Graham Dawe

Legendary England, Bath and Sale front row Graham Dawe fulfilled a long-held ambition when he returned to Devon in 1999 to take charge of Plymouth Albion RFC as player/coach. 

Having started his rugby career at nearby Launceston RFC and then gone on to scale the heights to the top of the game, Graham said it was always his wish to come and play for what he regards as his home city.

 A fearsome competitor, with a reputation as one of the game’s true hard men, he galvanized a team which had been dicing with relegation from the National Leagues and turned them into promotion winners and a National League Division One side befitting Plymouth’s long history as a proud rugby city.

 “I’ve always liked Plymouth. It’s my home city and it was always my wish to come and play here,” he said. “So I’m delighted to be back living where I want to live.”

 Now Chairman of Rugby at Albion, Graham has a daily reminder of Plymouth’s unique location as he looks south from his farm on the fringes of Dartmoor to see the city some 20 miles away and the wide expanse of sea beyond it.

 “I love the beauty of Plymouth; the Barbican, the ferry over from Stonehouse to Mount Edgcumbe, the views from Mount Wise.

 “I have very fond memories of the city as a teenager and I also love Plymouth’s maritime history and its links with the military, which in turn fostered a strong culture of rugby in the city which we want to continue and grow.

 “At Plymouth Albion we’ve tried to establish an ethos that playing for Albion is not just about taking to the field for a rugby match – it’s about playing for the club, its history and for the city.

 “Sport is important. It galvanises communities and there are people who live and die for this club. You play in a team and the team is the crowd – and that is a positive message for the whole for the city.”