Stephen, 46, has been selected to play for England in the Master’s Rugby League International Festival in York next weekend. England will meet nations including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland and Wales in the tournament.
Stephen has played rugby league for nearly 30 years and switched to playing Masters Rugby League twelve years ago. He went on to set up his own Surrey-based team; Aldershot and Fleet. He discovered last month that he had been selected for England at the upcoming festival and said it had been a “whirlwind” ever since.
He said: “I went through all the emotions. Shocked, amazed, pride. Then ultimately I was just left feeling really happy. It sank in when I received my kit. Bringing my England top home was a surreal moment but it finally hit home the achievement of being selected. It was something special.
“Pulling on the national top for my country in a sport I love and singing the national anthem will be a moment to cherish and one I’m sure I won’t forget.”
Masters Rugby League is a moderated version of rugby league for a wide age range of older, semi-retired and non-competitive players and officials. The players wear different coloured shorts depending on their ages and the physicality of the sport.
Describing his love for the sport, Stephen said: “I tried to keep playing rugby league but as I was getting older, trying to chase 18 year olds around the pitch, I realised I couldn’t play the game to my full potential anymore.
“Discovering Masters Rugby League has given me a new lease of life. It has allowed me to continue playing the game I love.
“Of course there are rivalries in the sport but all the fans come together and create an incredible atmosphere. With Masters Rugby League, we all have life experiences and journeys behind us and it creates a special bond. The saying goes, ‘we don’t stop playing because we are old, we grow old because we stop playing.’”
In his day job at Cygnet Hospital Woking, Stephen helps to support women who are struggling with their mental health on the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit. He said all of the service users who he has told about his selection are very excited for him.
“The service users and the staff have all been brilliant and keep congratulating me,” he added. “They are going to try and watch the matches on YouTube. It definitely gives me extra motivation knowing the support I have from everyone I work with.”
Carla Roadnight, hospital manager at Cygnet Hospital Woking, said everybody was very proud of Stephen and would be rooting for him at the tournament. She added: “We are all so happy for him that he has the honour and privilege of representing his country.
“We all wish him the very best of luck and we cannot wait to hear from him about how he gets on. We hope he enjoys every moment.”
The International Masters Festival will take place in York on Sunday 13th November.