Where are they now?

Dan’s doing well in Scotland

When Llangwm entertained Haverfordwest in the traditional Boxing Day rugby match at Pill Parks, one of the eager onlookers cheering on the Wasps was Dan Chesmer, who used to play rugby and cricket in the village, plus cricket before that at Burton, but now domiciled in Sterling, Scotland.
We were delighted to catch up with Dan for a chat and he was naturally pleased that his former team mates forced a draw with their old rivals before he renewed old sporting acquaintances afterwards.

Rugby in Scotland

He was staying with his parents, Beth and Bob Chesmer, and readily admits that he misses Pembrokeshire but says that Sterling is a great place to work and play rugby as he turns out for Sterling County Seconds, with the first XV playing in the Scottish Premier Division One.
“I play in the centre and the lads there are a great bunch who enjoy the social side of the game as well as playing some competitive rugby. It’s been very cold in Sterling this season and we have had six matches frozen off but I’ve managed to score a few tries and I had a hat-trick against an Arish touring team from Ardee – which cost me a jug of beer as my reward!”
Dan moved to Scotland 18 months ago because his fiancée Sally worked there as a risk manager with regard to cars and they plan to marry in June. They met on a skiing holiday and since Sally, who hails from Yorkshire, also loves Pembrokeshire, it is a fair bet that one day they will return to live in the county and he will be able to resume his involvement with another of his sporting loves, which is surfing. When he was working at Chevron he would often leave home at 5.30am so that he could enjoy the waves at Freshwater East before a full shift at the oil refinery.
“There’s nothing better!” says Dan with a chuckle.

Cricket start at Burton

Dan didn’t play cricket last season because there is little played near Sterling but a work-mate is trying to persuade him to play in Edinburgh so next season might see him wielding the bat again. He started out alongside brother Jamie under the coaching of Brian Griffiths at Burton and claimed a couple of five-wicket hauls before damaging his shoulder playing for Llangwm at Llanybydder in a rugby match. So he had to switch his focus on batting and he had a top score of 81 not out during his time at Llangwm. Whilst at Burton he helped them win the Alec Colley Cup before committing the cardinal sin of moving down the hill to Llangwm but his rugby mates were there and he enjoyed his time at both clubs.

Junior rugby at Pill Parks

He had started out with the oval ball game in the mini section at Pill Parks and played in a good Llangwm Youth side which included Michael Jones, Charlie Parry and Johnny Phillips and reached the Youth Cup Final before losing to Tenby at Whitland. Dan then moved into senior rugby as a back rower with the Wasps and although he was kept out for a long spell with his damaged shoulder he returned to action and enjoyed trips to places like St Davids, with the regular stops at pubs on the way back to the village.
When he took his Mechanical Engineering degree in Swansea University he played rugby union and rugby league there before working in Bedford designing model aircraft prior to the building of the full-size versions – and playing both rugby and cricket for Kempston RFC and CC, where there were a great crowd of lads in both teams. Dan had three very happy years there before joining Chevron in Pembrokeshire for three years and returning to play centre for Llangwm.

And finally…

He really enjoyed this spell at Pill Parks as he found a new position in the centre but is now settled in Sterling and happy to visit his home county as often as he can. One of the things that Dan wanted to say was a happy new year to all his former sporting colleagues and says that he will keep in touch with the local sporting scene via PembrokeshireSport.co.uk – and we are very happy to provide that information to such a modest and unassuming gentleman who is flying the Pembrokeshire flag in Scotland with distinction!