Stuart Tyrie

Stuart Tyrie is articulate, polite, modest and eager to please - hardly the prerequisites of someone who enjoys the hurly-burly life of a forward in rugby and has recently taken up the more daunting sport of cage fighting.

Stuart has joined the small but committed group who train at Merlins Bridge Amateur Boxing Club as cage fighters.

He explained more about the sport: "We compete in a caged-off area which has a seven foot high fence around it, with just the referee and an opponent in it.

"The rules are very simple really, because fighters are allowed to use any combinations of martial arts that include punching, controlled kicking to any parts of the body except the private area of the groin, grappling, choking, twisting or stretching of limbs to achieve submission. Knees to the head and gouging of eyes is outlawed."

Stuart, who has a sports science degree is quick to reassure that cage fighting isn't as awful as it sounds.

"Fighters aren't allowed to knee to the head or gouge eyes and, yes, it is tough but there is mutual respect and camaraderie which is great and referees are quick to stop fights if there is anyone who looks as if he is suffering too badly," he said. "It's not quite like the pro stuff showed on Sky TV, where anything goes, although it is tough."

Stuart is man enough to admit there were a few nerves before his first fight at Newport Leisure Centre under the watchful eye of coach Graham Brockway, but ironically they occurred about three weeks before his debut was to take place.

He said: "I really felt tense just thinking about it but that lasted a couple of days and I was fine afterwards. I had a great start because I beat David Roberts, of Porthmadog, with a near-naked choke hold after 16 seconds. I know it sounds horrible but it is a martial art grip and I know I will have tougher fights in the future."

Feeling punchy: Stuart working out on the punch bag.

Stuart was already well known as a rugby player after starting out with Pembroke RFC and going through all levels of rugby at Crickmarren before playing for Tenby United for a season of senior rugby at Heywood Lane.

"I enjoyed it at Tenby, but when I moved to the Midlands on a scholarship at Wolverhampton I played semi-professional rugby at Worcester at under-21 level," he added.

"I also played for Birmingham/Solihull and went on loan to Walsall, learning my rugby trade all the time before I came back to Pembrokeshire and signed for Whitland RFC, where I scored nine tries in 12 starts as a flanker alongside superb players like Phil Morgan, Randall Williams and Johnny Kaloi.

"But I had always fancied travelling and when I placed my playing details on Rugby, Rugby.com I was invited to play for St Patricks Old Boys in Sydney, Western Australia, where I was voted player of the season before I was on the move again, turning out for Alpago in North-East Italy, both good grades of rugby."

Stuart lost his hunger for the game and stopped playing after his father Mark Meaney died.

He put on weight but was persuaded to take up ju-jitsu by his friend Alex Ward.

Stuart said: "Alex saved my bacon because I needed something to get rid of my anger and frustration and we decided to join Graham Brockway in his gym.

"We have both worked hard and I was delighted that Alex also won his first cage fight.

"I have never been as fit as I am now. My body fat is down to only 4.1 and I am really enjoying all the hard work under Graham Brockway and feel good about myself."

1:49pm Tuesday 5th February 2008

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