ULSTER
RUGBY
NEVIN SPENCE
ALWAYS WITH US
Monday will mark the second anniversary of the tragic death
of Nevin, Noel and Graham Spence in a farming accident.
12
NEVIN
SPENCE
Nevin’s passing had a profound impact on the
players, management and staff of Ulster Rugby.
Two years on, it is still impossible to comprehend
how a young player, so talented, so humble and
with such a massive future in both sport and life,
could be so cruelly taken from us.
Following his death, a commitment was made that
as long as Ulster Rugby exists, the name and the
player ‘Nevin Spence’ will never be forgotten. As
part of that promise, a new education and heritage
centre will open next year in the new Memorial End
Stand – ‘The Nevin Spence Centre’ extolling the
virtues that Nevin so brilliantly displayed – namely
a healthy life style, sporting success and a passion
for Ulster Rugby.
As we approach the second anniversary of Nevin’s
death, we asked our captain, Rory Best, our Head
of Physiotherapy, Gareth Robinson
and our Chaplain, Reverend Andrew
Thompson, to reflect on what Nevin
meant and continues to mean to them.
RORY
BEST
It is hard to believe that it
is two years since Nevin so
sadly passed away.
If you ask any member of
the squad they will be able
to tell you exactly where they
were when they heard the
devastating news.
The two years have flown by.
In many respects for us and
for the players, life has had
to continue. Things have happened – we have won
games and we have lost games. We have been
in finals. Rugby has gone on. But just as it has
seemed that the two years have gone quickly I have
no doubt that it has been a long two years for the
Spence family. They are always in our thoughts.
For Ulster Rugby, the 15th September will always be
a sad occasion. As a squad we
will come together with management and
staff on Monday to remember Nevin.
We will reflect and there will be sadness. However,
we will also enjoy sharing stories about him – things
that he did on the rugby pitch, games that he
played and those terrible jokes that he told. Monday
will be sad day, but those memories of Nevin bring
so much joy.
GARETH
ROBINSON
The last time I saw Nevin was the night before he
died. The team had just beaten Munster and he
was in the changing room congratulating the boys.
Just before he left I asked him to sign a shirt for me.
His was the only signature I needed to complete
the shirt. Typically Nevin wondered why the shirt
needed his signature but reluctantly in the end he
did it.
On Monday, as a squad we will come together to
remember Nevin. The young rugby player and our
friend who was tragically taken from us on the 15th
September 2012.
Remembering Nevin is a very personal thing but
today represents a collective understanding that
this date should be marked by the squad spending
time together. To pay our respects, to share our
memories and to support each other. This is the
‘fixture’ in our season that will remain constant.
The date if fixed. There will be no cheering crowd,
no tries, no crunching tackles and no points won
or lost. The result will be the same each year. It
will be the reality check in the often-mad world
o
f
professional rugby.
Monday will represent the time
when we reflect on how Nevin
touched our lives and how
through his memory he continues
to be an example to us all.
Nevin was just a great person to
know and work with. He wasn’t
a noisy loud in your face type of
person. He was humble honest and
committed. I’m not sure if Nevin
ever recognised the talent he had
but anyone who saw him train or
play respected him and his talent
fully. Not that Nevin was shy!
His occasional flirtation with treatment
room stand up was far from funny yet it was. He
made us laugh and he made us cringe! Both Alan
and I got to spend a fair bit of time with Nevin
through his career. Its safe to say he hated being
injured. A limb could literally be falling off and it
would be “nothing to worry about”.
There wasn’t an aliment a “flam” or a “painkiller”
couldn’t cure! When he was injured he worked so
hard to get back. He was as determined through his
rehabilitation as he was in a match. Nevin was one
of life’s good guys.
For such a talented young man he possessed
such solid values. The underlying thing that
fuelled and maintained these values was his faith.
A strong deep faith that allowed him to keep his
integrity in a challenging world. By recognising and
understanding his faith and that of his family it has
allowed us to reason he is happy and safe now.
Even in his death Nevin has had influence.
We miss Nevin. For a long time after his death we
expected him to walk into the treatment room and
everything be fine. He never did.
