Dave Robins was a very important player,coach and committee member at Worcester RFC in the sixties and seventies.
Dave then joined Malvern RFC and has been their President for many years. Dave has just retired from rugby and at a lunch honouring Dave a speech was given by David Hallmark a former President of WRFC. The text of the speech is below.
Worcester RFC would like to extend a massive thank you Dave Robins in recognition of the years service given to Worcester RFC, Malvern RFC, the North Midlands RFU and rugby in general. One of rugby's true greats.
David Robins - Tribute at Malvern RFC on 9 April 2022 by David Hallmark
David Robins is a bridge between our two Clubs in an outstanding performance.
David Robins joined Worcester RFC in 1960 when fellow guest Peter Richardson was already there and I did in 1964 and fellow guest David Richardson who followed shortly after and who wrote in our 150 Anniversary book a fine tribute to him.
We are pleased to share in celebration of the remarkable Robins rugby record of 62 years in rugby as player captain coach chairman referee and president.
PLAYER
From WRGS a rugby school and with rugby loving parents he played 1st XV in 1963/64 but made his name with the Third XV The Wanderers. Now the WRFC name.
In the season 1966/67 as Captain of Wanderers they had record results -
Played 32 W 25 L 5 D 2 For 572 A 145
By 1969/70 season he was back in the 1st XV and in 1971 Club Captain and played in the 1975 Opening Match at the new Sixways Stadium with guest Mike Gibson of Ireland and British Lions – few can say they played with such a player.
He also found time to row with WRC and to join the theatre group of the Club.
He was 1978 1st Team coach when WRFC won the 1978 North Midlands Cup v Camp Hill OE.
As a player he achieved a huge accolade in the Guinness Book of Records for most consecutive games after reaching 200 and finally closing on 220.
COMMITTEE - Chairman and Visionary and Family and Referee and Tours
He was instrumental in the Club project with the design and layout and development and to relocate the Club from Bevere to the Sixways opening September 1975.
He took the Under 9 Section he had formed with others with the move.
He married into a Worcester rugby family with Nicky daughter of George and Kay Everton and Jaime was born 1977.
He continued as Chairman until 1985 and then redirected his rugby energies into refereeing until 1999/2000 with his last game at Droitwich but having reached national and then international status in the University Cup Final held in South Africa.
His business was running international rugby tours to USA and Canada and cricket tours to California to meet Charley’s Angel and The Incredible Hulk.
There are many Tour Tales ‘which stay on tour’ but one which David accepts was on Tour to Stockport in 1974 and a fellow player reports-
“Our Captain David Robins performing ‘Hi Zigi Zumba’ strip on the table and the match referee’s pretty wife mirroring him on another table…until the husband also referee blew his whistle to stop the stripping duo and send David to the sin bin”
FINALE
He went on to serve as Chairman and President of North Mids RFU and for some twenty years as Malvern President about which service others will speak.
62 years in rugby clubs….some 3000 weeks or 21,000 days….awesome.
The rugby community in Worcester and Malvern owe him too much.
My Toast is the famous phrase amongst rugby players –
‘ David - Yours in Rugby’.
David Hallmark
