If you’ve spent any time around Selby RUFC, you’ll already know Jack “Toddy” Todd — the hooker with a grin on his face, a one-liner always ready, and a habit of throwing himself into everything the club does (sometimes literally).
A true Selby lad through and through, Toddy first pulled on a green, red and amber shirt at the age of five and has never looked back. From the micros to the men’s teams, he’s grown up with the club, learning the ropes, the tackles and probably a few lessons along the way.
His favourite memories from those early days? “All the junior tours,” he says without hesitation. Whether it was the rugby or the chaos that came with travelling together, those trips set the tone for the lifelong friendships that define the Selby experience.
These days, Toddy anchors the front row at hooker, bringing energy, mischief and a lot of heart. His favourite Selby moment so far was making his 1st XV debut – a milestone for any homegrown player.
When it comes to pre-game prep, he’s refreshingly honest:
“I don’t really… just sort of turn up and hope for the best.”
Growing up, he looked up to Ken Owens, the tough and reliable Welsh international — a fitting choice for someone who’s made the number 2 shirt his own. He credits Dunc Hardy as a huge influence when he first came up from colts: “He always coached me through games — class to have next to you in the front row.”
His best bit of advice from a coach? “A ruck is a free hit” — something he’s clearly taken to heart.
Off the pitch, Toddy’s known as one of the biggest jokers in the team, though he insists it’s just part of the fun. His Saturday night karaoke choice is “Don’t Stop Believin’”, and his ideal post-training meal is, in classic front-row fashion, simply: beer.
He’d rather avoid Jamie Dentith in tackle practice — “if he’s already angry” — and he reckons Hola takes the longest to get ready after games. If there’s a night out to be planned, he’d trust Max Wooton to handle it (and probably pay for it), but “wouldn’t trust the rest.”
Toddy thinks Liam or Jay control the changing room playlist — though he’s not convinced they should — and tips Webbo or Max as the ones most likely to make decent coaches one day. If the squad were stranded on a desert island, he’s backing Max to survive the longest: “He knows weird things, so probably knows some weird things about how to stay alive.”
His biggest influence growing up was Micky P, and if he could give one piece of advice to his younger self, it would be:
“Stop eating so much.”
Asked how the lads would describe him, he doesn’t miss a beat:
“Stupid, thick, stupid.”
He laughs off the idea of giving advice to the next generation, but still sums it up perfectly:
“Not really an advice kind of guy… enjoy it?”
As for what being part of Selby RUFC means to him, his answer is simple — and very Toddy:
“There’s a fair few things. It’s just home.”
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