One of the first Black Players to both play and coach in the professional era.
A very quick, elusive and balanced player, Audley came through the state school system after attending Alfred Sutton School in Reading. In his latter years at school, he was encouraged to join Reading Rugby Club along with another talented player called Eddie Brooms, by his games master Graham Webber. Graham would pick them up and drive them to training sessions until they had established a friendship group. This group included another Sutton old boy Shane Harris. Audley developed quickly and, whilst still at school, had the tricky decision of captaining the colts side at Reading or joining the 1st team squad.
Further honours came in an unlikely way. Berkshire Colts asked to use Reading’s Holme Park for trials and Audley’s coach at the time, Phil Merrin, insisted Audley attend. He took some persuading at the time, due to what he perceived to be unfair treatment at previous trials for schools rugby, football and cricket. Thankfully Phil was successful in getting him there and he was selected for the side. He progressed through to the SW Division and eventually into the England Colts Squad, playing all three games v Italy, Wales and France at the end of the 1985-86 season.
Special mention must go to Reading club officials who raised the money to ensure that he would be kitted out properly. He remembers Geoff Earnshaw Insisting on a blazer with a patch pocket for the England badge! This involved visiting every menswear shop in Reading before finally finding one in (now sadly closed) Jacksons. Phil Mainwaring drove Audley miles and miles to divisional matches although all those miles with a chain-smoker meant the car window was permanently open. Mike Glogg, who filled the role for England Colts training/matches, threatened to make Audley walk if any mention was made of the cricket series between West Indies and England – the Black Wash.
HONOURS
Audley was also honoured by England Students, Combined England Students, England Emerging Players and England “B”.
BATH RUGBY CLUB (1986 – 1996)
After his performances for England Colts, he was invited to trials by Bath Football Club as it was then called. This was the perfect situation as he had accepted a place to read physics at Bath University. He joined Bath that season and went on to play over 120 first team games (scoring 64 tries during the period that Bath were labelled a forward dominated side), before leaving at the end of the 1995-96 season. He was a member of the Bath sides that won the Pilkington Cup in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and multiple league titles during that time. Audley was also a key member of the successful Bath Sevens squad that won the inaugural National Sevens in 1992 and the squad that claimed the Worthington Welsh Sevens and the Middlesex Sevens in 1994.
INJURY
Audley was considered to have the potential to gain full international honours but these hopes seemed to come to an end after a club match against Plymouth Albion on which he suffered a potentially career ending neck injury In March 1989. The initial prognosis from doctors was not good. It was testament to his grit and determination that he returned some 13 months later to prepare for the National Sevens after some persuasion from John Palmer. He would not have got through that period without the support of family and friends. There was also the camaraderie of the Bath squad that was exemplified by Steve Knight who ensured he was included in everything including nights out. Two broken ankles and knee problems after his return did not help either
OXFORD UNIVERSITY
As part of his return to rugby, he studied Social Administration at Oxford and became one of the few black players to gain a “Blue” (Dec 1992) in front of 54,000 at Twickenham. To the surprise of many, he returned to finish his studies, sit exams and graduate.
CROSS CODES
He was, in his own words, unlucky enough to play in one of the first cross code games against Wigan RL in 1996. Each team won their respective codes and demonstrated the differences and similarities in the skill-sets that paved the way for the modern player to switch codes. The period before the match under league rules was the most apprehensive he had ever been because of a game before or after.
GLOUCESTER RUGBY CLUB
In 1996, Audley was persuaded, along with Steve Ojomoh, Ian Sanders, Neil McCarthy and Mike Lloyd, to help new coach Richard Hill start his project to make Gloucester the success they could be. Audley went on to play 61 times for the club over 3 seasons scoring 18 tries in that period.
COACHING
In 2001, he unexpectedly became a pioneer in the professional era when he became assistant coach to Philippe St Andre at Gloucester for season 2001-2002. At the time along with Paul Hull he was one of the few black players who were given that level of responsibility and he can claim to be the first black coach of the professional era.
READING WEST INDIANS
Audley was a regular player for Reading West Indians, from his colts days at Reading all the way through his time at Bath during the 80s. Amazingly, Jack Rowell was very aware of this and on one occasion said, “I know you did not get much ball today, go and get a game with the West Indian boys tomorrow. It will do you good”. Selection in his favoured position was not always straight forward as it would seem. Many of the RWI boys fancied their chances in a sprint race. The coach arranged a run off on one occasion in which the so called ‘fastest man in English rugby’ according to one journalist, lost.
LIFE AFTER RUGBY
Upon his retirement from full time rugby coaching, Audley returned to teaching. He currently works at Lord Wandsworth College (where he teaches physics and is involved in the games program. His rugby knowledge is put to good use with the 1st XV mostly and he also coaches hockey and cricket. Alongside this, after encouragement from Wayne Foncette, he is involved with coaching both the Berkshire County Sevens team as well as Racing Club Academy (legacy of Reading West Indians). He also does the odd session at Reading, Redingensians and at his son’s club Farnham RUFC.
