The man whose rugby jersey was auctioned for a world record sum has revealed that persuading Courtney Lawes to give up his idyllic lifestyle in France and return to the Gallagher PREM was an easy sell.
Dorian West was the talk of the sport when the England shirt he wore on the replacements bench during the 2003 World Cup final in Australia achieved £500,000 at a charity fundraiser.
23 years on he is so again after placing the phone call to Lawes which led to the 105-cap Red Rose great not only signing for Sale Sharks at the age of 37 but coming out of international retirement.
Highly rated
West, like Lawes a former England captain, has known the Brive forward since his first days at Northampton where the man universally known as Nobby coached.
So highly does he rate the two-tour British and Irish Lion that he does not think it odd to be enticing him back to English rugby’s top flight three years short of his 40th birthday.
“You’d normally be really nervous about signing somebody of that age, but Courtney has looked after himself so well over the years that his age isn’t a concern at all,” said Sale’s forwards coach.
“He’s still got lots to offer, still putting his body on the line week in week out, still setting standards. He says he’s learned a lot playing with Brive in France and reckons he’s playing some of the best rugby he’s ever played.”
West added: “I played alongside Martin Johnson and Ben Kay for Leicester and England so I’ve got a good idea what champion quality looks like. Courtney, 100 per cent, has it.
“By champion quality I mean top drawer attention to detail, preparation and determination to be the best and to impose yourself on a game of rugby.
“Before we even finalised the deal word spread around the club. Walking into work I bumped into Luke Cowan-Dickie. “Is it true, Nobby?” he asked. “Is what true?” I replied.
“We’re signing The Enforcer? Courts is joining?
“It’s one thing me being enthusiastic about what we can do with him, when you’ve got lads like Cowan-Dickie and George Ford, who have achieved a ton in the game, genuinely excited at playing with Courtney, that’s priceless.
“There’s a buzz about the lads that we’re bringing in someone who everybody can learn off and enjoy being in his company.
“If Cowan-Dickie, Fordy and the Curry brothers are looking forward to him coming imagine hope those striving to be internationals are feeling.
“I know he’s going to come in and work hard. One of the main things for me is the character of him. He’s one of the best I’ve every worked with.
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“If some of our young lads can take half of what he’s brought over the years, and develop their games on the back of seeing how he conducts himself, it’s a massive positive for the club.”
Before all of this Sale go to Dublin on Saturday to play Leinster for a place in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup.
“We’ll be underdogs, won’t we?” said West, “but we play with a physicality and an attention to detail in the set-piece. I think we’ll be more than a challenge for them.
Underdogs
“We know it’s going to be tough going to the Aviva. It’s always a challenge against team packed with internationals. No one will give us a chance, but let’s see.”
No-one gave West’s England jersey a chance of going for half a million quid either, and looked what happened then.
Philip Green, then the billionaire owner of Bhs and Arcadia, paid the sum at a charity auction organised by the Rainbow trust.
Given that one of West’s daughters is getting married this year, he could perhaps have done with some of the proceeds. It was his testimonial year after all. Instead he donated the lot to charity.
“I’m always proud that we were able to help a group of kids local to where I live and used to work,” he confirmed. “That was pretty special.”