Kohn & Able

Bass
By Mr Bow Jangles
September 22 2004

Ollie answers the question about what really happened to Joe El-Abd to cause the infamous "head injury" from last seasons Penzance game...

INTERVIEW

Bow: How do you think pre-season has gone so far?

Olly: “Yea, its been good actually. Its been my first full proper pre-season, what’s it been now….3 months. Last season I came back from Australia halfway through it, I came back about mid-August and of course was banned from the first two league games so that’s why I wasn’t really involved in many of the pre-season games. This pre-season has been pretty good though.”

Bow: Remind us again Olly, why did you get banned!?

Olly: “It was an incident that happened when Plymouth played Exeter, a local derby down at Exeter. It was a really dirty game and I basically elbowed Dave Sims. I think 6 people got banned from that game in the end!! It was all citings not red cards, everyone was citing each other and it just all turned into politics in the end, Exeter and Plymouth obviously hate each other as its their big local derby.”

Bow: Was it similar to the Bristol v B*th rivalry?

Olly: “Yea, it was big…almost bigger than that, its like nothing I have ever played in before. It was the first time Plymouth had played Exeter in that league as they had just come up. We did quite well against them in the end…Dawsy was like the ‘one-man assassin’!!”

Bow: Do you feel any different to last season i.e. fitter and stronger?

Olly: “I’m not sure it’s difficult to tell. I feel like my lineout jumping is a lot better which is something I really want to improve…my weights have been pretty good, yea I’d say I am definitely fitter. Its been good, it’s been tough but its brought us all together aswell”

Bow: There have been those who say they’d love to see you and Ed at second row and really have a huge pack, but maybe our lineout would suffer, what do you say to that?

Olly: “I don’t know whether Ed has jumped much at 4, but he looks fine doing it. Obviously Hodgey is a good lineout jumper at 4 and Jim is very good but I would be happy to play with either.”

Bow: What inspires you to play rugby?

Olly: “My Dad, he is a mad-keen rugby fanatic. He used to play for Clifton and he also used to take me to see Bristol since I was a nip. We would stand on the terraces for years watching Bristol. Watching the Lions in South Africa was also a massive inspiration for me”

Bow: Did you look at Martin Johnson and think “one day that’ll be me”?

Olly: “No, I never do that. To tell you the truth I never ever thought I would be doing what I do now, so when people say to me “do you wanna play for England?” and “who do you look up to?” I never really think about it because if you had asked me a couple of years ago if I would have been playing rugby fulltime I would have said no. When I was 18 and I was playing for Bristol Colts and then started in the U21s I was always really keen but I never ever thought I would play for Bristol. I wasn’t an athlete and I was pretty over weight but I did want to play for Bristol even if it wasn’t a dream at the time”

Bow: Is there anyone you look up to at the club?

Olly: “Last year it was Joe El-Abd. I got quite good mates with Joe and last year throughout his injury I would look at him, he was a true pro then.”

Bow: So what did Joe do last year whilst he was injured?

Olly: “I don’t wanna sound like I am kissing his *ss because I know he will love it but he honestly worked so hard, much harder than any of the other players. Getting back in such good shape after that knee operation was fantastic. He put a lot into it, so if there was anyone I looked up to last year it was him.”

Bow: Do you seem him as a future captain of Bristol?

Olly: “Yes, he would go out there and give it his all…he’s also very focused and single-minded.”

Bow: And what about yourself? There were rumours last season of you being potential skipper material.

Olly: “I don’t mind doing a bit of pack leading as I am very passionate about it all, but to tell you the truth I just want to concentrate on my own game I don’t think I am the sort of person who is captain material. I still regard myself as a young one.”

Bow: Who do you think is the best player in your position in England? And the world?

Olly: “The South African bloke who plays 7 and lock…he is awesome. I also like Chris Jack of New Zealand he is a great player. In England Simon Shaw and Danny Grewcock really.”

“I used to watch Simon Shaw play for Bristol. I remember him dislocating his ankle against Natal Sharks, I’ll never forget that, he was in so much pain, they brought Oxygen on for him.”

Bow: Who would you like to play against/with?

Olly: “It would have to be Martin Johnson I would love to play against him. You hear so much about what he is like and it would be nice to know first hand.”

Bow: Olly, tell me why is it that Ollie Hodge is sick on the pitch so much?

Olly: “Yea he pukes…he pukes a lot!!! In training every day aswell.”

Bow: Do you not find packing down with him after a bit unpleasant!!!?

Olly: “Yea it is sick, but I just try hard not to think about it. He’s one of these guys who if he eats a couple of hours before training he will puke it straight back up again. If I eat 5 minutes before training I am usually ok!!! He does also make some ridiculous sounds just as we are about to walk out onto the pitch!!”

Bow: What are your aspirations? Do you set yourself goals?

Olly: “This year it is to have a top 3 finish and also to have a really good cup run again like we did last year. Basically just to win as many games as possible. One thing which would be great would also to be to make the Memorial Stadium a fortress once again, win all our home games.”

Bow: Who is the worse/best dressed player in the squad?

Olly: “Best dressed is Rob Higgitt. Worse dressed is definitely Beanie!!!! Honestly, he thinks he’s really cool!!!

Bow: and what about the quietest?

Olly: “Foxy”

Bow: Who’s been coping the most banter in training this week? What for?

Olly: “Sausage….sorry RMR!!! Because he has scored so many tries in pre-season and he hangs out on the wing. We call him sausage by the way because he looks like one and he eats lots of them!!”

Bow: Other than Richard Hill who would you most like to be coached by?

Olly: “I wouldn’t mind finding out what it is like to be coached by Clive Woodward. To find out what it is like to play in that setup with so many backroom staff. “

Bow: What irritates you most about rugby?

Olly: “Backs dropping balls really annoys me”

Bow: What do you think of Bristol?

Olly: “I love it. I love Bristol. I have been here all my life and don’t really want to move. I think it is brilliant. It has everything I need, loads of restaurants. Lots of places to go and eat!”

Bow: Any recommendations for somewhere to eat?

Olly: “Pizza Provencale in Clifton Village, they do really good pizzas.”

Bow: What about Bristol’s fans?

Olly: “We had such fun last year. We absolutely love it. You come out of the changing room win/lose/draw and they will always be tapping you on the back. I just think they are brilliant. Obviously they want us to win and be successful but they just enjoy it whatever, I love that about them. I really do.”

Bow: Your old club Plymouth are another club with a reputation for passionate support, how do you compare the two?

Olly: “They are quite similar actually, really passionate, love their day out. Albion was the same. They used to have a dirty clubhouse with a real loyal following who go away from home too.”

Bow: What would you be doing now if you weren’t playing rugby?

Olly: “I would like to own my own restaurant, I would probably be working towards that. I would think about doing that after my career too.”

Bow: Do you have any pre/post match rituals?

Olly: “I always have my gum shield half in and half out of my mouth as I run out the tunnel.”

Bow: What do you enjoy most about being a rugby player?

Olly: “Banter with the boys definitely.”

Bow: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a player/person?

Olly: “As a player I’d say my strengths are that I am pretty passionate about Bristol and the club as obviously that is where I am from. I think my defence is a strength, I like tackling. I enjoy the physical side of it all. My weaknesses are my lineout jumping and my speed.”

“As a person, my god!! I suppose I am a passionate person. I am pretty relaxed. My weaknesses are that I eat too much!!”

Bow: What do you do to relax away from rugby?

Olly: “I spend time with my girlfriend. I like to go out for meals, that’s one of my favourite things. I go to the cinema and work for my Dad aswell making a few things.”

Bow: How would you sum up last season?

Olly: “Personally I really enjoyed last season. We had a few disappointments, a few disappointing results especially against sides where they were training part time and we were training full time. Some of the high points last season was our cup run. I didn’t play in the final but beating Orrell at home and Penzance away they were brilliant day for the club I felt.”

Bow: What was your lowlight last season?

Olly: “Personally getting injured against Wasps and only playing a half, that was low…doing my shoulder and not being able to play at Twickenham was low aswell. Henley away was probably the worst low though. That was awful.”
Bow: Would you consider coaching/managing when your career finishes?

Olly: “I have done a bit with kids, I don’t mind it actually, I enjoy it. I think we are all getting our Level 1 soon. I have coached my brother’s team a few times in Frampton aswell. I really enjoyed that too. I wouldn’t want to do it full time though.”

Bow: What do you think Bristol’s prospects are this season?

Olly: “Really good actually. I am really looking forward to having a pack that can really dominate others. Last year we got a bit of stick for being a bit weak early on but I think we turned it round in the end and played really well. The backs this year are looking sharp too and we also seem to be more organised this year with regards patterns, I think we will be a real force.”

Bow: What’s your funniest moment in rugby so far?

Olly: “Last year when we played Penzance away in the cup, right at the end of the game when we knew we had already won there was a fracas near the end. Joe El-Abd rocks up thinking he is the hard man and this tall 2nd row goes up to him face-to-face, nose-to-nose and Joe was taunting him saying “go on then do something…your not going to do anything!!” with his hands behind his back, everyone was crowding round, the ref was right there. The Penzance guy literally tapped him, almost no contact at all and Joe fell to the floor being the ex-footballer that he is. He was clutching his head and wailing. It was the most random comedy moment I have ever seen on a rugby field….even the ref was saying “come on Joe get up!!”

Bow: What’s the darkest moment you’ve had so far?

Olly: “When I came off against Wasps. It was the biggest game for me because we were playing against a Premiership Team. I had worked really hard to get there and had been building myself up for weeks for that game and then within a half I had done my shoulder, it was really disappointing. I still managed to get up and sing on the karaoke though!!! I did a cheesy song with Beanie!!”

Bow: Who do you owe most to for your career?

Olly: “My Dad, he has always been there and always always backed me no matter what. I should also give Rob Chilvert a mention, when I was at Colts he was coaching us and he was always very good to me. He has always been very passionate about Bristol and is very good at seeing potential in people.”

Bow: Who has do you think will be the surprise package of the squad this year?

Olly: “Everyone will love Salts this year because he hits so hard. He is also a real leader. As for a surprise Jason Strange has some great skills he will be a surprise to the fans this year.”

Fan Question (TP): How much can you bench-press?

Olly: “155kg”

Fan Question: Can we go up this year?

Olly: “Yes we can”

Fan Question: Bristol are an impressive club again, so are your old club Plymouth. There is always something we can learn from them. What one thing would you bring to Bristol from Plymouth?

Olly: “I don’t know really. When I was at Plymouth we had an absolutely massive pack, training was really physical obviously brought in by Graham Dawe. Now that will work to a certain extent in this league, but maybe not in the Premiership. I did enjoy the physical side though. With regards the setups, they were very different but I would say that Bristol has the better setup, it is far more professional.”

Bow: Is there a player from Plymouth you would have brought with you if you could?

Olly: “Will James is a great player, the second row with the bald head.”

Bow: Message for the fans?

Olly: “We are going to take you down in the karoke competition!!”

FAVOURITE
Colour? Yellow
Food? Italian
TV Programme? Scrapheap Challenge
Football Team/Cricket Team? Hambrook CCC
Film? The Big Lebowski
Drink? Lemonade & Lime
Woman? Girlfriend/Cameron Diaz
Music? Chili Peppers
Who would you like to be
stuck on a desert island with? Girlfriend
Describe yourself in 3 words? Big, Hairy, Hungry

EITHER/OR
Lager/Bitter? Lager
Eastenders/Coronation Street? Neither
Nurse/Teacher? Nurse
Football/Cricket? Cricket
Rock/Dance? Rock
B*th/Gloucester? Gloucester
Grewcock/Borthwick? Grewcock
Curry/Chinese? Both
Night in/out? Night In
Beach/Snow holiday? Beach
Australia/South America? Australia
Brittney/Christina? Christina
Bum/Boobs? Bum
Mullet/Crewcut? Mullet
Cat/Dog? Dog