19 years of rugby, a love of controlling the game from scrum half, and an embarrassing college moment involving a rather spectacular swan dive! Here we meet Eastbourne RFC's Leon Wood and the local business backing him this season, Uptons Sales & Lettings.

At Eastbourne Rugby Club, local businesses and players are at the heart of what makes our club special. Our Meet the Player, Meet the Sponsor series celebrates the people pulling on the shirt and the businesses helping our club thrive.

This time, we're catching up with men's first-team scrum half, Leon Wood, sponsored by Uptons Sales & Lettings, an independent, family-run estate and letting agency based in Eastbourne.

Meet the Player: Leon Wood

At 23, Leon has already spent 19 years playing rugby, with Eastbourne RFC featuring throughout much of his journey.

Leon first got into rugby thanks to his auntie, Jane Brooks, and uncle, Fraser Brooks, who were heavily involved with the club at the time. He's been part of the Eastbourne setup on and off for 17 years, making rugby a huge part of his life.

Playing at scrum half, Leon enjoys being able to control the game and act as the link between the forwards and backs. His childhood rugby hero was Ireland legend Brian O'Driscoll, whose ability to change the momentum of a match with a moment of skill left a lasting impression.

Away from the pitch, Leon works for South East Garage Doors, but when matchday arrives, he's ready to bring his energy, voice and skill to the team.

We asked Leon a few quick-fire questions to find out more about the man behind the number nine shirt.

• Describe yourself as a player in three words: Loud, annoying and skilful!
• Favourite position and why? Scrum half, because I really enjoy being able to control a game and being the voice between the forwards and the backs.
• Rugby hero growing up? Brian O'Driscoll. I loved the way he could completely change the momentum of a game with one step or one brilliant piece of skill.
• Favourite pre-match song? Stronger by Kanye West.
• **Pre-match meal of choice? A good old-fashioned full English breakfast.
• Most embarrassing moment on a rugby pitch? Leon takes us back to his college days for this one!
It was a tied game, there were five minutes left and we were five metres out. I sniped and saw a defender coming across, so I stepped inside, at which point I then did a full-on swan dive. Before I knew it, the ball was behind me!I looked up to see one coach with his head in his hands and another with his hands on his knees. Fortunately, we won the game, however, for the next week in training I was constantly reminded of my mistake and used as a what-not-to-do-when-scoring-a-try example!

Thankfully, Leon has had plenty of time to work on his game since then!

Meet the Sponsor: Uptons Sales & Lettings

Supporting Leon this season is Uptons Sales & Lettings, an independent, family-run estate and letting agency serving Eastbourne and the surrounding areas.

Director, Daniel Upton, established the business after many years working in the local property industry, with a clear ambition: to combine strong, modern marketing with a genuinely personal, traditional service.

For Daniel and the team, property is about much more than bricks and mortar. It's about people, relationships and helping clients make important decisions about their homes.

That personal approach also shapes how Uptons operates within the local community.

"Eastbourne is a big town but in many ways it still feels like a small community," Daniel explains. "You bump into clients in town, at events, at school, in local businesses and, of course, at places like the rugby club."

Uptons wanted to support something that makes a genuine contribution to the community, rather than simply putting its name on an advert. This season, the business is supporting Eastbourne RFC's women's team, alongside men's first-team players Leon Wood and Jeremy Montes.

Daniel recognises the important role local businesses play in helping community clubs succeed, including the many volunteers, families and supporters who contribute behind the scenes.

For Uptons, getting involved with Eastbourne RFC is a natural extension of its own values: living and working locally, building relationships and actively supporting the community it serves.

Looking ahead to the season

As a new supporter of the club, Daniel is looking forward to getting down to the rugby, watching the teams play and following the progress of the women's team, Leon and Jeremy.

And what would he say to other local businesses considering supporting Eastbourne RFC?

"Do it."

Daniel believes sponsorship is much more meaningful than simply buying advertising space because it gives businesses the opportunity to become part of something happening within their own community.

We thank Daniel and everyone at Uptons Sales & Lettings for supporting Eastbourne Rugby Club this season. We're looking forward to seeing that partnership develop throughout the campaign.

Find out more about Uptons Sales & Lettings - whether you're buying, selling, letting or managing a property, the team at Uptons is happy to help.

www.weareuptons.co.uk
01323 914533
info@weareuptons.co.uk