THE man in charge of England's medal hopes in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games rugby sevens, says he owes a great debt to Bromley RFC.

Mike Friday spent his formative years at the club and he believes rugby plays a vital role in nurturing new talent and backing up and coming stars.

The England sevens' coach said: "I never played rugby at school as we were only taught football so Bromley provided me with my only chance of playing rugby.

"I am incredibly grateful to them for the opportunity they gave me and I am still very much part of the club."

Mike, 33, added: "I first went along to Bromley when I was just five and remember not knowing anyone but soon getting into it and really enjoying myself.

"I grew up at Bromley RFC playing with their minis, juniors and then Colts and I stayed with the club right through to the age of 18 when I went on to play with Wasps."

From Wasps he spent three seasons at Blackheath captaining the side throughout the 1995-1996 campaign.

The Commonwealth Games will be one of the biggest tests Mike has faced so far as he coaches the England side for the international stage against the world's best sevens teams.

Maybe Mike will return from Melbourne to celebrate an England medal with his old club in Bromley?