Latest news with #Heyes
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
History nut Heyes eyeing place on Argentina tour
History nut Heyes eyeing place on Argentina tour (Image: RFU/Getty Images) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. History nut Joe Heyes hopes his next Wikipedia rabbit hole will be all about Argentina – as that will mean he has secured a place in England's summer squad. The Leicester Tigers prop loves swotting up on destinations he visits and has no shortage of information to get stuck into this summer. Securing a spot on the plane is the first challenge but Heyes appears well set to do just that after featuring off the bench in each of England's Six Nations matches earlier this year. The 26-year-old said: "I'm madly passionate about history. I google the most ridiculous things and go from there. "I went on holiday to Tenerife, and I was sitting by the pool and just stuck in the Wikipedia hole about the place. I learnt that it was used as a Spanish shipping station to get to the Americas. "I will absolutely be researching before I go to Argentina. My favourite part of Argentine history is the Age of Discovery when Europeans first arrived and explored South America, establishing towns and cities." Heyes played an essential role off the bench behind Will Stuart in the Six Nations and now looks set to benefit from the Bath star's selection in the British & Irish Lions squad touring Australia. The Tigers front-rower even got on the scoresheet in the 68-14 win over Wales at Principality Stadium, his first international try, and hopes to add to his 17 caps this summer. The Rest Is History podcast fan will know all about conflicts between England and France in the past and the latest comes on the Allianz Stadium turf on June 21 before they head over the Atlantic. "I was really happy with the way things went in the Six Nations," Heyes said. "I got the taste of Test match rugby, and I obviously want more of it. "We've got a good challenge coming in Argentina and America, and France before that, so I'm excited. Hopefully if I'm selected to get the shirt on and play." Heyes' domestic commitments are not done yet, however, with his Leicester side welcoming Sale Sharks to Mattioli Woods Welford Road in the play-offs on Saturday. The prop tasted success with the East Midlands outfit when they won the league in 2022 and he has his sights set on repeating the feat. "We've treated nearly every game like a Prem final because it has been really, as it's been so tight at the top,' he said. 'There have been some properly tough games. "There have also been a few jokes with the Sale lads about when we beat Sharks at Welford Road. We're happy with playing in Leicester and we can't wait for it.' England XV face France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21 June at 3:15pm. Tickets from £25, please visit
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
History nut Heyes eyeing place on Argentina tour
The Leicester Tigers prop loves swotting up on destinations he visits and has no shortage of information to get stuck into this summer. Securing a spot on the plane is the first challenge but Heyes appears well set to do just that after featuring off the bench in each of England's Six Nations matches earlier this year. The 26-year-old said: "I'm madly passionate about history. I google the most ridiculous things and go from there. "I went on holiday to Tenerife, and I was sitting by the pool and just stuck in the Wikipedia hole about the place. I learnt that it was used as a Spanish shipping station to get to the Americas. "I will absolutely be researching before I go to Argentina. My favourite part of Argentine history is the Age of Discovery when Europeans first arrived and explored South America, establishing towns and cities." Heyes played an essential role off the bench behind Will Stuart in the Six Nations and now looks set to benefit from the Bath star's selection in the British & Irish Lions squad touring Australia. The Tigers front-rower even got on the scoresheet in the 68-14 win over Wales at Principality Stadium, his first international try, and hopes to add to his 17 caps this summer. The Rest Is History podcast fan will know all about conflicts between England and France in the past and the latest comes on the Allianz Stadium turf on June 21 before they head over the Atlantic. "I was really happy with the way things went in the Six Nations," Heyes said. "I got the taste of Test match rugby, and I obviously want more of it. "We've got a good challenge coming in Argentina and America, and France before that, so I'm excited. Hopefully if I'm selected to get the shirt on and play." Heyes' domestic commitments are not done yet, however, with his Leicester side welcoming Sale Sharks to Mattioli Woods Welford Road in the play-offs on Saturday. The prop tasted success with the East Midlands outfit when they won the league in 2022 and he has his sights set on repeating the feat. "We've treated nearly every game like a Prem final because it has been really, as it's been so tight at the top,' he said. 'There have been some properly tough games. "There have also been a few jokes with the Sale lads about when we beat Sharks at Welford Road. We're happy with playing in Leicester and we can't wait for it.' England XV face France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday 21 June at 3:15pm. Tickets from £25, please visit
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Moment that retired police chief smashes into ex-wife's home - as he is jailed for plotting to attack her
A retired chief has been jailed for six years after plotting a savage attack against his ex-wife, which also saw him trying to kill himself. Ex-Metropolitan Police Superintendent Martyn Horne armed himself with two knives, rope and tape and had aimed to tie up his former lover and assault her after barging into her home on October 16 2023, a court heard. On the eve of his ambush, the 73-year-old, from Drayton Beauchamp near Aylesbury, Bucks, parked his car at a reservoir and then crept to the house before hiding in a garden shed until the morning, when he attempted his raid. Horne cut tape and stuck it to his top for easy peeling and cut rope to a certain length all to restrain his wife during his planned onslaught against her, the judge said during the sentencing hearing at Reading Crown Court. In dramatic doorbell footage shown in court, Horne - dressed in a brown coat and black trousers - is seen ramming the front door with his shoulder before smashing his way through as his horrified ex-lover yelled in the background. Fortunately, the disgraced former police chief's ex, Sharon Heyes, was able to flee to a neighbour's property before Horne could get his hands on her, a judge was told. The pensioner then tried to kill himself by slashing his wrists in the bathroom. In a chilling 999 made shortly afterwards, a terrified Ms Heyes was heard repeatedly telling the operator: 'He's going to kill me.' The court heard Horne and Ms Heyes' relationship had been volatile and had broken down, which led to a series of clashes in the weeks leading up to Horne's attack. At the time of the raid, the former Met chief was on bail for two other incidents which had happened earlier in 2023. On July 31 2023, Horne slammed the victim's phone into her left leg as she was planning to drive him to John Radcliffe Hospital, because she could not work out how to use the car sat-nav, a statement from the victim said. On September 11 2023, Horne pinned Ms Heyes to the ground and tried to suffocate her with a sock and a pillow. Prosecutor Miles Trigg said Horne's intentions on October 16 were evidenced by his violent behaviour at the property and by the notes later found on his phone. These notes were intending something that at least amounted to grievous bodily harm, the prosecutor said. Mr Trigg described Horne's extensive planning - noting he had been shopping for a Stanley Knife and duct tape; chose to park at a distance; camped overnight at an outhouse; cut pieces of rope for tying up Ms Heyes and he was carrying two blades. The court heard a B&Q receipt from the day previous, detailed Horne's purchases of Gorilla Tape, a folding knife with five blades and five metres of braided rope. Ms Heyes, who read her victim impact statements from the public gallery of the court, said the incidents had 'turned her world upside down'. She has since moved from the home where the burglary happened, the court heard. The victim, herself a former police officer and senior staff nurse, received several commendations during her time with the Met. These included climbing under a train to assist a suicidal woman on the track and talking down an armed offender. Ms Heyes said she had faced aggression throughout her career but never imagined she would face such violence in the sanctuary of her own home and at the hands of someone who once loved her. 'I cannot lose the image of him hiding in the garden. The look of his face imprinted in my mind,' she told the judge. Ms Heyes said she had become obsessive about locking doors and was constantly checking wardrobes and rooms in her house. She has been unable to revalidate her nursing licence due to her ongoing sickness with depression and anxiety as a result of Horne's actions, the court heard. Judge Neil Millard told Ms Heyes: 'If you take anything from today, take from this hearing that it takes strength to go through the proceedings, it takes strength to stand and read those statements in front of others. 'Remember the strength it took to get you here today and I hope you can get back to some measure of the person who was so full of confidence and joy for life not too many years ago.' Martyn Hynes, defending Horne, said: 'This case is incredibly sad and involves two former police officers who had achieved great success in their careers and had a happy and perhaps exciting time ahead of them both.' Mr Hynes said the relationship became relatively volatile and later broke down. The judge said Horne 'plainly intended to cause her (the victim) serious harm.' Judge Millard added: 'This case is plainly a tragedy for all involved. I cannot avoid noting these offences did not occur suddenly. 'In the heat of moment, had you got hold of her, it is impossible for me to say how serious the level of harm she would have come to would have been.' After breaking into the property, Horne went to the bathroom and cut his wrists, the judge heard. He said he had no doubts Horne's intention was to end his own life but he also intended to cause Ms Heyes really serious harm. For one count of assault by beating, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional suffocation and burglary with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm, Horne was jailed for six years. He was convicted of the burglary matter at trial. He had also indicated guilty pleas to the other matters. A restraining order - to be made until further order - was imposed on Horne regarding Ms Heyes.
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Dad was crying in the stands' - Heyes reflects on England recall
Joe Heyes was momentarily left dumbstruck when he crashed over for his first England was the eighth touchdown of a 10-try Six Nations thumping of Wales in March was just the prop's third try in almost six years in all competitions for club and almost 160 appearances across seven seasons with Leicester Tigers, Heyes has scored only one try."I never score," he laughed when talking to BBC Radio Leicester about the milestone moment."I remember putting the ball down and thinking 'is this allowed? Am I supposed to score? And surely they will bring it back for something'."But the feeling of disbelief went deeper than just crossing the whitewash for the first time on the full international stage - having previously managed the rare feat for England being at Cardiff's Principality Stadium to clutch the offload from Tom Willis and slam down his finish is something the 26-year-old freely admits he doubted was possible."It was amazing to get my first try and it was an unbelievable experience," Heyes said."Seeing my Dad after the game, I had friends in the stands with him and they were holding his hand as he was crying. It is all a bit ridiculous, but he was very proud of me." Heyes had come off the bench - as he had done for England in all four previous games in the tournament - to make his try-scoring contribution in the 68-14 thumping of Wales that gave England hope of snatching the championship title on the final the Six Nations, he had gone two years and three months without earning a cap despite being called up to the England squad in that December, Heyes spoke about how he was using the "hurt" of being overlooked for an England recall to work even harder on making his international when called into the Six Nations squad, Heyes was wary of his chances of featuring after failing to make an appearance when he toured with England last summer."I went in probably not really expecting to play again," Heyes said."You go out there to try as hard as you can in training and all these things. I took it day by day, just worked my socks off and got the opportunities, which were incredible."Before working his way back into England favour under former Tigers boss Steve Borthwick, Heyes has had to re-establish himself in Leicester's front started just seven Premiership matches last season, but under head coach Michael Cheika this term he has been first choice as tight-head ahead of celebrated fellow England international Dan Cole for a side that is now third in the table and pushing for a play-off spot. Still, Heyes said he joined up with the national team "ready for anything", even if adding to his previous seven international caps was not what he expected."It's a tough mindset to get into," Heyes said. "I didn't prepare myself for disappointment. I try to stay ready for anything and never assume anything. Whatever role I got in the team, I just wanted to do that as best as I could."The role he played was to come off the bench as Will Stuart's appearances gave Heyes something different to write about in the notebook he has dedicated to rugby his musing, he admits doubts about his England future had crept in."I'd had a few years of not playing [for England], and it [wanting to play for England] is the reason I started playing rugby," Heyes said."I was my dream and still is my dream. But it's quite difficult when you have done something that is your dream and your goal, how do you stay motivated and keep doing this?"I didn't want to give up, but I had many thoughts in my head over the duration of time that I wasn't playing, that I'm going to give up here. "But I told myself 'no, this is why I started playing rugby and I'll regret it when I'm 50 years old sat in the pub going 'oh damn, if only I didn't give up'."
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
England Under-18s to 'Small Black', via four lost stone
Tom Rowland remembers rooming with Joe Heyes. Leicester prop Heyes is now part of England's Six Nations squad, coming off the bench in each of their three games so far. Back then though, in Cape Town, in 2017, both Heyes and Rowland were England Under-18s. Both were props. Both were highly rated. Both would start against South Africa Schools the next day. But, in other ways they were different. "Joe was the size he is now, he was just an absolute beast," remembers Rowland. "He was something like 130kg (20st 7lb) aged 16. "Someone like him was made to play in the front row." Rowland wasn't though. Two years earlier, he had been a blind-side flanker or number eight, carrying hard for Bristol's academy team. However, his coach, seeing the trend for more mobile props, suggested he swap the back row for the front row. "I was only 90kg (14st 2lb) at the time," Rowland says. "I enjoyed my gym work, but I never dreamed of being fast-tracked into being a prop." The change of position demanded a change in physique. Rowland was given two aims; to load up the weights bar and his plate. Six meals a day, five weights sessions a week. Energy in, power out and, hopefully, bulk up. "I found it pretty tough," says Rowland. "It was a conscious effort making sure I got the food in. "My strength and conditioning coach would always be on to me. You'd have to weigh in in the mornings, you would step on the scales and find you had lost a kilo because you haven't had enough dinner the night before. "I always like to eat relatively 'clean', but it got to a point where they said 'you just need the calories, we don't mind if you are smashing a load of dessert'. "It was always a bit of a bit of a battle for me." It was a battle he won. In the short term at least. A couple of years after changing position, he had put on three stone and the England Under-18 loose-head prop shirt. Rowland played five games, lining up alongside Marcus Smith, Tom Willis, Cadan Murley and Ted Hill, all of whom, like Heyes, are playing for England in this year's Six Nations. Rowland is still playing, just at a lower level, in a different country and, intriguingly, at a lighter weight. This April, he will be part of the first-ever 'Small Blacks' team – a New Zealand representative side with a catch. All its members play weight-restricted rugby, in which no player, whether front row or fly-half, weighs more than 85kg (13st 5lbs). In New Zealand, the concept has taken root. In 2024, 45 teams entered the national under-85kg Cup, with the final taking place at Sky Stadium in Wellington as a curtain-raiser to an All Blacks win over Australia. The players are smaller and more uniform in stature, but the action is fast and hard. "If no-one had a number on their back, you would struggle to know who is playing which position," says Rowland. "I wouldn't say it's like sevens, the games can still be quite physical and forward dominated, but everything's done at just a much greater pace. "Everybody is pretty fit so the collisions in the 70th minute are just as hard as those in the opening five minutes of a game. There's no real drop off. "The skill level from one to 15 is great. Even as a prop, you are expected to have as good a catch and pass as anyone in the backline. "The only thing where there's probably a big step down is the set-piece, especially the line-outs. You have a lot of guys who aren't used to jumping in a line-out. "But in a way less focus around the set-piece makes it a bit more exciting, it speeds everything up." Rowland is certainly quicker than he was. Back in his England age-grade days, he weighed in around 17st 5lb. Now 26, he plays four stone lighter, the weight he was as a 14-year-old. "I can still enjoy the scrummaging side but I am also now fit enough and at a good weight to be mobile and contribute around the pitch. "I get to carry lots, make tackles and I actually play 80 minutes in most games. I really enjoy not having to get dragged off at around 50 or 60 minutes because I can't breathe any more." Rowland's initial weight loss came during the Covid lockdown. Unable to dislodge the likes of Yann Thomas and Jake Woolmore in the first team, he had been released by Bristol. Without access to weights, but with a desire to keep fit, he started running every day. When restrictions eased and he met up with friends again, Rowland's body shape had changed so dramatically, they thought he was ill. Rowland felt the opposite. "The weight just flew off me and I felt so much better," he says. "I had more energy - I did have to sell my whole wardrobe though and buy new clothes!" In 2021, he moved to a new country as well, taking advantage of the New Zealand passport he has through his mother. In a different hemisphere, things turned upside-down. Where once he was piling on pounds any which way he could, now he has to be mindful of passing a weigh-in a couple of hours before matches. Some players will, like boxers, shed weight in saunas the night before, tip the scales and then wolf down carbohydrate-heavy food in the dressing room. Cramps can creep up on those who misjudge their pre-match routine. When the New Zealand under-85kg team play their first match, it won't be an issue though. At least not for Rowland and his Small Blacks team-mates. Their two matches against the full Sri Lanka national team (ranked 40th in the world) in Kandy and Colombo are being played at a catchweight. A cap of 105kg (16st 7lbs) has been applied to ensure there isn't a dangerous discrepancy between the hosts and tourists. "It will be interesting to see if we'll be able to kind of hold our own, obviously being a bit lighter than that," says Rowland. Weight-restricted rugby's potential for growth may be mostly at the grassroots level, retaining players who feel that, while rugby is a game for all sizes, they would prefer a format with more evenly matched physiques. "There would be definitely a pocket of players who would really kind of enjoy this grade of rugby. I think it's only going to be good for the game, and keep people playing," says Rowland. "I think it's an idea that would go pretty well in Europe as well." If it does, there are long-term hopes of staging a weight-restricted World Cup. Rowland, who watched former team-mate Smith in action at Eden Park against the All Blacks in July, could, in theory, have a black-and-white decision to make; whether to turn out for England or New Zealand. "Tough, tough question," he smiles. Probably still not as tough as that sixth meal of the day though.
