‘Hard’, ‘Controlled aggression’, ‘Fearless’, ‘Respectful’, ‘Fair’. These were just some of the expressions used to describe Jack Beddis who was awarded Player of the Year at Pontefract Rugby Club’s hugely successful Presentation Evening on 25 June.

Jack had a tremendous 2021/2 season, playing in all but a couple of games, scoring ten tries, most of which were in tight games. Pontefract’s Head Coach, Craig Fawcett, confirms: ‘Jack is an excellent all-round back-row player – powerful going forward, uncompromising in defence, fearless when he jackles over the ball at the breakdown’.

‘All these descriptions are 100% accurate’ reiterates Mike Parkinson, director of rugby. ‘However, what folks sometimes don’t appreciate is, he plays the game with complete integrity, within the rules, being the first of our forward pack to grasp the new rules that prohibit the “high” tackle. He’s fair and respectful to the opposition, works with the match officials in a constructive way and has been a mentor to a number of young players who are in awe of him’.

Jack learned to play the game with Castleford Panthers ARL and Lock Lane, and was signed up by Featherstone Rovers before turning to rugby union with Pontefract where is has made a real name for himself over seven seasons with the Club.

Jack is respected for his performances on the field of play, and equally off it. He’s devoted to his fiancé, Lauren, and their two-year-old daughter, Scarlett. As you might expect from the character described above, he has a most interesting career as a welding engineer with Schlumberger, the NYSE listed oil and gas offshore drilling firm, with whom he travels the globe – previous trips being to China, Latin America, while his current assignment as taken him to Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Stay safe, Jack, and look forward to next season when, having been promoted from Yorkshire League One, Pontefract will face opposition from the North East (level six in the national league system).