When Hemel hosted five Hull KR players at training on Tuesday night it was a chance for Stags coach Troy Perkins to renew old friendships – and not just with Robins assistant coach Willie Poching.
Perkins and Poching spent a year together as players at St George in Australia and it was that connection that brought Rovers first teamers Maurice Blair, Kevin Larroyer, James Green, Iain Thornley and Matty Marsh travel to Pennine Way to take part in a joint training session with the Stags.
“I have know Willie for a long time but not seen him for many years,” said Perkins, who also spent three years playing with Toulouse in France.
“But it wasn’t until I spoke to Kevin after the session that I found out there was a connection there as well.
“He told me that he used to be a ball boy at Toulouse when I was there and that he used to watch me play week in week out.
“I can remember a group of boys who were always down at training and then acting as ball boys at matches but I never knew one of them Kevin until he told me.”
See League Express next Monday (January 11) for Hemel’s season preview