Happy Birthday Graham Dawe

Chairman of Rugby Graham Dawe is 47 years old today, 4th September.

Graham has always lived in Devon going to primary school in Newton Abbot, he started to play rugby at Tavistock College when he was 12 or 13 only playing for the the standard school single term seasons, September till Christmas. At 14 he had to make a decision between walking on Dartmoor or playing rugby.  Even though all his friends were Dartmoor walkers he decided to play rugby and make new ones.

On leaving school he thought that would be the end of rugby but was persuaded by members of his family, he joined Launceston Colts. He started playing for the under 19 team and in his second season became captain before moving on to the senior team. By 1981 he had made the decision that he would go as far as he could 

Over the next few seasons the club grew in ability and become part of a south west league that included Bath, Bristol and Gloucester. In the 1985/6 season Graham was approached by both Bath and Gloucester but turned them down to perform the role he most wanted, to captain his club.  By Christmas however Bath had persuaded him that if he didn't move now there would not be a place for him. Within a couple of seasons he was in the England squad. 

Whilst he was still at Bath he was doing extra training at Launceston to keep his fitness levels up. After a while he was asked to take training sessions at Polson Bridge. Whilst not in the England set up he played for Cornwall and was part of the Championship winning team in 1991/2.

In 1995 he was still playing for England and can be seen in the photo at the top of this story against Western Samoa.  In 1996 he was part of the Bath side that beat Leicester Tigers in the Pilkington Cup.

Graham joined the Plymouth Albion in 1999 and since then has steered the club to one of the top clubs in the National League One. He brings many years of experience to the club displaying this when he makes appearances for the first team. Last year he was on the pitch for twenty matches and scored against Harlequins in the Powergen Trophy.

Over the past few seasons he switched his allegiance to Devon and has played on the winning side at Twickenham.

Tonight sees one of the regular friendlies between his latest and first clubs as Launceston play Plymouth Albion's development side Westcountry Warriors. He has already made two appearances for Warriors in pre season matches so it is possible that he will make an appearance on the pitch tonight, 6:15 at Brickfields.

Honours : England 1987 - 95, Barbarians, SW, Cornwall, Devon

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