By his own admission Alfie Barbeary is “different”. He is certainly refreshingly honest. Ask him to describe his perfect day and, having already revealed his dislike of the gym, he does not hesitate. “I’d probably be at home watching the rugby, have a couple of pints with my dad and then finish it off with a curry.” Lob in a game of darts – “My dad isn’t any good so I’d have to get my brother back and play him” – and he would be in absolute heaven.
A mischievous grin, a pair of sparkling studs in his ears – “Mum wasn’t too happy” – and an obvious lust for life are further clues that this might not be an identikit professional sportsman with his nutritionist on speed dial. Stick the fun-loving Bath No 8 on a rugby pitch, however, and – boom – there are few more compelling forces of oval-ball nature in the English club game.
It is just a question of when England feel the time is right to unleash the “Beast of Banbury”, earmarked as a potential Test player since his age-group days terrorising teenage opponents in Oxfordshire. Two tries against Exeter last weekend were the most recent reminder of his rare power and Steve Borthwick and Richard Hill, the former England World Cup winner, will both be at the Recreation Ground to watch Bath’s opening Champions Cup pool fixture against Ulster. It is not hard to guess whose form they might be assessing.
It has long been clear that Barbeary has something about him. The number on his back – he has also been a hooker and a centre in his time – was less relevant than his recurring ability to carry through contact and propel even the biggest of opponents backwards. Three tries on his first Premiership start for Wasps as a 19-year-old, against Leicester in September 2020, reflected the confidence he felt. “When you are that young you have no fear. You either come out of it a hero or you don’t. I would just go out and play and see what happened.”
Latterly, though, one or two question marks have arisen. Hamstring and knee surgery have severely restricted his playing minutes in the past 15 months, while the abrupt financial collapse of Wasps required him to find a new club and leave his comfort zone. For the first time, a little self doubt entered the equation. “The thing that really killed me was when my knee happened, having already worked so hard to get back from my hamstring. It was horrible. It was probably the darkest point I’ve had in my career. When it came back that I needed an operation and would be out for six months … that was a real hard period.”
Inevitably, opponents had also started to pay him closer attention and, with Eddie Jones initially keen to develop him as a hooker, it was momentarily unclear where his best position would be. Moving to Bath also required some mental readjustment. “You don’t really want to be injured when you come to a new club. I found it hard to really introduce myself to the lads. They made out that I was a big signing but I was in the gym a lot of the time. I did struggle on that front. I’m just someone who loves playing. Trying to fall in love with everything that comes with it is what I’m learning to do.”
With the help of Bath’s medical head Rory Murray – “He knew that I’m not a gym freak” – he is now back close to full fitness. And even Barbeary is beginning to accept that spending a little less time partying with his old mates might not be an entirely bad thing. “There’s a bit of maturity starting to come out that probably wasn’t there in previous years. I’d love to be out there [with my mates] but unfortunately I just don’t have it in me any more. I think it’s just getting older.
“My body’s in bits after a game, especially the way the Premiership is going. The forwards are getting bigger and some of the lads are just huge. I’ve been very honest with everyone that I’m not the biggest fan of the gym but we’re working on a programme that is keeping me on the pitch. As much as I enjoy playing rugby, I’ve got to work hard at the other stuff.”
With Ben Earl, Zach Mercer, Tom Curry and Lewis Ludlam all currently sidelined with injury and the clock starting to tick for Billy Vunipola, a couple of striking Champions Cup performances for a steadily improving Bath this month might also accelerate his ascent to the highest level.
“There are aspirations to play for England. It has been a childhood dream of mine. But realistically I have to focus on playing each week and building up minutes, getting confidence. Steve Borthwick and I have had a brief conversation – it was really just about sticking at it. I’ve got to put in the performances to be selected.”
At his best, the good-humoured, dark-haired Barbeary – his mother Denise is a hairdresser but “I don’t let her touch mine” – could yet emerge as England’s ball-carrying answer to the South Africa and Leicester No 8 Jasper Wiese.
Barbeary is a firm admirer – “There are similarities in our game” – and during his days at Bloxham School also liked to watch Ma’a Nonu and Mathieu Bastareaud, similarly forceful with ball in hand and unafraid to throw their weight around. “I had a lot of people say to me growing up: ‘Once everyone else grows and catches you up you won’t be any good.’ [But] it’s just how I’ve always played the game. I feel for my teammates because I don’t know where I’m going and neither do they. It’s carnage.”
If and when he does take the final step into the Test arena there will certainly be no shortage of entertainment on and off the field. His nickname at Bath is “Scranners” – “I can’t go into why, I’ll say it’s food related” – and there is still a bit of him that would love to be rampaging around at centre – “I’d show him a thing or two” – outside Finn Russell. Probe a little deeper, though, and the big kid is more ambitious than he likes to let on.
“Obviously there is the aspiration to do more. I don’t think I’m where I want to be yet by any means.” If that means cutting back slightly on the beers and curries, so be it.
