Rugby player marks 'momentous' 350th Guernsey game

A rugby player from Guernsey took part in his 350th game for the island's most senior club team this weekend.

Guernsey Raiders hooker Tom Ceillam hit the milestone in a 21-28 loss to Old Albanians at the club's home ground, Footes Lanes, on Saturday.

Ceillam, who joined the club's youth academy when he was 12 or 13, said he "tried to tuck the nerves away" on the "momentous occasion".

"It was just another game really," he said, "But, you've still got to feel that nervousness sometimes - it keeps you wanting to perform."

Ceillam said the National League 2 East club's performances had been "stop start" for the last few months, but he still felt confident the Raiders could "find that winning streak again".

Ceillam said his favourite games in his long career were his first Siam Cup win in 2018 as well as an 8-6 win against Dorking in "brutal" conditions in 2014.

"We had a brief chat about it on Saturday actually," he said.

"Funnily enough I think it was some of the guys' favourite game.

"The conditions were horrendous, hail coming down sideways - to come out on top was really good."

Ceillam said he had started "working with" some of the older children in the club's youth teams and could potentially see himself coaching once his playing days were over.

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