It is with immense sadness that we have to announce the passing of one of the club’s greatest players, and characters, Sean Kenwrick.
Sean died suddenly yesterday while out jogging with his daughter, he was only 53.
The club’s heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Kim, his daughters, Ella, Scarlet and Saffron, his parents, Roy and Audrey and his sister Laura.
Sean attended Yardley Grammar School and started playing for Old Yardleians when he was just 16. He played in the centre and featured in the club’s championship winning side in 1988 as well as in the North Midlands Final game against Hereford in 1990. Sean also represented us for Greater Birmingham in the Six Counties championship days. He always played with great flair and determination and was known for his outrageous side-stepping, wicked dummy passes and outstanding open field tackling.
If the term ‘free spirit’ could be applied to just one person, it would have to be to Sean.
He studied Computer Science at university and worked for several years writing telecommunications software in Hong Kong. He returned to the UK and formed his own software company. He moved to Ashby-de-la-Zouch and became an influential member of Ashby Rugby Club. While in his forties, he developed a yearning to understand more about quantum physics, electromagnetism and general relativity and gained an OU BSc Degree in Physics and Maths while in his fifties.
He would dominate the card schools at the back of the bus on any rugby tour, relieving many a tour virgin of his spending money before we even got to the destination.
Describing himself as a lapsed Pagan, he then grew an enormous grey beard. Among his many other interests, he loved hanging out at music festivals and winding people up on April Fool's Day.
One of life’s larger than life characters is gone.
RIP Sean.