Terry Sigley ,
Prop, born 1978, (12 Oct, Sutton Coldfield) returned to Moseley from
Northampton in 2007/08 and again for 2008/09 after a period at Sale.
Terry provides cover on both
sides of the front row and
welcome experience in a young squad.
The ‘veteran’ has racked up over 100 National Division One appearances as
well as Guinness Premiership outings for Gloucester (2004-2006 37
appearances) Sale and Bath.
A local player, Terry was encouraged to
play rugby by his headmaster at Longwood School in Tamworth leading to a
spell in Leicester 's Academy/U21 side before joining Moseley following
in the footsteps of elder brother, Rob.
His first spell with Moseley was highlighted by his selection for the
2002 tour to Chile with England Counties having scored for the North
Midlands side that won the County Shield at Twickenham in May 2004.
He left Moseley in the summer of 2002 following the uncertainty over
Moseley's future and was one of many players offered security locally
when Oxford 's takeover threatened at the end of that season.
Standout appearances over a period of three seasons in ND1 led to his
signing at Gloucester before spells at Bath and Northampton en route
back to Moseley for the latter part of the 2007/08 season.
Terry is fondly remembered by Moseley supporters for opening the scoring
when Moseley beat a promotion chasing and previously unbeaten Worcester
side in December 2000, in the first season at Bournbrook.
Included in the Birmingham Post's Midlands
Select XV for the 2008/09 season.
An essential part of the Twickenham Cup
winning team. As Brian Dick said in the Birmingham
Post's Twickenham preview "Moseley
and Sigley seem inexorably attracted to each other. The veteran
tighthead is in his third stint with the club and looks set to end his
career in the Red and Black. Having also played at Gloucester,
Northampton and Sale there are few more experienced front rowers in the
division and few possess the enforcing edge Sigley brings to the Mose
pack."
Height: 1.88m (6' 2")
Weight: 121kg (19st 1lb)
Position: Prop
Programme Profile - Terry Sigley.
Autumn 2008
By quite a margin Terry Sigley is the most experienced player in
National League One. Premiership matches for Gloucester, Sale and Bath ,
representative appearances for North Midlands and overseas tours with
England Counties, and over one hundred games in Division 1 with Moseley
and Pertemps Bees, stand as evidence.
He is in his third spell with Moseley, starting in 2000, returning to
Moseley from Northampton in 2007/08 and again, after a period at Sale,
for the present season.
Terry was born in Sutton Coldfield and will be 30 this autumn. His
brother Rob, well known to Moseley members, is two years older. Terry
was introduced to Rugby at Longwood School, Tamworth, and his first club
was Leicester, where he played for the Academy and U21 sides, before
joining Moseley for the first time. He is 6’ 2’’ and weighs 19 stone 1
lb.
He lives in Churchdown, Gloucestershire, with his longstanding
girlfriend Emma, and his other occupation is a builder with Smiths Ltd
of Gloucester. His interests, outside rugby, are in all other sports,
notably soccer.
Terry’s CV raises the question as to whether his many changes of club
were due to design or circumstance. He answered that there was no
overall plan but that they occurred in response to events e.g. being
released, being injured, receiving an offer he could not refuse etc
We discussed the difference between being a full-time or part-time
professional rugby player. He jocularly replied that it was the
difference between having a lie in and reporting for training at 9.30am
and the alarm ringing at 5.30am for an early start on site, a hard days
work, the drive from Churchdown to Billesley, two hours training when
tired, and the long drive home. Seriously, Terry described the
difference as ‘vast’. The freedom from financial worry, the time to keep
very fit, the specialist coaching in all different aspects of the game
and the continuous care when injured. In a word: the difference is money
– lots of it!
We also discussed the chances of a promoted National League One side
establishing itself in the Premiership. Worcester appears to have made
it, by the skin of the teeth, but we agreed that it needs a great deal
of money to succeed in the longer term.
I asked Terry how best Moseley could utilise his wide experience to
benefit of both the side as a whole and individual players. It is clear
that he is taking this matter seriously. He said that there were two
aspects, on the training field and during a tight match. He feels that
his experience gives him the authority to tactfully make suggestions to
the coaches and captain and, in a very close game (e.g. Moseley
defending a two point lead with ten minutes to go), to set an example of
calmness under pressure.
Terry has been greatly heartened by the progress Moseley has made since
his earlier spells with the club. He believes the team can achieve a top
half finish as confidence and morale are high as the season starts.
JH 26 08 08
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