Park Life Sport spoke to third year student Jordan Vincent ahead of the University of Gloucestershire Gladiators upcoming trip to face their fierce rivals, the University of Worcester on Sunday, November 19. Both teams are looking to record their first win of the season.
The Glads narrowly lost 12-6 to Aberystwyth two weeks ago, after a last minute punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown to seal the loss and make the three and a half hour journey home that much harder. Worcester lost heavily to Aberystwyth a week later, 60-0.
With such a huge loss for Worcester and a tight score line for UOG against the same opponents, the Gladiators will surely be fancying their chances.
Vincent was sidelined from the match against Aberystwyth with a slight MCL injury and voiced his frustrations, ”It hurt me a lot obviously the injury and the fact that I couldn’t be there to back the team – especially as we were very down to our last linebackers.”
”It hurt a lot being on the sideline, and coming away with that result just hurt even more”
Jordan vincent after injury in the 12-6 loss to aberystwyth
When discussing his injury and the recovery, ”It’s most likely an MCL sprain between grade one and grade two, i’ve been to hospital and the sports clinic today – they’ve given me some exercises to do and i’m also working with Josh Ricketts – an alumni of the team and a qualified sports therapist so he’s given me some stuff to do.
“I don’t think I’ll be there for Worcester but hopefully I’ll be playing the next game against UWE.
On the fierce rivalry between the two sides, Vincent said: ”In my first year there was a massive rivalry – the game was called off due to bad sportsmanship from the Worcester side and there were a lot of bad practices from Worcester.
”We beat them at Varsity this year, so we’re definitely looking at Worcester being our first win of the year and building momentum off that”
Finally we questioned Jordan over the development of the team during his three-year tenure at University
”Last year I was the vice-president and we had quite a lot of rookie first years who had never played the sport before. They came into it and enjoyed it so much”: he said.
”Some of them have gone to play for the Bristol Aztecs and the Hereford Stampede, going into the play-offs with those teams”
Jordan Vincent on first year rookies and thier progression with the gladiators
”The team is on an upward trajectory going into the later years when I leave next year. I’m looking forward to being an alumni, watching from the sidelines and supporting the boys.”
