Jon Hall

Profile

Current employment 

Project engineer

Why did you join Stourbridge

My dad.

Toughest opponent and why

I've yet to come across them.

Best sporting achievement

North Midlands at Twickenham (County Championship Final).

Favourite sport, apart from rugby

Golf/Tennis/Badmington/any.

Favourite food

Curry

What’s on your i-pod ?

Music

Favourite film

Italian Job (the original)

Favourite TV programme

QI or My name is Earl

Most embarrassing moment

Karaoke singing at the end of season do.

Ambitions

To play rugby, again!

Jon's interview with Scribbler - March 2003

Educated: Oldbury Wells School, Bridgnorth, Loughborough University

It’s a fairly standard line of enquiry when interviewing for Player Profile. “Anyone else in your family played rugby?” In Jon’s case I thought I was half way there already, through brother Darron, but was astounded to discover that his entire immediate family have played the game. We all know Darron well, and the brothers have starred together in several league games this season. Last year younger sibling Gareth made this a triumvirate of 1^st XV Halls, playing centre in the Boxing Day match at Dudley Kingswinford. But not only this, father Graham played prop forward for Old Veseyans and mother Jenny was a three-quarter for Bridgnorth. I had to pursue this further.

Presumably mum’s rugby activities had ended when eldest son Darron arrived on the scene. “Not a bit of it.” corrected Jon. “She didn’t take up the game until we joined Bridgnorth Mini Rugby section. She liked the game and the set up and was an instant convert.” There are other sporting links, with parents and sons playing badminton to County standard, as well as being handy tennis players. It should come as no surprise then to discover that Jon has been a versatile rugby player. “I started off as Number 8 and flanker, before moving to scrum half where I played the majority of my rugby until the start of this season.” It was at the suggestion of the coaching staff and captain Simon Baylie in the close season that persuaded him to make the switch to the wing. “Strangely enough Colts Chairman Roger Parkes (this year’s President) always told me that I’d never end up as a scrum half.”

Jon has only played Hall rugby at Loughborough, preferring instead to play for his home club. “I was desperate for First XV Rugby and couldn’t see any way that I would oust Alan (Dickens). When it became clear that my best route into the senior XV was by switching to the wing I took the plunge. It felt awkward at first, as I’d been in the heat of the action for so long at scrum half. There was an initial temptation to get stuck in and follow the ball, but after a couple of months it felt like I had always played there.” By general consensus Jon has been one of the major successes of the season and he has enjoyed it greatly.

Although he has never been a track athlete he shows a sharp turn of speed and has settled into First team rugby quite easily. “I’ve been both surprised and happy at the way the season has gone.” Jon reflected on his first league campaign. “There is a glimmer of hope that we might get promotion through the back door should the London Welsh move to the Welsh leagues go ahead, but that seems unlikely. Last week was obviously a disappointment, and I didn’t hear about the New Brighton result until the evening. That was small compensation. The season has featured some great performances, and some pretty average ones”

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