do vaguely remember yousaying something about it in the
press ages ago, but what's thehistory?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
My granddad was a Leeds fan and my dad was a Leeds
fan.
So when I was younger,obviously back then, they were
really good, weren't they?
So they were the glory fans.
I've had to deal with all therubbish now the last 20 years.
Yeah, I've.
Just to be honest, the worsethey got, the more I loved them,
because it was different and noone else supported them in
school and stuff.
So, yeah, just kind of fromthere really.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Fair play.
And Dan, you're looking veryrelaxed.
I mean, obviously this is likegoing to go out audio, but just
for the listeners he's likelying casually on his bed.
I mean, that's kind of you know, you're a pretty laid-back sort
of guy.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
what we always think so are you well, yeah, all good,
thank you.
Little one's currently beinglooked after by the parents, so
some time myself is muchappreciated at the moment.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Brilliant.
Yeah what could be better thancoming on some random fan in
your free time, right, boys?
So first things first.
Obviously, you both hadillustrious careers, and long
careers, at Bristol.
I mean, callum, you camethrough the academy but you
signed, I think, in 2014, whenwe were down in the championship
(03:00):
and famously scored 22 pointsin a playoff final.
That got us promoted and thenwe got relegated again.
But let's not forget that andthen that's what he called him
yeah yeah and then, dan, yousigned in 2017 from Gloucester,
from up the road, um, yeah, butobviously now you know you're
both together in Cardiff.
But, um, I was just thinkingabout like how, how did those
(03:24):
sort of signings come about andI mean the fact that both of you
were I've been at the Bristolfor so long when you both turned
up at pre-season at Cardiffthis season, was it a bit like
going like new boys at school,like did did anybody talk to you
or did you have to like walkaround with each other?
Uh, so, callum, maybe, what wasit like when you you know,
first turned up and how did itall come about?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Yeah, it was nerve wracking.
I'll be honest, me and DT stilllive in Bristol, so we share
lifts into Cardiff now.
So it wasn't like we were justwalking on our own, which was
actually quite nice and, to befair, wales is real small, so we
both had people who we knewanyway at Cardiff, like through
neutral friends or whatever.
So it wasn't too bad, but no,we definitely.
(04:06):
Well, I can speak for myself.
I certainly had those likefirst day of school nerves
walking in and stuff, becauseyou've been somewhere for so
long and you get comfortablewith the environment and you get
comfortable with the staff andthen all of a sudden you're at a
completely new place.
Yeah, it was scary, but it wasquite nice having Dan there,
because if I got awkward I knewI could just, yeah, take the
(04:30):
piss out of him or somethingyeah, what about you, dan?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
how did you feel?
Nah, it was same as you.
Really, I was quite nervous,obviously been in Bristol for so
long, and then I was basicallywatching the training and
started rinsing everyone allstraight away.
So I was quite comfortablethere.
But now in Cardiff it wasobviously new.
So I had to put my best footforward for a couple of weeks
and just stay the course and notrinse down too hard.
(04:53):
But I think we found our feetpretty quickly and then the
rinsing started pretty soonafter that.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
I was going to say was there any sort of the fact
that you'd been in England forso long?
And obviously, Callum, you comefrom Cardiff originally, but,
Dan, you're like West Wales,aren't you?
Was it a bit weird?
Did you get a bit of jip forplaying?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
in England and that sort of stuff.
No, in fairness, most of theboys I had met in previous years
through mutual friends ornights out, if I'm honest, but
no, they were in fact, actuallyI'm probably one of the oldest
at the club, so it's quite toughfor the young boys that rinsed
me pretty early on.
But no, I think they everyonegot to know each other pretty
quickly.
(05:37):
They were more comfortablearound me then.
But no, in fact, the firstcouple of days, I think me and
Sheedz kept our head down anddidn't give too much shit.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
But I think Jockey, as a coach, that instance the
most, if I'm honest, the firstmeeting was pretty eye-opening,
so he's like so, uh, but I wasgood, but that was my opinion
well, I mean you, in your bothsort of your own ways, you've
made quite a big impression umso far, and correct me if I'm,
but I think you've won three outof six, haven't you?
Cardiff and Callum, you werecaptain, weren't you?
You were made captain the lastgame.
(06:14):
And Dan, we saw some sort ofstats came up on Twitter about
all your turnovers and youscored a couple of tries, early
doors as well.
So you know.
Obviously I assume you'rereally enjoying playing again,
playing regularly.
My question to you, callum, isyou know what's the URC like
compared to your experiences ofplaying in the Premiership?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah, like it's a funny one.
I was actually speaking aboutthis with Joyce and Andy Uren,
Like we still speak on aWhatsApp group no longer.
For me as a 10, I generallyfind it tougher than the Prem.
I think it's.
I don't know if Dan will agree,but I find it a lot more
physical, especially the backs.
Every team in the UFC seems tohave a huge centre and some sort
(06:55):
of freak on the wing who'scarrying 10, 12 times at the 10
channel.
I personally find it tougherthan the Prem.
I think it's more physical.
I think it's more physical, Ithink, because you're playing
against teams from Ireland,Scotland, South Africa, Italy.
Every single team has adifferent style, whereas in the
Prem you've kind of got twostyles.
You've either got your QuinnsNorthampton who throw it about,
(07:15):
or you've got your Sales Sowerswho kick the leather off it.
So I personally have found itprobably tougher than the Prem,
whether that's because I've beenin the Prem for a long time and
it's something different.
I don't know, but I'm coming offthe pitch now.
Whether I'm too old now I don'tknow, but I'm getting sore for
two, three days because you'vegot so much traffic coming down
your channel and stuff.
Yeah, I've been surprisedbecause in England the URC seems
(07:39):
to have a bit of a badreputation.
I think people think it's somesort of like Farmers League or
something, but no offense tofarmers.
But you look at like Leinsterdominating, getting to finals of
Europe every year.
Munster European giants and theSouth African teams are freaks.
So it's like the standard ofopposition is is really good
(08:00):
that you know.
I'd be really impressed.
The Scottish teams you playedthis year.
They they're really really sortof all-court game sort of thing
.
They've got like powerful backrow, big backs set piece.
So yeah, I've actually found ittougher than the Prem, if I'm
being honest.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
What about you, dan?
I mean, you're in the thick ofit.
I mean obviously.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Well, I'm meant to look after him most of the time
and I've failed a couple oftimes on that.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
No, and it's fair.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
After that I found it shocked me the most is how
physical it actually is, because, looking from when I was in the
Prem, I'd always thought thatUSC wasn't as physical, but it
always knew me quick.
But no, in fact we playedScarlet twice in the first three
.
I eventually played Scarlettwice in the first three, four
weeks and I was quite surprisedhow physical they were.
(08:45):
Obviously it's a Welsh team.
I never thought that.
But now and then we had Glasgowthat came down and obviously
they're champions last year andit was a bit of a shock to the
system how physical they were.
But, like she said, every teamhas an absolute mutant in their
team, but they tend to work hard.
They work together quite wellas well, Because it's not just
(09:06):
the mutant who carries, who justhave to defend it, they work
well off him and how to exploitspaces using that bloke as well.
So no, it's been tough and it'sbeen competitive as well.
So obviously, having a youngteam in Cardiff, it means she's
one of the older heads in theteam really.
So all the heads in the team,really.
So it was up to us to fuckingfront up really.
But it's been good, it's beenreally good.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I mean, the weird thing is I mean, you're on a
break as well now, aren't you?
Well, you have been for a bit,but you haven't got anything.
There's no cup game or cupcompetition for you, so are you
basically kind of just hangingaround trying to keep fit?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
until it restarts again or we had, uh, we had 10
days off after ulster, um, whichwas really nice, and then we've
been in this week.
Now there's been pretty brutal,to be fair.
It's like a mini pre-season.
We had a real tough day today,um, like conditioning, um.
So we'd have like a two-weekblock now where it's like
conditioning, and then we prepthen for our game on the 30th of
november, so we'd have like a10 day prep for that.
(10:03):
It's a bit strange, like we'venever had.
I've never had, well, me andDan have never had a four week
break mid season.
There's always been some sortof like prem cup.
So it's strange, but you know,it's actually quite refreshing
and quite nice as well.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
You're not going to.
It just struck me actually, youto watch the Australia game,
are you?
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I was tempted.
I'm away this weekend.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
I was tempted.
I think we're planning on goingto watch the.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
There's a Reds game in January, february.
Yeah, yeah, I think that's thegame.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
We've aimed to go out , I guess, to watch if we can
manage to get tickets somehow.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I think you could probably pull a few strings.
I think.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
If you've got any problems, lads, just get in
touch with us.
We'll, we'll see if we can sortsomething for you send us a
discount code well look um, Ithink miles, that's my little
group of questions done.
That was about I was going todo the bit about cardiff, so
miles is going to weigh in witha few questions.
I think about your time atbristol, so yeah, that'd be
great.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah, so you know.
I just wondered, uh, what itwas like when the Pat revolution
started, because you were boththere before the rebrand,
weren't you?
Maybe sort of start with you,callum?
Speaker 3 (11:14):
yeah, it was, um, like it was needed.
To be honest, obviously we had,like I said, we got promoted in
2015 and we came straight backdown, went back up and it was a
bit like we were like the yo-yoteam, so we needed some sort of
like stability and Pat sort ofdefinitely brought that in.
I guess he came with like thevision which we all bought into
massively.
So, yeah, like at the time hejust won the league with Connors
(11:37):
, so we'd heard of him, he was abig figure.
So I remember before he came in, we were all bricking it.
We thought this nut is coming,but no, he was great.
Obviously, those first fouryears under him we were a breath
of fresh air.
We were just really reallyenjoying our rugby and yeah, I
loved it.
(11:58):
To be fair, I loved it.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
What are your thoughts?
Dt Similar, like the change andthe sort of leadership he
brought.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Fuck, if I'm honest, I was at Gloucester and I had no
job.
The next season, when I wasgiven a contract at Bristol, I
heard Paddock come in For me.
It was just like last chancecorral for me, if I'm honest.
I can't remember no, infairness, I had gone through
like three seasons at Gloucester.
I hardly played, just enjoyedalcohol and going out with my
mates, basically, and played 16games in three seasons.
(12:31):
So, coming to Bristol, I think,in fairness, that's probably
what I needed, just a bit ofdirection and a bit of
motivation.
So no, in fairness, I reallyenjoyed the first couple of
seasons really so yeah good,yeah great, excellent Thanks.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
All right, it was in fairness, I really enjoyed the
first couple of seasons reallyso yeah good, yeah great,
excellent, thanks, alright, andalso, just aside, we spoke to
Joycey and Dave Atwood aboutremember that 2021 season.
What was it like in the clubwhen you went on that big run up
to the semi-final and maybejust talk a bit about the
semi-final, but you featuredCallum.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah, it was crazy, like we were going into games
almost feeling like invincible,like we were going to win
whatever happens, which was, youknow, an unbelievable feeling
when you're going out to a gameplaying Saris Quinns.
Whoever, just knowing you weregoing to win was, yeah, it was
class and no, like you said, wewent on a really good run and
(13:23):
then obviously the semi-finalhappened, which I think probably
scarred us for about two years,if we're being honest.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah, we chatted to Dave about this.
I mean, what are yourrecollections of the day?
Obviously, ultimately, therewas that massive turnaround, but
your thoughts on you know whathappened on the day.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Why the sudden?
It was yeah, yeah, the firsthalf was well, the first 36
minutes was it was amazingwasn't it?
Yeah, exactly how we trained,like perfect.
And then I remember Charlescoming off in the first half
with the HIA, yeah, and then youstart thinking, oh god, because
obviously he was actually afreak show that season.
And yeah, I don't know likethey scored, I think, a couple
(14:03):
early second half.
And then we started to panic alittle bit they scored one on
the right just front everyone'slike everyone's like oh fuck,
here we go.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah, it was different wasn't it it was like
it was off a real start as well,wasn't it, I think, or
something, yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I don't remember yeah , and then the second half just
seemed to and just it was crazy,it was like an outer body
experience Just lost all controlwe did.
And yeah, I think, to be honest, I think obviously that was
gutting enough, but I think theknock-on effect they had over
the next couple of seasons, Ithink personally, I think really
hurts as a squad, like weprobably second-guessed how we
(14:39):
wanted to play, like we got thiskicking game which was not us
at all.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
No, no, absolutely you know and as fans you know
the amount of times the flippingbrist down ball phrase.
I think we just got bored of it, and that you know end of last
season where we sort of smashedthem in the final game of the
season.
That was for us that was just abrilliant moment.
Really appreciate that and sortof after that sort of period, I
(15:06):
mean it's just fair to say thata few seasons after that I
guess neither of you played asmuch.
And, callum, is there anargument to say that perhaps you
fell foul of the system andperhaps you weren't able to
express yourself as much?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Maybe I mean, obviously, like I said after
that, the season after, Iremember we sort of become the
biggest stat we looked at thenwas like kick meters and uh,
yeah, for me I that's that's notme at all, I'm not a 10 who
stands in kicks, but that's whatI was trying to become and, um,
(15:41):
I think a lot of people fansincluded, included probably
thought I was just choosing tokick all the time when, and that
probably pissed me off the mostthat people were kind of why
are you kicking?
why are you kicking so much?
I'm thinking, well, if I wantto play, I've got no choice,
I've got to stand there and kickthe ball.
Um, so, yeah, I guess.
Uh, that was a real frustrating18 months for me because I just
(16:01):
wanted to come out and saylisten, I, I am doing what I'm
told to do.
But, yeah, we become way tooobsessed with on the Monday
morning it'd be who kicked themost, us or Gloucester, and if
we didn't win that, it would bea big hoo-ha Like, oh my God, we
didn't kick as much.
And you see, now this year it'samazing to watch, you know,
(16:26):
watch the boys running it again.
Oh, absolutely, yeah, that'swhat we should have done for the
last two years, butunfortunately we tried to change
.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
It didn't work and yeah, I was the 10 at the time.
Yeah, fair enough.
Yeah, that's interesting.
And Dan, really I think a lotof fans would agree that you're
actually a beast of a seven andthe best jackler we ever had.
I mean, why do you think youmaybe fell out of favour?
Speaker 2 (16:50):
personally, I'm not sure.
To be honest, in Venice thefirst three or four seasons I
was playing pretty regular allweek in, week out, and then I
don't know if it's defensivesystems changed or anything.
(17:11):
I was just not given the freereign or what I wanted as much
as I used to be able to do.
And I think us winning in three, four years maybe covered up
the negative things I used to doin the games up quite a bit
years.
Maybe covered up the right, thenegative things I used to do in
the games up quite a bit.
So as soon as we started losing, maybe that just magnified what
I was doing wrong in gamesmainly.
But I'm not sure.
(17:31):
There wasn't like a moment intime where I thought, oh, that's
the turning point.
But no, I was quite frustratedin that.
Well, three, four, threeseasons last year I was really
frustrated how things wentbecause I personally felt as if
I was still playing pretty welland then I wasn't getting the
rewards for it or I was just notgetting picked for it.
So the last three seasons I hadat Bristol were really
(17:52):
frustrating for me because it'snot how I wanted my career to
finish at Bristol.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yeah, absolutely.
It seems frustrating for fanstoo.
I mean, you know, we thoughtyou were playing great every
time you came on.
We couldn't quite understandwhy you weren't getting picked
either.
But you know, we thought youwere playing great every time
you came on.
We couldn't quite understandwhy you weren't getting picked
either.
But you know, we're not theboss, are we?
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah, exactly, but no , it was frustrating.
Obviously I have a lot of fondmemories of Bristol and the way
we played and stuff reallysuited me.
And the last couple of seasonswe did change quite a fair bit
how we wanted to play, so thatdidn't really suit me either.
Like Sheed said, I was the sameabout the Sheeds.
The kicking game and basicallythe South Africa style game
didn't suit me because about 100kilos soaking wet and about 5
(18:34):
foot 9 so that had a big effecton my selection and stuff, but
it was just frustrating the lastthree seasons for me, for us
yeah
Speaker 1 (18:45):
absolutely well.
Miles did a good job there,mate, well done.
That's your first, your firstinterview.
So it's lee.
We're going to move over to lee, who's going to, uh, ask you a
few questions hiya fellas.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
First thing I want to say is that I don't know, if
you can see this but I thoughtI'd put, I put this on show for
you boys today.
Um, actually, without wantingto regurgitate too much of what
you've said about bristan ball,but what?
What do you guys think?
What were your opinions on usactually starting to?
(19:19):
Why did we change our game andhave this you know, crisis, uh,
confidence crisis after BristanBall?
What do you think was thepsyche then after that?
Speaker 3 (19:31):
that's a good question.
I don't know like we came inthe the year after or half of
the year after, I can't remember, and it was like there was a.
I remember we had a meeting andit was like I can't remember 8
out of 10 games where the teamkicks more metres than the other
team will win.
So we thought we got presentedthat this is how we win games
(19:52):
and we're all sat there likeright, but in hindsight, like as
a 10, as a leader, like I wishI, you know, I wish I said
that's probably not the way wedo it.
But you know, hindsight's awonderful thing.
I've bought into it, as Ibought into everything we did.
And yeah, like Dan said, itwasn't, it wasn't a bit so I
(20:12):
don't know what the psyche wasbehind it.
I don't know who was the brainsbehind it.
I don't really know.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
I thought when South Africa won the World Cup and we
just yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
I just wanted.
Sorry, colin, I just wanted tosay from our point of view it
was very strange, for us as well, watching you on the pitch,
knowing that that's not the wayyou play usually.
You know that's not your gameand I think then we tended to,
we lost a bit of clarity in theway we're playing.
(20:44):
It almost felt like the theclub ethos that we built up over
that four or five year periodpreviously.
It felt like it just completelyhad collapsed just on that,
like overnight, on that one gameand it, it.
I do agree.
I think it's taken such a longtime for us to get over that,
that game in particular, tobounce back yeah, yeah, you're,
(21:07):
probably you're right, like it'sum in.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Like, looking back, as players, probably we didn't
really, you know, know what wewere doing.
We were, you know, we wereplaying a kicking game with
players who aren't suited for akicking game.
We were playing a kick andchase game with boys who don't
want to stand there and chasekicks all day.
But maybe we had to go throughthat for the boys to get where
they are today.
Maybe we had to go through thatand realise that's not us, and
(21:30):
maybe in 10 years time we'lllook back and think it was
actually a good thing, um, butyeah it, it wasn't particularly
overly enjoyable playing, uh,that style yeah, and and dan,
when you went back on loan toscarlet, how was that for you?
Speaker 5 (21:45):
was it like a, you know, like a homecoming and did
you?
Did you?
Obviously, you know, was itnice to be back around family
again and you know, were settledstraight away?
Or were you just thinking?
I'm so confused, why am I here?
Speaker 2 (22:00):
A bit of both really, because I think I went all
right in a couple of weeks.
I came back from an injurybecause I did my ankle and I did
it right.
I was basically on half a legand then all of a sudden turned
up on Monday thinking, oh, I'mgoing to play.
I think you boys I'm not surewho you played, but I played and
(22:21):
then I turned up on Monday andhe was like you're off on loan
to Scarlet, so you want to?
And I was like fuck it.
Okay, bit of a shock to thesystem.
But I was like, yeah, all good,I'll just go.
And then, in fairness, I reallyenjoyed it.
It was just Dwayne Peel wasthere and he just said go out
there and play rugby, just backyourself and stuff.
(22:41):
So, in fairness, we playedLeinster and Connacht and we got
hammered both weeks.
But I actually really enjoyedjust like the rugby and just a
bit of freedom.
How I felt with Bristol like myfirst couple of seasons.
It was just like go expressyourself.
You're a half-teacher rugbyplayer, just go do what you want
to do.
And I was like, yeah, happydays.
And then, obviously, I thinksomeone got injured again then
(23:04):
and then I came back straightinto the Bristol team and I
think I was on the bench for therest of the season then.
So, no, I really enjoyed it.
In fairness, I still came downfrom Bristol because I knew if I
was on the farm it would bemilking first and then rugby
second.
So I knew I had to stay awayfrom the farm for the last two
weeks as well.
But no, it was good.
We had Conant away and thenLeinster home.
(23:24):
And, in fairness, I found aneye-opener playing Leinster
because it was during I'm notsure if it was during the Six
Nations because they were infull, but it was like
eye-opening for playing Leinsterand how, like not regimented,
but how everyone did their jobsso well and how they clicked as
a team.
They put like 40-50 points onus but didn't feel as if they
did anything out of the ordinary, they just did all the simple
(23:45):
things.
Well.
That, in fairness, justaccumulated points and it was.
It was.
I had massive respect forLeinster, respectful and stuff
like that.
Speaker 5 (23:53):
Yeah, I can imagine, Pete.
Have you got anything else toask now?
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
I've still got to go to my bottom questions here.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
No, go for it.
No, you go for your.
Yeah, go for your bottomquestion, whatever that is.
Okay, you tell me we had aplanning meeting about a minute
before you boys came on.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Yeah, and I was 40 seconds late into it.
So I wanted to ask both of youactually, because I've got a
good friend of mine who playsprofessional cricket for
Gloucestershire and one of thethings that you know I don't
think us as supportersappreciate a lot of the time is
what you boys actually have togo through, like not just on the
(24:35):
training field but in yourpersonal lives, and to still be
able to perform, as you know,efficiently, as you do on a
weekend, what, what sort of got.
I'm really interested in thekind of process that you you
have to put into place, like, ifyou've had a bad day, you go
(24:56):
out on the field, you've got toperform, you know, in front of
20,000 people, and you know howdo you build up to that.
If you've had a terrible day,how are you still able to
perform to that level whenyou're on the pitch?
Speaker 3 (25:13):
It's not easy, like there's times and there's been
times over the last few yearswhere, like the last thing I
wanted to do, to be honest, isgo out and play a game of rugby,
like it's been literally thelast I wanted to do.
But, um, it's your job at theend of the day.
Um, you're paid money toperform.
Uh, just like any, any personwho's working is paid money to
go and do their job.
(25:33):
So, um, you've still, like,you've still got that passion
and that drive to competitive.
We're competitive people.
We still want to go and win.
So when we step foot on thatpitch, I think it's almost like
a bit of a nice release.
No matter what's going on inyour day, you still perform
yourself.
Yeah, I found the weeks moretough in training and stuff,
(25:55):
trying to stay engaged and stilltrying to do all that when
you've had like a crappy fewweeks or whatever off the pitch.
So the games are the easy part,to be honest, because you can
just go out and be a performerself.
I used to find the weeks quitetough when you were having sort
of a bad day.
That was the hard thing for tome.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
I think and Dan, yeah , I'm similar.
She's like end of the day, it'smy job, so I have to do well
because and I'll be honest toyou it's a privilege for us to
be able to do it as a living, ifI'm honest, because there's a
lot more tougher things going onin the world than playing rugby
.
So if I turn up on a Saturdayand play, I wasn't emotionally
(26:34):
or mentally there, then I thinkthat's a kick in the teeth for
everyone else.
So for me to turn up on aSaturday and just play 80
minutes as best I can, I thinkit's not easy, but it's just
something I can mentally switchon to quite easy because it's a
short career, so I got to makethe most of it, and if I don't,
(26:55):
then I'll be milking and pullingfour teats sooner rather than
later.
So that's my mentality goingover.
But I am in credit to like.
If I've had a bad, bad coupleof days, then for me, going into
training and getting abusedfrom the boys and just being
around them is like the bestthing for me, because it just,
um, takes away not reality, butit takes away, uh, the feeling
(27:18):
of negativity.
Whatever I had gone, go outsiderugby.
So for me, being rinsed byseeds most of the day, or just
having lift club and havingstopping for coke, zero for
snacks.
It's just stuff.
The little things I got Iappreciate the most because it's
just um.
What I like for the boys islike they'll treat me the same
way every day, regardless.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
I'm feeling down or I'm feeling good, so that's why
I appreciate the most yeah, Iguess I mean, from that point of
view, it is a great leveler,isn't it?
It's like having me when you'vegot kids, you can have the
worst day in the world, but youknow, when you come out, when
they don't care about that, dothey so exactly?
Speaker 1 (27:51):
yeah yeah I've just got a one follow-up question to
that.
And then we've got like a fewreal quick fire questions like
short answer ones, and then wehad we did actually ask a few of
our listeners whether they hadany questions and we did get a
few, so we might just finish offwith them as well.
But that's all right.
It was just, um, the follow-upto that was there was.
It was for callum really.
It just struck me that, um,there was that season where I
(28:14):
don't know if you remember this,but you hit the post quite a
lot with your conversions andpenalties and it kind of like it
became a bit of a thing, youknow, like Shido's hit the post
again like the fans, and I justwonder, like, did that get to
you at all?
But also, what is your kind of?
How do you, what is yourprocess, your kicking process,
(28:35):
your routine, because obviouslyit is a technical skill and how
do you kind of get rid of thosesort of negative thoughts or the
noise of the crowd or that sortof stuff?
Be interested to know that.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Yeah, firstly, the whole hitting the post thing
didn't.
I was aware of it but I didn'treally care that people were
saying stuff and I actuallyfound it quite funny that people
I think they cared more than Idid about it in the post because
I knew my process was.
You know, it wasn't like I wasfully shanking them.
You know, if you're hitting thepost you're not a million miles
off.
And, don't get me wrong, you'revery frustrated when I miss a
(29:09):
kick.
But in terms of kicking processI've probably struggled the last
few years because we had DaveUlrich come in as a kicking
coach and he kind of made uschange our kicking tees.
So I changed my kicking tee twoseasons ago when he came in and
(29:30):
my percentages went from like85 to like 60.
Like genuine.
It was terrible and I startedgetting into my own head then
because I was like overthinkingthings.
And yeah, I'm back to my oldteam now.
So hopefully my percentageswill go up a little bit this
year.
They've been tough this yearactually.
We keep scoring in the corner,so we're really not doing
anything for my stats.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You're flying against us.
Yeah, don't worry, george.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Ford can't hit him from the corner either.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Big corner that was right in front.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
Yeah, where else it was?
Speaker 3 (29:59):
In terms of the process.
I think as long as you'reconsistent with your process and
it's like going okay intraining, then the noise of the
crowd, if you miss a few, youknow from the crowd.
Everyone thinks you should getevery one, don't they?
You know it's easy for thecrowd.
Just put that little ballthrough that massive H.
It's easy, but it's a.
That massive H looks a lotsmaller when you're down there.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
It was just actually just reminded when you were
talking, because you were.
Another big fan favourite wasIan Madigan and you were kind of
, you learned from him becausehe nailed a few quality kicks at
the death of a couple of gamesas well, and we again, he was a
big, I think he was a big fanfavourite for the way that he
stepped up.
But yeah, I guess you must havebeen kind of, you must have
(30:43):
learned a bit from him as well.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Yeah, definitely.
I still speak to Mads nowregularly.
He was like a mentor to me.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
I thought he was a legend.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
But yeah, I remember when I first started kicking off
that telescopic tee, he was theone who got me the tee,
introduced me to it and it was.
I was with him, bruce JohannaBeanie, and then, yeah, I used
to spend hours with Mads talkingabout kicking because he was.
I reckon he's probably the bestgoalkeeper I've worked with.
To be honest, like in training,he was a freak.
(31:10):
Like we'd have competitions forcoffees and I don't think I
ever won one in the three yearsI played with him.
He was, he was dead on, dead on.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
We used to we used to say he loved his coffee, didn't
he?
Yes, he did turn away straightaway.
If he knew it was so, we usedto watch him rather than the
ball, and you knew that as soonas he turned away, you knew that
it'd gone in.
It was uh, it was amazing hestruck an amazing ball.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
To be fair to him, he he was, yeah, spot on.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
What about your kicking Dan?
Any good.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Terrible.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Can you?
Speaker 2 (31:40):
do a torpedo.
In fairness, I wouldn't mind alittle torpedo, but the chances
of actually coming off a torpedowas probably 50-50.
The other one would probablyspiral into the touchline.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Have you ever tried a grubber in a game?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
No, I don't think I have.
Actually, I think if I tried agrubber in the game, I think I'd
be playing fucking dingsgrazedas that we got through.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Well, maybe right, boys, we've taken up a lot of
your time.
We really appreciate it, but wehave got a couple of quick fire
ones, so just short answers onthis, alright, so I'm going to
do.
Am I doing the first threemiles?
Is that right?
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Go for it.
Yeah, go for it.
So here's the first one.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
Um, I'll, I'll ask both of you.
I'll go Callum first.
Dry robes at Ashton Gate yes orno?
Dry robes yeah.
Fans wearing dry robes atAshton Gate any rugby stadium Is
that acceptable or not?
No, no, dave Atwood thought itwas fine by the way.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah, that's Dave all over that.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
He thought he was like talking about we could get
branded ones and Bishop Pairshould have them.
Dave, all over, what about?
Speaker 2 (32:46):
you.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Dan Dry robes on the farm.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I'm honestly, I can't stand dry robes.
I think they look terrible.
Yes, I think it looked terrible.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Yes, yeah, we had quite a big thing about that
where we made a big thing.
We were taking photos of peoplewearing them at Ashton Gate and
saying it was unacceptable.
All right, there you go.
Good Second question, thinkingback at the time of your whole
time at Bears and Bristol beforethey were Bears, who do you
think was like the hardest man?
I'll go Callum first.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
I'll go a bit of a throwback.
Dave Lemmy, oh yeah, he wasterrifying.
I'll tell you a quick story.
I remember we were out inFrance and we were on
Font-Rameau and there was a fewpunch-ups in training and like
yeah, it was real niggly and hewas our captain at the time.
I remember he stood in themiddle of the circle, there was
35 blokes around him and he saidall this fighting is bullshit.
(33:37):
He said if anyone wants to havea fight, he said I'll be in the
car park waiting for you.
And he stood there for an hourand not one person went anywhere
near that car park.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
he was hard.
That is brilliant what about?
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Leua was mine.
Yeah, he was like a man of like, not many words, but you
respect him and you know if, ifhe wanted to flick that switch,
he'd knock you clean outprobably.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Yeah, I'll tell you what, joyce, he said.
We asked him that question andhe said ala patty, he said
exactly the same thing.
And he said hasn't he got anyACLs or anything?
He's like got no ligaments orsomething, apparently.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah, his legs are so strong, I just keep them
together, but no, he's a legend.
He is a legend, yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Right next one.
This is for Callum specifically.
Do you miss Harry?
Randall has he asked that no,no.
I don't know him that well,because there was a time where
you were the kind of you know.
I thought you and Rans were thekind of Spice Boys around
Bristol, the young lads he'sstill.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
He's still like one of my best mates.
Now I still see him speak tohim pretty much every day.
So no, I probably speak to himmore now than I did in the club,
so don't miss him.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I wish I'd seen him less same question to Dan, then
similar one who do you miss themost at Bristol?
My whole time at Bristol yeah,who was your best friend?
Who's your?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
special friend.
In fairness, I've got Sheeds asmy best friend.
I see him every day.
I came as a package in thecollege but in fairness, I have
a lot of boys.
I miss really obviously Bat toCardiff, but no, in fact there
are a lot of boys.
I miss really obviously bats,stacks, dolph and all them, but
in fact I speak to them mostdays as well.
So I probably rather it nowbecause I don't have to put up
with them every single day.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Nice one, Miles.
Have you got any quickfire?
Speaker 4 (35:28):
questions.
Yeah, quickfire question benchpressing sheep, or was that just
a COVID thing?
Speaker 2 (35:34):
No, that was just a COVID thing.
I've retired the sheep now, soI'm sent out of the pasture.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Good stuff, Basically .
Really, what do you do to relaxnow, apart from just lying in
beds and in the evening withoutyour kids?
What about you, Dan?
I?
Speaker 2 (35:51):
go to arm wrestling clubs.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
To participate.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Yeah, well, basically my wife Does your coach know
this, we're all flipping.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yeah, I think she's probably brought it up for you.
Because, I missed her onpaternity leave for nine months
and I was in Bristol on my ownwhile she was back in Carmarthen
.
So I saw her on YouTube onceand I stitched it up.
And then just me and fourUkrainian blokes in the garden
shed every Wednesday, everyWednesday evening right, oh dear
(36:24):
, and she's.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Have you got something a bit less sort of
salubrious that you enjoy?
Speaker 3 (36:29):
trying to relax, I'm a bit lost at the moment because
I was coaching the last fouryears at True Valley, but I've
stopped that this year.
Oh okay, yeah, I'm very, veryboring.
At the moment I'm dog walks andhow are they doing since you
left?
I don't want to speak bottom ofthe league, but it's a
coincidence.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Fair play, fair play Brilliant thank you, that's
where In that.
Oh God, I've forgotten his name.
Let's forget that question.
Like ex-Bristol player, he'sTuvalu Anyway.
Speaker 5 (36:56):
Mark Regan.
Yeah, Regan, yeah, that's ityeah that's the one.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
He's down there all the time, yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
Yeah, oh, there you go.
Oh, you haven't got a quickfire.
One Lee, have you?
Speaker 3 (37:17):
Yeah well, if you don't first but it's to both of
you what was your best moment,on or off the field at Bristol
Bears?
Ooh, the two that probablystand out would be the Doncaster
playoff 2015,.
I think.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
That was just like surreal.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
That was unbelievable .
And then winning the EuropeanCup out in France was amazing.
It was just a shame it wasCovid because we couldn't get
any fans out there.
So yeah, it's a shame, becauseobviously the Bristolians would
have been out there in theirnumbers.
So yeah, that was cool.
And then we got to have a gooddrink in the hotel, which was,
yeah, good fun yeah, we pushedMiles in an Asda trolley on that
(37:58):
evening we got absolutelylevitated that night watching it
on telly and then we were onradio
Speaker 1 (38:04):
we got on radio Bristol as well.
Afterwards, as some fans likeJeff Twentyman was.
We were live on Jeff Twentymanand just it was just shouting
down the phone at him, yeah itwas.
Speaker 5 (38:14):
It was a yeah we enjoyed ourselves and Dan.
What was your best moment, dan?
On or off the field?
Speaker 2 (38:22):
In fairness, on the field I've had a load of great
moments with my mates and stuff,but off the field for me there
was two nights out.
I've always remembered so itwas after the too long game in
the hotel.
So obviously we couldn't leavethe hotel.
After us, we all drank with abar and I thought that's
probably what brought us closerthan ever, because we should
have showed his pockets forthree days straight.
And then she didn't know.
(38:42):
Remember the 12th, the secondseason we had, I had a bristol,
we had newcastle uh away andwell, I'm she's as a part of it.
So we had a three-day benderfor the last, for the three days
following.
So we had a three-day bender forthe last, for the three days
following it, and then we hadfitness tests on the fourth day.
(39:03):
But no, then three, four days.
I loved them and they're one ofthe memories that always stick
with me for the rest of my lifebasically.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
Brilliant, I've got a funny little question as well.
Both of you, so you're boththere.
At the time of Sammy Radranger,did he ever learn the words to
the Blackbird?
Do you think he ever knew whatthe words were or what he was
singing?
He probably knew it in Fijia.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
He had a very select few English words pass me ball
that's what he used to say giveme ball and I score.
That's all he needed to know.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Brilliant, I think we'll let him off with that
singing.
Or Pass me the ball.
As I used to say, give me balland I score.
That's all he needed to know.
Brilliant, I think we'll lethim off with that singing.
A little lack of it,potentially Brilliant.
Thanks, jep, I think.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
I've got one more question.
I'm just looking at some thatwe got sent from some of the
listeners, but actually I thinkwe've covered quite a lot of
them, to be honest, justgenerally.
But there was, he's a good mateof ours actually, as in the
fact he listens to the podcastand tells us he likes it, so
he's a good mate.
Uh, he said it's marcus watts.
I'll name check him.
He said do you think the catrule has helped or hindered
(40:03):
rugby over the past few years,and why?
Um, like, I guess his interestwas in the context of england
rule around not picking overseasplayers.
But I guess, from your point ofview, you two I mean callum,
obviously, obviously you'vealready got 14 caps for Wales.
Dan, you did play under 20Wales, didn't you have?
Both of you got pretensions oftrying to get back in the
(40:27):
international fold and beingback in Wales obviously, you
know, helps a bit.
I'll go with Dan first.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
I'll be honest, I'll be lying to you if I said I
don't want to play for Walesbecause at the end of the day,
that's every kid's dream to playfor their country.
But no, that's the main targetfor me play well for Cardiff and
hopefully something might comealong the lines.
But no, my main concern at themoment is play well for Cardiff
and have a good season therefirstly.
(40:55):
But if something comesafterwards then yeah, I'd really
really be enjoying it.
But for me, in fairnessprobably me being Kappa in the
20s, in fairness, he's got itdown to a tier at least.
That really locked me in toWales because I wouldn't have
said I would have played like,if I even get picked for England
, I wouldn't have.
(41:16):
I have no idea where that wouldhappen, but because
contract-wise in England the EQPrule is massive in England.
So for me, just playing Wales20s, that made me a foreigner
every time when I was atGloucester and Bristol.
So contractually it's horribleto be EQ, non-eqp and basically
a nobody really, because ittakes a spot on the team, on the
(41:38):
squad.
So it hindered me a fair bit.
But it's easy enough to saythat now because when I was in
the 20s I never thought I'dleave Wales, or just I'd be a
scarlet the rest of my life,basically.
But looking back hindsight, itdoes affect the younger boys
more than anything.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Actually Callum.
Before you answer it, I justremembered something that I did
some research on you and youplayed against Barbarians.
You were in the England squad.
Do you remember that?
In 2019.
I vaguely remember wearing thatshirt.
I found it on YouTube, but youdidn't get on.
You were on the bench andMarcus Smith was playing 10.
I did get on, did you?
(42:16):
Oh, right bench, you and MarcusSmith was playing 10 and I did
get on.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Did you all right, yeah?
Speaker 1 (42:20):
but I watched it on YouTube and you definitely
weren't singing the nationalanthem, I could tell.
Did you think that moment islike?
You know?
That was a defining moment inyour international career, and
then you've obviously gone onand played for wales yeah, I
mean, um, no, I didn't sing theanthem.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Um, I thought it was wrong.
It was wrong to sing the anthembecause I have no english blood
in me, I was just residents.
Yeah, it was a great week and I, you know, I did really enjoy
it.
But when I stood there and hewas singing god save the queen,
at the time I didn't feel anyemotion.
Like I didn't feel emotion.
Like when I'm there and we'resinging the Welsh national
(42:59):
anthem, I'm like almost crying.
So that probably tells me thatplaying for England was probably
wrong for me.
To be honest.
Like, yeah, it was a greatexperience, but it was wrong
there was some seriously big.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
I was just looking at the team on that day.
It was like Piers O'Connor wasplaying Joe Marchant, Josh
Bassett, Marcus Smith, AlexMitchell, Tom Dunn, Don Brandt,
Ben Currie, Harrison.
On the bench was Urbano WillSpencer, you, Ben Loder.
There was quite a, and then inthe I think, Steve Lewittu was
(43:34):
playing for the Barbarians.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
So was Bill Matter, as well, yeah Giles, played,
yeah Giles played.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Joe Marla was playing .
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Actually that's a good finalquestion actually.
Joe Marla, what's I mean?
What are your thoughts on him?
Out of interest, because he hada few run-ins with Bristol,
didn't he?
Speaker 3 (43:54):
He had the Jake Heenan thing and all that sort
of stuff yeah, he's not for me,like, I'm not one that's like
all over social media and stuff.
I find it quite.
You know you're talking on thepitch personally, but listen
he's going to have a greatcareer after rugby because he's
controversial.
So fair play to him, but it'snot for me Fair enough,
brilliant.
Speaker 4 (44:14):
Very diplomatic.
Yeah.
So we need a final bit ofadvice from you two, although
you have highlighted that youare still resident in Bristol.
Obviously, big day out forBristol Bath in May.
I think you boys are sadly inSouth Africa playing the
Stormers that weekend.
Yeah so you know, shame, youcan't come Any bars we should
head for near the Principalityor avoid.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
There's some nice pubs in poncani.
You can have a nice pub crawlgoing into the town there it's
nice bars and pubs sorry, nicepubs, nice beer garden.
So get there nice and early andhave a few beers before you get
there all right.
Speaker 4 (44:49):
Yeah, I think you'll kick off same time.
So, yeah, you probably won't bewatching that with you.
That which is, you know, yeah,shame, yeah, you'll be.
You'll be enjoying the sunshinedown in South Africa, yeah,
Brilliant, thank you.
Speaker 1 (45:02):
Well, lads, I think that's really good.
I really appreciate you givingup a lot of your time for us and
thanks, it's been really good.
So, yeah, we'll do some sort ofediting on this at some point
and stick it out, and I'm sure Imean seriously, I think a lot
of we do have a reasonablenumber of listeners and they'll
be really I think they'll bereally sort of pleased to hear
(45:26):
what you've got to say and somereally interesting stuff that we
just don't know as fans.
So we really appreciate yourhonesty.
But, lee, you've got one morequestion.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Yeah, I just wanted to sum that up, actually, pete.
We wanted to sum that up,actually, pete.
We wanted to say personally,lads, that we genuinely did
appreciate everything you'vedone for us in a Bears shirt and
on and off the field.
You've been massive ambassadorsto Bristol Bears and part of
the whole.
You know the rebrand processand we just wanted to say like,
(45:52):
genuinely, we are genuinemassive fans of you boys, thank
you.
I wanted to say like, genuinely, we are genuine massive fans of
you boys and we were guttedwhen you left, absolutely gutted
, and it's so good to see youpushing on now with Blues and
doing so well, you know.
Thanks very much.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
Appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
Well, boys, there you go.
It was 45 minutes of what I'dsay is pretty good bants, wasn't
it?
Despite the fact that your facewas getting redder and redder,
Lee, as the whole session wenton, we should say.
Speaker 5 (46:21):
I mean, it was a bit manic for all three of us,
wasn't it?
It was no doubt it was forSheeds and Dan Thomas as well,
but I think I got home from workabout five to seven, jumped in
the shower literally, wasboiling hot, and then realised
that I'd kept the heating on soas the because I didn't want to
(46:41):
get up and turn the heating offwhile we were talking.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
It would have been rude.
Yeah, it would have been rude.
Speaker 5 (46:48):
And yeah, it was subsequently about 25 degrees in
my flat and I was absolutelybaking.
I don't know how I managed toget the questions out, but you
did very well.
Speaker 4 (46:59):
I was suffering boys.
I'm glad it's going out as anaudio file only because, in
addition to that, Pete, and Imight add that Lee had a Wales
mug that he sort of like he wasbigging up DT and Shido.
We wouldn't want to put thatout on a video file, would we?
Speaker 5 (47:17):
But boys.
I did have two mugs, though.
Speaker 4 (47:19):
You did.
Speaker 5 (47:20):
Two mugs, can you?
Tell us what the other one was.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Yeah, it was the Bristol Bears.
Speaker 5 (47:25):
European Challenge Cup final winnings Certainly was
with all the caricatures on.
Yeah, that's great, which isstill my favourite mug in my
collection.
Speaker 4 (47:33):
And still the only trophy favourite mug in my
collection and still the onlytrophy.
Yes, it also turns out that weprobably could have done it like
an interview live, because itturns out that they still live
in Bristol and give each otherlifts over to Cardiff, doesn't
it?
Speaker 1 (47:45):
Well, this is it.
I know we could have got themdown the beer factory.
Speaker 5 (47:48):
I was amazed how chilled Dan Thomas was, though.
I mean literally, the camerawent on and he just led on the
bed.
Speaker 1 (47:56):
He was literally horizontal.
Speaker 5 (47:58):
Oh, it was brilliant, wasn't?
Speaker 4 (47:59):
it.
Speaker 5 (48:00):
Fair play to both of them.
They really, I mean they arebrilliant values.
Speaker 4 (48:05):
Yeah, absolutely, you're absolutely right.
I mean, they're such friendlychaps and thank you very much
for them both for giving uptheir time on a Wednesday night.
It was a bit of a struggle.
We were after our kids, tryingto keep them quiet and the else
but massive respect.
They were such bloody niceblokes and it was great to hear
the insight, as fans have heard,into their times at Bristol and
(48:27):
Cardiff and the reasons whythey potentially didn't get
picked and the changes in theteams.
Speaker 5 (48:33):
That was fascinating there was a lot of bones to pick
over.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
I thought I'd like to think that I mean, it was quite
a long interview.
I'd like to think that youlisteners out there will take
your time and listen to some ofit, and I think they were very
balanced, they were verydiplomatic.
But I think there was some quiteinteresting bits of stuff in
there, so I hope everyoneenjoyed it.
We certainly enjoyed doing itand I think we realized that
(48:59):
actually it's something we cando.
It is possible for us to all doit together.
So, who knows, watch this space.
There might be a few more comethe future.
So anyway, everyone, I hope youdo enjoy it and we'd love to
hear your comments on on those.
But otherwise, stay safe, havea good week and come on, you
bears.
you're listening to bears beyond the gate, a bristol
bears podcast made by fans forfans, with three season card
holders at ashley gate.
We love to club the game andall things bears.
Well, there hasn't been anybears related activity this
weekend, but we've still managedto get a pod together for you.
But this time, rather thantalking about games that have
been and games that have come,we've actually done an interview
(00:26):
and in the spirit of lastseason, when we spoke to Dave
Atwood and we also spoke to JoeJoyce, we tracked down another
couple of recently left bearsand had a little interview with
them.
And we didn't have to go toofar, boys, did we?
It was just over the bridge toCardiff and of course, that
probably gives it away.
(00:46):
Yeah, we did an interview.
We didn't have to go too far,boys, did we?
It was just over the bridge toCardiff and of course, that
probably gives it away.
Yeah, we did an interview withCallum Sheedy and Dan Thomas and
actually, uniquely for us, allthree of us were on the Zoom and
the two of them so there werefive of us on a Zoom trying to
conduct an interview, which youcan imagine, had certain
logistical challenges and alsowe had to be quite disciplined
in the way that we asked thequestions, but it was really
(01:09):
good of the boys to come on anddo it.
They were great.
They were great company.
So let's listen to that now.
Ok, so I'm really excited towelcome Callum Sheedy, shido and
Dan Thomas DT.
That's what we call you, boys.
Welcome them to the BearsBeyond the Gate.
So, boys, thanks very much forgiving up your evenings.
I hope you're well.
(01:31):
Callum, you're wearing yourLeeds top.
Is that a statement or is thatjust what you wear casually?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, it's just my casual.
I didn't actually know I had iton until you said it five
minutes ago, so I would havedressed a bit smarter.
So I apologise for that.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Just out of interest.
I mean, first question is likewhy are you a Leeds fan?
I do vaguely remember yousaying something about it in the
press ages ago, but what's thehistory?
Speaker 3 (01:52):
My granddad was a Leeds fan and my dad was a Leeds
fan.
So when I was younger,obviously back then, they were
really good, weren't they?
So they were the glory fans.
I've had to deal with all therubbish now the last 20 years.
Yeah, I've.
Just to be honest, the worsethey got, the more I loved them,
because it was different and noone else supported them in
school and stuff.
So, yeah, just kind of fromthere really.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Fair play.
And Dan, you're looking veryrelaxed.
I mean, obviously this is likegoing to go out audio, but just
for the listeners he's likelying casually on his bed.
I mean, that's kind of you know, you're a pretty laid-back sort
of guy.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
what we always think so are you well, yeah, all good,
thank you.
Little one's currently beinglooked after by the parents, so
some time myself is muchappreciated at the moment.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Brilliant.
Yeah what could be better thancoming on some random fan in
your free time, right, boys?
So first things first.
Obviously, you both hadillustrious careers, and long
careers, at Bristol.
I mean, callum, you camethrough the academy but you
signed, I think, in 2014, whenwe were down in the championship
(03:00):
and famously scored 22 pointsin a playoff final.
That got us promoted and thenwe got relegated again.
But let's not forget that andthen that's what he called him
yeah yeah and then, dan, yousigned in 2017 from Gloucester,
from up the road, um, yeah, butobviously now you know you're
both together in Cardiff.
But, um, I was just thinkingabout like how, how did those
(03:24):
sort of signings come about andI mean the fact that both of you
were I've been at the Bristolfor so long when you both turned
up at pre-season at Cardiffthis season, was it a bit like
going like new boys at school,like did did anybody talk to you
or did you have to like walkaround with each other?
Uh, so, callum, maybe, what wasit like when you you know,
first turned up and how did itall come about?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Yeah, it was nerve wracking.
I'll be honest, me and DT stilllive in Bristol, so we share
lifts into Cardiff now.
So it wasn't like we were justwalking on our own, which was
actually quite nice and, to befair, wales is real small, so we
both had people who we knewanyway at Cardiff, like through
neutral friends or whatever.
So it wasn't too bad, but no,we definitely.
(04:06):
Well, I can speak for myself.
I certainly had those likefirst day of school nerves
walking in and stuff, becauseyou've been somewhere for so
long and you get comfortablewith the environment and you get
comfortable with the staff andthen all of a sudden you're at a
completely new place.
Yeah, it was scary, but it wasquite nice having Dan there,
because if I got awkward I knewI could just, yeah, take the
(04:30):
piss out of him or somethingyeah, what about you, dan?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
how did you feel?
Nah, it was same as you.
Really, I was quite nervous,obviously been in Bristol for so
long, and then I was basicallywatching the training and
started rinsing everyone allstraight away.
So I was quite comfortablethere.
But now in Cardiff it wasobviously new.
So I had to put my best footforward for a couple of weeks
and just stay the course and notrinse down too hard.
(04:53):
But I think we found our feetpretty quickly and then the
rinsing started pretty soonafter that.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
I was going to say was there any sort of the fact
that you'd been in England forso long?
And obviously, Callum, you comefrom Cardiff originally, but,
Dan, you're like West Wales,aren't you?
Was it a bit weird?
Did you get a bit of jip forplaying?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
in England and that sort of stuff.
No, in fairness, most of theboys I had met in previous years
through mutual friends ornights out, if I'm honest, but
no, they were in fact, actuallyI'm probably one of the oldest
at the club, so it's quite toughfor the young boys that rinsed
me pretty early on.
But no, I think they everyonegot to know each other pretty
quickly.
(05:37):
They were more comfortablearound me then.
But no, in fact, the firstcouple of days, I think me and
Sheedz kept our head down anddidn't give too much shit.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
But I think Jockey, as a coach, that instance the
most, if I'm honest, the firstmeeting was pretty eye-opening,
so he's like so, uh, but I wasgood, but that was my opinion
well, I mean you, in your bothsort of your own ways, you've
made quite a big impression umso far, and correct me if I'm,
but I think you've won three outof six, haven't you?
Cardiff and Callum, you werecaptain, weren't you?
You were made captain the lastgame.
(06:14):
And Dan, we saw some sort ofstats came up on Twitter about
all your turnovers and youscored a couple of tries, early
doors as well.
So you know.
Obviously I assume you'rereally enjoying playing again,
playing regularly.
My question to you, callum, isyou know what's the URC like
compared to your experiences ofplaying in the Premiership?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Yeah, like it's a funny one.
I was actually speaking aboutthis with Joyce and Andy Uren,
Like we still speak on aWhatsApp group no longer.
For me as a 10, I generallyfind it tougher than the Prem.
I think it's.
I don't know if Dan will agree,but I find it a lot more
physical, especially the backs.
Every team in the UFC seems tohave a huge centre and some sort
(06:55):
of freak on the wing who'scarrying 10, 12 times at the 10
channel.
I personally find it tougherthan the Prem.
I think it's more physical.
I think it's more physical, Ithink, because you're playing
against teams from Ireland,Scotland, South Africa, Italy.
Every single team has adifferent style, whereas in the
Prem you've kind of got twostyles.
You've either got your QuinnsNorthampton who throw it about,
(07:15):
or you've got your Sales Sowerswho kick the leather off it.
So I personally have found itprobably tougher than the Prem,
whether that's because I've beenin the Prem for a long time and
it's something different.
I don't know, but I'm coming offthe pitch now.
Whether I'm too old now I don'tknow, but I'm getting sore for
two, three days because you'vegot so much traffic coming down
your channel and stuff.
Yeah, I've been surprisedbecause in England the URC seems
(07:39):
to have a bit of a badreputation.
I think people think it's somesort of like Farmers League or
something, but no offense tofarmers.
But you look at like Leinsterdominating, getting to finals of
Europe every year.
Munster European giants and theSouth African teams are freaks.
So it's like the standard ofopposition is is really good
(08:00):
that you know.
I'd be really impressed.
The Scottish teams you playedthis year.
They they're really really sortof all-court game sort of thing
.
They've got like powerful backrow, big backs set piece.
So yeah, I've actually found ittougher than the Prem, if I'm
being honest.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
What about you, dan?
I mean, you're in the thick ofit.
I mean obviously.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Well, I'm meant to look after him most of the time
and I've failed a couple oftimes on that.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
No, and it's fair.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
After that I found it shocked me the most is how
physical it actually is, because, looking from when I was in the
Prem, I'd always thought thatUSC wasn't as physical, but it
always knew me quick.
But no, in fact we playedScarlet twice in the first three
.
I eventually played Scarlettwice in the first three, four
weeks and I was quite surprisedhow physical they were.
(08:45):
Obviously it's a Welsh team.
I never thought that.
But now and then we had Glasgowthat came down and obviously
they're champions last year andit was a bit of a shock to the
system how physical they were.
But, like she said, every teamhas an absolute mutant in their
team, but they tend to work hard.
They work together quite wellas well, Because it's not just
(09:06):
the mutant who carries, who justhave to defend it, they work
well off him and how to exploitspaces using that bloke as well.
So no, it's been tough and it'sbeen competitive as well.
So obviously, having a youngteam in Cardiff, it means she's
one of the older heads in theteam really.
So all the heads in the team,really.
So it was up to us to fuckingfront up really.
But it's been good, it's beenreally good.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
I mean, the weird thing is I mean, you're on a
break as well now, aren't you?
Well, you have been for a bit,but you haven't got anything.
There's no cup game or cupcompetition for you, so are you
basically kind of just hangingaround trying to keep fit?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
until it restarts again or we had, uh, we had 10
days off after ulster, um, whichwas really nice, and then we've
been in this week.
Now there's been pretty brutal,to be fair.
It's like a mini pre-season.
We had a real tough day today,um, like conditioning, um.
So we'd have like a two-weekblock now where it's like
conditioning, and then we prepthen for our game on the 30th of
november, so we'd have like a10 day prep for that.
(10:03):
It's a bit strange, like we'venever had.
I've never had, well, me andDan have never had a four week
break mid season.
There's always been some sortof like prem cup.
So it's strange, but you know,it's actually quite refreshing
and quite nice as well.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
You're not going to.
It just struck me actually, youto watch the Australia game,
are you?
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I was tempted.
I'm away this weekend.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
I was tempted.
I think we're planning on goingto watch the.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
There's a Reds game in January, february.
Yeah, yeah, I think that's thegame.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
We've aimed to go out , I guess, to watch if we can
manage to get tickets somehow.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I think you could probably pull a few strings.
I think.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
If you've got any problems, lads, just get in
touch with us.
We'll, we'll see if we can sortsomething for you send us a
discount code well look um, Ithink miles, that's my little
group of questions done.
That was about I was going todo the bit about cardiff, so
miles is going to weigh in witha few questions.
I think about your time atbristol, so yeah, that'd be
great.
Speaker 4 (11:04):
Yeah, so you know.
I just wondered, uh, what itwas like when the Pat revolution
started, because you were boththere before the rebrand,
weren't you?
Maybe sort of start with you,callum?
Speaker 3 (11:14):
yeah, it was, um, like it was needed.
To be honest, obviously we had,like I said, we got promoted in
2015 and we came straight backdown, went back up and it was a
bit like we were like the yo-yoteam, so we needed some sort of
like stability and Pat sort ofdefinitely brought that in.
I guess he came with like thevision which we all bought into
massively.
So, yeah, like at the time hejust won the league with Connors
(11:37):
, so we'd heard of him, he was abig figure.
So I remember before he came in, we were all bricking it.
We thought this nut is coming,but no, he was great.
Obviously, those first fouryears under him we were a breath
of fresh air.
We were just really reallyenjoying our rugby and yeah, I
loved it.
(11:58):
To be fair, I loved it.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
What are your thoughts?
Dt Similar, like the change andthe sort of leadership he
brought.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Fuck, if I'm honest, I was at Gloucester and I had no
job.
The next season, when I wasgiven a contract at Bristol, I
heard Paddock come in For me.
It was just like last chancecorral for me, if I'm honest.
I can't remember no, infairness, I had gone through
like three seasons at Gloucester.
I hardly played, just enjoyedalcohol and going out with my
mates, basically, and played 16games in three seasons.
(12:31):
So, coming to Bristol, I think,in fairness, that's probably
what I needed, just a bit ofdirection and a bit of
motivation.
So no, in fairness, I reallyenjoyed the first couple of
seasons really so yeah good,yeah great, excellent Thanks.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
All right, it was in fairness, I really enjoyed the
first couple of seasons reallyso yeah good, yeah great,
excellent, thanks, alright, andalso, just aside, we spoke to
Joycey and Dave Atwood aboutremember that 2021 season.
What was it like in the clubwhen you went on that big run up
to the semi-final and maybejust talk a bit about the
semi-final, but you featuredCallum.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yeah, it was crazy, like we were going into games
almost feeling like invincible,like we were going to win
whatever happens, which was, youknow, an unbelievable feeling
when you're going out to a gameplaying Saris Quinns.
Whoever, just knowing you weregoing to win was, yeah, it was
class and no, like you said, wewent on a really good run and
(13:23):
then obviously the semi-finalhappened, which I think probably
scarred us for about two years,if we're being honest.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
Yeah, we chatted to Dave about this.
I mean, what are yourrecollections of the day?
Obviously, ultimately, therewas that massive turnaround, but
your thoughts on you know whathappened on the day.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Why the sudden?
It was yeah, yeah, the firsthalf was well, the first 36
minutes was it was amazingwasn't it?
Yeah, exactly how we trained,like perfect.
And then I remember Charlescoming off in the first half
with the HIA, yeah, and then youstart thinking, oh god, because
obviously he was actually afreak show that season.
And yeah, I don't know likethey scored, I think, a couple
(14:03):
early second half.
And then we started to panic alittle bit they scored one on
the right just front everyone'slike everyone's like oh fuck,
here we go.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah, it was different wasn't it it was like
it was off a real start as well,wasn't it, I think, or
something, yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
I don't remember yeah , and then the second half just
seemed to and just it was crazy,it was like an outer body
experience Just lost all controlwe did.
And yeah, I think, to be honest, I think obviously that was
gutting enough, but I think theknock-on effect they had over
the next couple of seasons, Ithink personally, I think really
hurts as a squad, like weprobably second-guessed how we
(14:39):
wanted to play, like we got thiskicking game which was not us
at all.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
No, no, absolutely you know and as fans you know
the amount of times the flippingbrist down ball phrase.
I think we just got bored of it, and that you know end of last
season where we sort of smashedthem in the final game of the
season.
That was for us that was just abrilliant moment.
Really appreciate that and sortof after that sort of period, I
(15:06):
mean it's just fair to say thata few seasons after that I
guess neither of you played asmuch.
And, callum, is there anargument to say that perhaps you
fell foul of the system andperhaps you weren't able to
express yourself as much?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Maybe I mean, obviously, like I said after
that, the season after, Iremember we sort of become the
biggest stat we looked at thenwas like kick meters and uh,
yeah, for me I that's that's notme at all, I'm not a 10 who
stands in kicks, but that's whatI was trying to become and, um,
(15:41):
I think a lot of people fansincluded, included probably
thought I was just choosing tokick all the time when, and that
probably pissed me off the mostthat people were kind of why
are you kicking?
why are you kicking so much?
I'm thinking, well, if I wantto play, I've got no choice,
I've got to stand there and kickthe ball.
Um, so, yeah, I guess.
Uh, that was a real frustrating18 months for me because I just
(16:01):
wanted to come out and saylisten, I, I am doing what I'm
told to do.
But, yeah, we become way tooobsessed with on the Monday
morning it'd be who kicked themost, us or Gloucester, and if
we didn't win that, it would bea big hoo-ha Like, oh my God, we
didn't kick as much.
And you see, now this year it'samazing to watch, you know,
(16:26):
watch the boys running it again.
Oh, absolutely, yeah, that'swhat we should have done for the
last two years, butunfortunately we tried to change
.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
It didn't work and yeah, I was the 10 at the time.
Yeah, fair enough.
Yeah, that's interesting.
And Dan, really I think a lotof fans would agree that you're
actually a beast of a seven andthe best jackler we ever had.
I mean, why do you think youmaybe fell out of favour?
Speaker 2 (16:50):
personally, I'm not sure.
To be honest, in Venice thefirst three or four seasons I
was playing pretty regular allweek in, week out, and then I
don't know if it's defensivesystems changed or anything.
(17:11):
I was just not given the freereign or what I wanted as much
as I used to be able to do.
And I think us winning in three, four years maybe covered up
the negative things I used to doin the games up quite a bit
years.
Maybe covered up the right, thenegative things I used to do in
the games up quite a bit.
So as soon as we started losing, maybe that just magnified what
I was doing wrong in gamesmainly.
But I'm not sure.
(17:31):
There wasn't like a moment intime where I thought, oh, that's
the turning point.
But no, I was quite frustratedin that.
Well, three, four, threeseasons last year I was really
frustrated how things wentbecause I personally felt as if
I was still playing pretty welland then I wasn't getting the
rewards for it or I was just notgetting picked for it.
So the last three seasons I hadat Bristol were really
(17:52):
frustrating for me because it'snot how I wanted my career to
finish at Bristol.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yeah, absolutely.
It seems frustrating for fanstoo.
I mean, you know, we thoughtyou were playing great every
time you came on.
We couldn't quite understandwhy you weren't getting picked
either.
But you know, we thought youwere playing great every time
you came on.
We couldn't quite understandwhy you weren't getting picked
either.
But you know, we're not theboss, are we?
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah, exactly, but no , it was frustrating.
Obviously I have a lot of fondmemories of Bristol and the way
we played and stuff reallysuited me.
And the last couple of seasonswe did change quite a fair bit
how we wanted to play, so thatdidn't really suit me either.
Like Sheed said, I was the sameabout the Sheeds.
The kicking game and basicallythe South Africa style game
didn't suit me because about 100kilos soaking wet and about 5
(18:34):
foot 9 so that had a big effecton my selection and stuff, but
it was just frustrating the lastthree seasons for me, for us
yeah
Speaker 1 (18:45):
absolutely well.
Miles did a good job there,mate, well done.
That's your first, your firstinterview.
So it's lee.
We're going to move over to lee, who's going to, uh, ask you a
few questions hiya fellas.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
First thing I want to say is that I don't know, if
you can see this but I thoughtI'd put, I put this on show for
you boys today.
Um, actually, without wantingto regurgitate too much of what
you've said about bristan ball,but what?
What do you guys think?
What were your opinions on usactually starting to?
(19:19):
Why did we change our game andhave this you know, crisis, uh,
confidence crisis after BristanBall?
What do you think was thepsyche then after that?
Speaker 3 (19:31):
that's a good question.
I don't know like we came inthe the year after or half of
the year after, I can't remember, and it was like there was a.
I remember we had a meeting andit was like I can't remember 8
out of 10 games where the teamkicks more metres than the other
team will win.
So we thought we got presentedthat this is how we win games
(19:52):
and we're all sat there likeright, but in hindsight, like as
a 10, as a leader, like I wishI, you know, I wish I said
that's probably not the way wedo it.
But you know, hindsight's awonderful thing.
I've bought into it, as Ibought into everything we did.
And yeah, like Dan said, itwasn't, it wasn't a bit so I
(20:12):
don't know what the psyche wasbehind it.
I don't know who was the brainsbehind it.
I don't really know.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
I thought when South Africa won the World Cup and we
just yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
I just wanted.
Sorry, colin, I just wanted tosay from our point of view it
was very strange, for us as well, watching you on the pitch,
knowing that that's not the wayyou play usually.
You know that's not your gameand I think then we tended to,
we lost a bit of clarity in theway we're playing.
(20:44):
It almost felt like the theclub ethos that we built up over
that four or five year periodpreviously.
It felt like it just completelyhad collapsed just on that,
like overnight, on that one gameand it, it.
I do agree.
I think it's taken such a longtime for us to get over that,
that game in particular, tobounce back yeah, yeah, you're,
(21:07):
probably you're right, like it'sum in.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Like, looking back, as players, probably we didn't
really, you know, know what wewere doing.
We were, you know, we wereplaying a kicking game with
players who aren't suited for akicking game.
We were playing a kick andchase game with boys who don't
want to stand there and chasekicks all day.
But maybe we had to go throughthat for the boys to get where
they are today.
Maybe we had to go through thatand realise that's not us, and
(21:30):
maybe in 10 years time we'lllook back and think it was
actually a good thing, um, butyeah it, it wasn't particularly
overly enjoyable playing, uh,that style yeah, and and dan,
when you went back on loan toscarlet, how was that for you?
Speaker 5 (21:45):
was it like a, you know, like a homecoming and did
you?
Did you?
Obviously, you know, was itnice to be back around family
again and you know, were settledstraight away?
Or were you just thinking?
I'm so confused, why am I here?
Speaker 2 (22:00):
A bit of both really, because I think I went all
right in a couple of weeks.
I came back from an injurybecause I did my ankle and I did
it right.
I was basically on half a legand then all of a sudden turned
up on Monday thinking, oh, I'mgoing to play.
I think you boys I'm not surewho you played, but I played and
(22:21):
then I turned up on Monday andhe was like you're off on loan
to Scarlet, so you want to?
And I was like fuck it.
Okay, bit of a shock to thesystem.
But I was like, yeah, all good,I'll just go.
And then, in fairness, I reallyenjoyed it.
It was just Dwayne Peel wasthere and he just said go out
there and play rugby, just backyourself and stuff.
(22:41):
So, in fairness, we playedLeinster and Connacht and we got
hammered both weeks.
But I actually really enjoyedjust like the rugby and just a
bit of freedom.
How I felt with Bristol like myfirst couple of seasons.
It was just like go expressyourself.
You're a half-teacher rugbyplayer, just go do what you want
to do.
And I was like, yeah, happydays.
And then, obviously, I thinksomeone got injured again then
(23:04):
and then I came back straightinto the Bristol team and I
think I was on the bench for therest of the season then.
So, no, I really enjoyed it.
In fairness, I still came downfrom Bristol because I knew if I
was on the farm it would bemilking first and then rugby
second.
So I knew I had to stay awayfrom the farm for the last two
weeks as well.
But no, it was good.
We had Conant away and thenLeinster home.
(23:24):
And, in fairness, I found aneye-opener playing Leinster
because it was during I'm notsure if it was during the Six
Nations because they were infull, but it was like
eye-opening for playing Leinsterand how, like not regimented,
but how everyone did their jobsso well and how they clicked as
a team.
They put like 40-50 points onus but didn't feel as if they
did anything out of the ordinary, they just did all the simple
(23:45):
things.
Well.
That, in fairness, justaccumulated points and it was.
It was.
I had massive respect forLeinster, respectful and stuff
like that.
Speaker 5 (23:53):
Yeah, I can imagine, Pete.
Have you got anything else toask now?
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
I've still got to go to my bottom questions here.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
No, go for it.
No, you go for your.
Yeah, go for your bottomquestion, whatever that is.
Okay, you tell me we had aplanning meeting about a minute
before you boys came on.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Yeah, and I was 40 seconds late into it.
So I wanted to ask both of youactually, because I've got a
good friend of mine who playsprofessional cricket for
Gloucestershire and one of thethings that you know I don't
think us as supportersappreciate a lot of the time is
what you boys actually have togo through, like not just on the
(24:35):
training field but in yourpersonal lives, and to still be
able to perform, as you know,efficiently, as you do on a
weekend, what, what sort of got.
I'm really interested in thekind of process that you you
have to put into place, like, ifyou've had a bad day, you go
(24:56):
out on the field, you've got toperform, you know, in front of
20,000 people, and you know howdo you build up to that.
If you've had a terrible day,how are you still able to
perform to that level whenyou're on the pitch?
Speaker 3 (25:13):
It's not easy, like there's times and there's been
times over the last few yearswhere, like the last thing I
wanted to do, to be honest, isgo out and play a game of rugby,
like it's been literally thelast I wanted to do.
But, um, it's your job at theend of the day.
Um, you're paid money toperform.
Uh, just like any, any personwho's working is paid money to
go and do their job.
(25:33):
So, um, you've still, like,you've still got that passion
and that drive to competitive.
We're competitive people.
We still want to go and win.
So when we step foot on thatpitch, I think it's almost like
a bit of a nice release.
No matter what's going on inyour day, you still perform
yourself.
Yeah, I found the weeks moretough in training and stuff,
(25:55):
trying to stay engaged and stilltrying to do all that when
you've had like a crappy fewweeks or whatever off the pitch.
So the games are the easy part,to be honest, because you can
just go out and be a performerself.
I used to find the weeks quitetough when you were having sort
of a bad day.
That was the hard thing for tome.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
I think and Dan, yeah , I'm similar.
She's like end of the day, it'smy job, so I have to do well
because and I'll be honest toyou it's a privilege for us to
be able to do it as a living, ifI'm honest, because there's a
lot more tougher things going onin the world than playing rugby
.
So if I turn up on a Saturdayand play, I wasn't emotionally
(26:34):
or mentally there, then I thinkthat's a kick in the teeth for
everyone else.
So for me to turn up on aSaturday and just play 80
minutes as best I can, I thinkit's not easy, but it's just
something I can mentally switchon to quite easy because it's a
short career, so I got to makethe most of it, and if I don't,
(26:55):
then I'll be milking and pullingfour teats sooner rather than
later.
So that's my mentality goingover.
But I am in credit to like.
If I've had a bad, bad coupleof days, then for me, going into
training and getting abusedfrom the boys and just being
around them is like the bestthing for me, because it just,
um, takes away not reality, butit takes away, uh, the feeling
(27:18):
of negativity.
Whatever I had gone, go outsiderugby.
So for me, being rinsed byseeds most of the day, or just
having lift club and havingstopping for coke, zero for
snacks.
It's just stuff.
The little things I got Iappreciate the most because it's
just um.
What I like for the boys islike they'll treat me the same
way every day, regardless.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
I'm feeling down or I'm feeling good, so that's why
I appreciate the most yeah, Iguess I mean, from that point of
view, it is a great leveler,isn't it?
It's like having me when you'vegot kids, you can have the
worst day in the world, but youknow, when you come out, when
they don't care about that, dothey so exactly?
Speaker 1 (27:51):
yeah yeah I've just got a one follow-up question to
that.
And then we've got like a fewreal quick fire questions like
short answer ones, and then wehad we did actually ask a few of
our listeners whether they hadany questions and we did get a
few, so we might just finish offwith them as well.
But that's all right.
It was just, um, the follow-upto that was there was.
It was for callum really.
It just struck me that, um,there was that season where I
(28:14):
don't know if you remember this,but you hit the post quite a
lot with your conversions andpenalties and it kind of like it
became a bit of a thing, youknow, like Shido's hit the post
again like the fans, and I justwonder, like, did that get to
you at all?
But also, what is your kind of?
How do you, what is yourprocess, your kicking process,
(28:35):
your routine, because obviouslyit is a technical skill and how
do you kind of get rid of thosesort of negative thoughts or the
noise of the crowd or that sortof stuff?
Be interested to know that.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Yeah, firstly, the whole hitting the post thing
didn't.
I was aware of it but I didn'treally care that people were
saying stuff and I actuallyfound it quite funny that people
I think they cared more than Idid about it in the post because
I knew my process was.
You know, it wasn't like I wasfully shanking them.
You know, if you're hitting thepost you're not a million miles
off.
And, don't get me wrong, you'revery frustrated when I miss a
(29:09):
kick.
But in terms of kicking processI've probably struggled the last
few years because we had DaveUlrich come in as a kicking
coach and he kind of made uschange our kicking tees.
So I changed my kicking tee twoseasons ago when he came in and
(29:30):
my percentages went from like85 to like 60.
Like genuine.
It was terrible and I startedgetting into my own head then
because I was like overthinkingthings.
And yeah, I'm back to my oldteam now.
So hopefully my percentageswill go up a little bit this
year.
They've been tough this yearactually.
We keep scoring in the corner,so we're really not doing
anything for my stats.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You're flying against us.
Yeah, don't worry, george.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Ford can't hit him from the corner either.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Big corner that was right in front.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
Yeah, where else it was?
Speaker 3 (29:59):
In terms of the process.
I think as long as you'reconsistent with your process and
it's like going okay intraining, then the noise of the
crowd, if you miss a few, youknow from the crowd.
Everyone thinks you should getevery one, don't they?
You know it's easy for thecrowd.
Just put that little ballthrough that massive H.
It's easy, but it's a.
That massive H looks a lotsmaller when you're down there.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
It was just actually just reminded when you were
talking, because you were.
Another big fan favourite wasIan Madigan and you were kind of
, you learned from him becausehe nailed a few quality kicks at
the death of a couple of gamesas well, and we again, he was a
big, I think he was a big fanfavourite for the way that he
stepped up.
But yeah, I guess you must havebeen kind of, you must have
(30:43):
learned a bit from him as well.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Yeah, definitely.
I still speak to Mads nowregularly.
He was like a mentor to me.
Speaker 5 (30:48):
I thought he was a legend.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
But yeah, I remember when I first started kicking off
that telescopic tee, he was theone who got me the tee,
introduced me to it and it was.
I was with him, bruce JohannaBeanie, and then, yeah, I used
to spend hours with Mads talkingabout kicking because he was.
I reckon he's probably the bestgoalkeeper I've worked with.
To be honest, like in training,he was a freak.
(31:10):
Like we'd have competitions forcoffees and I don't think I
ever won one in the three yearsI played with him.
He was, he was dead on, dead on.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
We used to we used to say he loved his coffee, didn't
he?
Yes, he did turn away straightaway.
If he knew it was so, we usedto watch him rather than the
ball, and you knew that as soonas he turned away, you knew that
it'd gone in.
It was uh, it was amazing hestruck an amazing ball.
Speaker 3 (31:31):
To be fair to him, he he was, yeah, spot on.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
What about your kicking Dan?
Any good.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Terrible.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Can you?
Speaker 2 (31:40):
do a torpedo.
In fairness, I wouldn't mind alittle torpedo, but the chances
of actually coming off a torpedowas probably 50-50.
The other one would probablyspiral into the touchline.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Have you ever tried a grubber in a game?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
No, I don't think I have.
Actually, I think if I tried agrubber in the game, I think I'd
be playing fucking dingsgrazedas that we got through.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
Well, maybe right, boys, we've taken up a lot of
your time.
We really appreciate it, but wehave got a couple of quick fire
ones, so just short answers onthis, alright, so I'm going to
do.
Am I doing the first threemiles?
Is that right?
Speaker 4 (32:16):
Go for it.
Yeah, go for it.
So here's the first one.
Speaker 1 (32:19):
Um, I'll, I'll ask both of you.
I'll go Callum first.
Dry robes at Ashton Gate yes orno?
Dry robes yeah.
Fans wearing dry robes atAshton Gate any rugby stadium Is
that acceptable or not?
No, no, dave Atwood thought itwas fine by the way.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah, that's Dave all over that.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
He thought he was like talking about we could get
branded ones and Bishop Pairshould have them.
Dave, all over, what about?
Speaker 2 (32:46):
you.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
Dan Dry robes on the farm.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
I'm honestly, I can't stand dry robes.
I think they look terrible.
Yes, I think it looked terrible.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Yes, yeah, we had quite a big thing about that
where we made a big thing.
We were taking photos of peoplewearing them at Ashton Gate and
saying it was unacceptable.
All right, there you go.
Good Second question, thinkingback at the time of your whole
time at Bears and Bristol beforethey were Bears, who do you
think was like the hardest man?
I'll go Callum first.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
I'll go a bit of a throwback.
Dave Lemmy, oh yeah, he wasterrifying.
I'll tell you a quick story.
I remember we were out inFrance and we were on
Font-Rameau and there was a fewpunch-ups in training and like
yeah, it was real niggly and hewas our captain at the time.
I remember he stood in themiddle of the circle, there was
35 blokes around him and he saidall this fighting is bullshit.
(33:37):
He said if anyone wants to havea fight, he said I'll be in the
car park waiting for you.
And he stood there for an hourand not one person went anywhere
near that car park.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
he was hard.
That is brilliant what about?
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Leua was mine.
Yeah, he was like a man of like, not many words, but you
respect him and you know if, ifhe wanted to flick that switch,
he'd knock you clean outprobably.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Yeah, I'll tell you what, joyce, he said.
We asked him that question andhe said ala patty, he said
exactly the same thing.
And he said hasn't he got anyACLs or anything?
He's like got no ligaments orsomething, apparently.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah, his legs are so strong, I just keep them
together, but no, he's a legend.
He is a legend, yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Right next one.
This is for Callum specifically.
Do you miss Harry?
Randall has he asked that no,no.
I don't know him that well,because there was a time where
you were the kind of you know.
I thought you and Rans were thekind of Spice Boys around
Bristol, the young lads he'sstill.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
He's still like one of my best mates.
Now I still see him speak tohim pretty much every day.
So no, I probably speak to himmore now than I did in the club,
so don't miss him.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I wish I'd seen him less same question to Dan, then
similar one who do you miss themost at Bristol?
My whole time at Bristol yeah,who was your best friend?
Who's your?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
special friend.
In fairness, I've got Sheeds asmy best friend.
I see him every day.
I came as a package in thecollege but in fairness, I have
a lot of boys.
I miss really obviously Bat toCardiff, but no, in fact there
are a lot of boys.
I miss really obviously bats,stacks, dolph and all them, but
in fact I speak to them mostdays as well.
So I probably rather it nowbecause I don't have to put up
with them every single day.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Nice one, Miles.
Have you got any quickfire?
Speaker 4 (35:28):
questions.
Yeah, quickfire question benchpressing sheep, or was that just
a COVID thing?
Speaker 2 (35:34):
No, that was just a COVID thing.
I've retired the sheep now, soI'm sent out of the pasture.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Good stuff, Basically .
Really, what do you do to relaxnow, apart from just lying in
beds and in the evening withoutyour kids?
What about you, Dan?
I?
Speaker 2 (35:51):
go to arm wrestling clubs.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
To participate.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Yeah, well, basically my wife Does your coach know
this, we're all flipping.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yeah, I think she's probably brought it up for you.
Because, I missed her onpaternity leave for nine months
and I was in Bristol on my ownwhile she was back in Carmarthen
.
So I saw her on YouTube onceand I stitched it up.
And then just me and fourUkrainian blokes in the garden
shed every Wednesday, everyWednesday evening right, oh dear
(36:24):
, and she's.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Have you got something a bit less sort of
salubrious that you enjoy?
Speaker 3 (36:29):
trying to relax, I'm a bit lost at the moment because
I was coaching the last fouryears at True Valley, but I've
stopped that this year.
Oh okay, yeah, I'm very, veryboring.
At the moment I'm dog walks andhow are they doing since you
left?
I don't want to speak bottom ofthe league, but it's a
coincidence.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Fair play, fair play Brilliant thank you, that's
where In that.
Oh God, I've forgotten his name.
Let's forget that question.
Like ex-Bristol player, he'sTuvalu Anyway.
Speaker 5 (36:56):
Mark Regan.
Yeah, Regan, yeah, that's ityeah that's the one.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
He's down there all the time, yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
Yeah, oh, there you go.
Oh, you haven't got a quickfire.
One Lee, have you?
Speaker 3 (37:17):
Yeah well, if you don't first but it's to both of
you what was your best moment,on or off the field at Bristol
Bears?
Ooh, the two that probablystand out would be the Doncaster
playoff 2015,.
I think.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
That was just like surreal.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
That was unbelievable .
And then winning the EuropeanCup out in France was amazing.
It was just a shame it wasCovid because we couldn't get
any fans out there.
So yeah, it's a shame, becauseobviously the Bristolians would
have been out there in theirnumbers.
So yeah, that was cool.
And then we got to have a gooddrink in the hotel, which was,
yeah, good fun yeah, we pushedMiles in an Asda trolley on that
(37:58):
evening we got absolutelylevitated that night watching it
on telly and then we were onradio
Speaker 1 (38:04):
we got on radio Bristol as well.
Afterwards, as some fans likeJeff Twentyman was.
We were live on Jeff Twentymanand just it was just shouting
down the phone at him, yeah itwas.
Speaker 5 (38:14):
It was a yeah we enjoyed ourselves and Dan.
What was your best moment, dan?
On or off the field?
Speaker 2 (38:22):
In fairness, on the field I've had a load of great
moments with my mates and stuff,but off the field for me there
was two nights out.
I've always remembered so itwas after the too long game in
the hotel.
So obviously we couldn't leavethe hotel.
After us, we all drank with abar and I thought that's
probably what brought us closerthan ever, because we should
have showed his pockets forthree days straight.
And then she didn't know.
(38:42):
Remember the 12th, the secondseason we had, I had a bristol,
we had newcastle uh away andwell, I'm she's as a part of it.
So we had a three-day benderfor the last, for the three days
following.
So we had a three-day bender forthe last, for the three days
following it, and then we hadfitness tests on the fourth day.
(39:03):
But no, then three, four days.
I loved them and they're one ofthe memories that always stick
with me for the rest of my lifebasically.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
Brilliant, I've got a funny little question as well.
Both of you, so you're boththere.
At the time of Sammy Radranger,did he ever learn the words to
the Blackbird?
Do you think he ever knew whatthe words were or what he was
singing?
He probably knew it in Fijia.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
He had a very select few English words pass me ball
that's what he used to say giveme ball and I score.
That's all he needed to know.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Brilliant, I think we'll let him off with that
singing.
Or Pass me the ball.
As I used to say, give me balland I score.
That's all he needed to know.
Brilliant, I think we'll lethim off with that singing.
A little lack of it,potentially Brilliant.
Thanks, jep, I think.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
I've got one more question.
I'm just looking at some thatwe got sent from some of the
listeners, but actually I thinkwe've covered quite a lot of
them, to be honest, justgenerally.
But there was, he's a good mateof ours actually, as in the
fact he listens to the podcastand tells us he likes it, so
he's a good mate.
Uh, he said it's marcus watts.
I'll name check him.
He said do you think the catrule has helped or hindered
(40:03):
rugby over the past few years,and why?
Um, like, I guess his interestwas in the context of england
rule around not picking overseasplayers.
But I guess, from your point ofview, you two I mean callum,
obviously, obviously you'vealready got 14 caps for Wales.
Dan, you did play under 20Wales, didn't you have?
Both of you got pretensions oftrying to get back in the
(40:27):
international fold and beingback in Wales obviously, you
know, helps a bit.
I'll go with Dan first.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
I'll be honest, I'll be lying to you if I said I
don't want to play for Walesbecause at the end of the day,
that's every kid's dream to playfor their country.
But no, that's the main targetfor me play well for Cardiff and
hopefully something might comealong the lines.
But no, my main concern at themoment is play well for Cardiff
and have a good season therefirstly.
(40:55):
But if something comesafterwards then yeah, I'd really
really be enjoying it.
But for me, in fairnessprobably me being Kappa in the
20s, in fairness, he's got itdown to a tier at least.
That really locked me in toWales because I wouldn't have
said I would have played like,if I even get picked for England
, I wouldn't have.
(41:16):
I have no idea where that wouldhappen, but because
contract-wise in England the EQPrule is massive in England.
So for me, just playing Wales20s, that made me a foreigner
every time when I was atGloucester and Bristol.
So contractually it's horribleto be EQ, non-eqp and basically
a nobody really, because ittakes a spot on the team, on the
(41:38):
squad.
So it hindered me a fair bit.
But it's easy enough to saythat now because when I was in
the 20s I never thought I'dleave Wales, or just I'd be a
scarlet the rest of my life,basically.
But looking back hindsight, itdoes affect the younger boys
more than anything.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Actually Callum.
Before you answer it, I justremembered something that I did
some research on you and youplayed against Barbarians.
You were in the England squad.
Do you remember that?
In 2019.
I vaguely remember wearing thatshirt.
I found it on YouTube, but youdidn't get on.
You were on the bench andMarcus Smith was playing 10.
I did get on, did you?
(42:16):
Oh, right bench, you and MarcusSmith was playing 10 and I did
get on.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
Did you all right, yeah?
Speaker 1 (42:20):
but I watched it on YouTube and you definitely
weren't singing the nationalanthem, I could tell.
Did you think that moment islike?
You know?
That was a defining moment inyour international career, and
then you've obviously gone onand played for wales yeah, I
mean, um, no, I didn't sing theanthem.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
Um, I thought it was wrong.
It was wrong to sing the anthembecause I have no english blood
in me, I was just residents.
Yeah, it was a great week and I, you know, I did really enjoy
it.
But when I stood there and hewas singing god save the queen,
at the time I didn't feel anyemotion.
Like I didn't feel emotion.
Like when I'm there and we'resinging the Welsh national
(42:59):
anthem, I'm like almost crying.
So that probably tells me thatplaying for England was probably
wrong for me.
To be honest.
Like, yeah, it was a greatexperience, but it was wrong
there was some seriously big.
Speaker 1 (43:11):
I was just looking at the team on that day.
It was like Piers O'Connor wasplaying Joe Marchant, Josh
Bassett, Marcus Smith, AlexMitchell, Tom Dunn, Don Brandt,
Ben Currie, Harrison.
On the bench was Urbano WillSpencer, you, Ben Loder.
There was quite a, and then inthe I think, Steve Lewittu was
(43:34):
playing for the Barbarians.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
So was Bill Matter, as well, yeah Giles, played,
yeah Giles played.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Joe Marla was playing .
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Actually that's a good finalquestion actually.
Joe Marla, what's I mean?
What are your thoughts on him?
Out of interest, because he hada few run-ins with Bristol,
didn't he?
Speaker 3 (43:54):
He had the Jake Heenan thing and all that sort
of stuff yeah, he's not for me,like, I'm not one that's like
all over social media and stuff.
I find it quite.
You know you're talking on thepitch personally, but listen
he's going to have a greatcareer after rugby because he's
controversial.
So fair play to him, but it'snot for me Fair enough,
brilliant.
Speaker 4 (44:14):
Very diplomatic.
Yeah.
So we need a final bit ofadvice from you two, although
you have highlighted that youare still resident in Bristol.
Obviously, big day out forBristol Bath in May.
I think you boys are sadly inSouth Africa playing the
Stormers that weekend.
Yeah so you know, shame, youcan't come Any bars we should
head for near the Principalityor avoid.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
There's some nice pubs in poncani.
You can have a nice pub crawlgoing into the town there it's
nice bars and pubs sorry, nicepubs, nice beer garden.
So get there nice and early andhave a few beers before you get
there all right.
Speaker 4 (44:49):
Yeah, I think you'll kick off same time.
So, yeah, you probably won't bewatching that with you.
That which is, you know, yeah,shame, yeah, you'll be.
You'll be enjoying the sunshinedown in South Africa, yeah,
Brilliant, thank you.
Speaker 1 (45:02):
Well, lads, I think that's really good.
I really appreciate you givingup a lot of your time for us and
thanks, it's been really good.
So, yeah, we'll do some sort ofediting on this at some point
and stick it out, and I'm sure Imean seriously, I think a lot
of we do have a reasonablenumber of listeners and they'll
be really I think they'll bereally sort of pleased to hear
(45:26):
what you've got to say and somereally interesting stuff that we
just don't know as fans.
So we really appreciate yourhonesty.
But, lee, you've got one morequestion.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Yeah, I just wanted to sum that up, actually, pete.
We wanted to sum that up,actually, pete.
We wanted to say personally,lads, that we genuinely did
appreciate everything you'vedone for us in a Bears shirt and
on and off the field.
You've been massive ambassadorsto Bristol Bears and part of
the whole.
You know the rebrand processand we just wanted to say like,
(45:52):
genuinely, we are genuinemassive fans of you boys, thank
you.
I wanted to say like, genuinely, we are genuine massive fans of
you boys and we were guttedwhen you left, absolutely gutted
, and it's so good to see youpushing on now with Blues and
doing so well, you know.
Thanks very much.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
Appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
Well, boys, there you go.
It was 45 minutes of what I'dsay is pretty good bants, wasn't
it?
Despite the fact that your facewas getting redder and redder,
Lee, as the whole session wenton, we should say.
Speaker 5 (46:21):
I mean, it was a bit manic for all three of us,
wasn't it?
It was no doubt it was forSheeds and Dan Thomas as well,
but I think I got home from workabout five to seven, jumped in
the shower literally, wasboiling hot, and then realised
that I'd kept the heating on soas the because I didn't want to
(46:41):
get up and turn the heating offwhile we were talking.
Speaker 4 (46:45):
It would have been rude.
Yeah, it would have been rude.
Speaker 5 (46:48):
And yeah, it was subsequently about 25 degrees in
my flat and I was absolutelybaking.
I don't know how I managed toget the questions out, but you
did very well.
Speaker 4 (46:59):
I was suffering boys.
I'm glad it's going out as anaudio file only because, in
addition to that, Pete, and Imight add that Lee had a Wales
mug that he sort of like he wasbigging up DT and Shido.
We wouldn't want to put thatout on a video file, would we?
Speaker 5 (47:17):
But boys.
I did have two mugs, though.
Speaker 4 (47:19):
You did.
Speaker 5 (47:20):
Two mugs, can you?
Tell us what the other one was.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Yeah, it was the Bristol Bears.
Speaker 5 (47:25):
European Challenge Cup final winnings Certainly was
with all the caricatures on.
Yeah, that's great, which isstill my favourite mug in my
collection.
Speaker 4 (47:33):
And still the only trophy favourite mug in my
collection and still the onlytrophy.
Yes, it also turns out that weprobably could have done it like
an interview live, because itturns out that they still live
in Bristol and give each otherlifts over to Cardiff, doesn't
it?
Speaker 1 (47:45):
Well, this is it.
I know we could have got themdown the beer factory.
Speaker 5 (47:48):
I was amazed how chilled Dan Thomas was, though.
I mean literally, the camerawent on and he just led on the
bed.
Speaker 1 (47:56):
He was literally horizontal.
Speaker 5 (47:58):
Oh, it was brilliant, wasn't?
Speaker 4 (47:59):
it.
Speaker 5 (48:00):
Fair play to both of them.
They really, I mean they arebrilliant values.
Speaker 4 (48:05):
Yeah, absolutely, you're absolutely right.
I mean, they're such friendlychaps and thank you very much
for them both for giving uptheir time on a Wednesday night.
It was a bit of a struggle.
We were after our kids, tryingto keep them quiet and the else
but massive respect.
They were such bloody niceblokes and it was great to hear
the insight, as fans have heard,into their times at Bristol and
(48:27):
Cardiff and the reasons whythey potentially didn't get
picked and the changes in theteams.
Speaker 5 (48:33):
That was fascinating there was a lot of bones to pick
over.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
I thought I'd like to think that I mean, it was quite
a long interview.
I'd like to think that youlisteners out there will take
your time and listen to some ofit, and I think they were very
balanced, they were verydiplomatic.
But I think there was some quiteinteresting bits of stuff in
there, so I hope everyoneenjoyed it.
We certainly enjoyed doing itand I think we realized that
(48:59):
actually it's something we cando.
It is possible for us to all doit together.
So, who knows, watch this space.
There might be a few more comethe future.
So anyway, everyone, I hope youdo enjoy it and we'd love to
hear your comments on on those.
But otherwise, stay safe, havea good week and come on, you
bears.
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