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“When I complained, most of the forwards hated me” Jason Robinson recalls game changing moment

Jason Robinson: 'When I complained, most of the forwards hated me' – Jason Robinson recalls game changing moment

Jason Robinson enjoyed a remarkable rugby career that saw him represent both England and the British & Irish Lions at the highest level.

The wing or full-back won 51 caps for his country and was part of the 2003 World Cup-winning side. Robinson also made four Lions tours, including captaining the side in Australia in 2001.

However, things could have been very different if Robinson had not been prepared to make a change in the direction of his career.

After starting out with Wigan in rugby league, Robinson switched codes to join Sale Sharks in 1996. England boss Clive Woodward handed him his international debut in 1997, but it was at the end of that year that Robinson, then aged 22, made the decision to move to Bath.

“I'm not going to play centre”

The switch to the Recreation Ground would provide him with the opportunity to work under John Connolly, who would go on to coach Australia to World Cup glory in 2003.

After playing a number of positions for Sale, Robinson had been told by Woodward that he could only play for England if he made the switch to centre. The player himself was not convinced about the move and revealed the reaction of England's forwards when he made his feelings known.

“I always thought I was a winger,” Robinson told the RugbyPass Offload podcast. “I always felt comfortable on the wing.

“Then I went to Bath and met John Connolly, who was just outstanding. He said: 'I'm going to move you to centre'.

“I said: 'I'm not going to play centre'. He goes: 'Yes you are'.

“I said: 'I've played 20 games for England on the wing. I am not playing centre'.

“So I went to Clive. I said: 'Listen, Clive, I'm not playing centre. He wants to play me at centre but I'm a winger'.

“He said: 'Well, you can't play for England unless you play centre'.

“I went to Bath. I basically said to the forwards: 'Listen, I'm a winger. I'm not going to play centre'.

“When I complained, most of the forwards hated me. They said: 'You're not a winger, you're a centre'.

“I said: 'I'm a winger'.

“Connolly said to me: 'Just trust me. You're a centre'.

“I had to learn to play centre. It took me a year or so, but it was the best decision I ever made.”

“I was hooked”

Robinson's move to Bath coincided with the introduction of professionalism in English rugby. He admits to being blown away by the lifestyle on offer to the players at the time.

“We started off on £35,000 a year,” said Robinson. “We had a little bit of a bonus here and there. We used to get bonuses for winning and stuff like that.

“In those days, it was a lot of money. It was certainly a lot more than I'd ever earned before.

“I remember the first time we got paid. I was just buzzing. We got our little payslips and I was just buzzing.

“It was a lot of money to us. I didn't have a mortgage or anything like that because I was only 22 so I could just keep the money.

“We used to go out on the lash. We'd have a good time. We'd just go out and spend money.

“We used to have a night every week. We used to go out, get drunk and have a great time.

“I look back now and think that we were a bit silly, but we were just having a good time.

“It was great to be involved in professional rugby at the start. I was hooked. I loved it. I loved the lifestyle.

“I loved the fact that I could get paid to play rugby. It was just a great time to be involved.”