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Band of brothers to stamp a lasting legacy
Nick Westby talks to Doncaster's Bevon Armitage about England's new golden boy, his competitive relationship with his brother Delon, and a proud day for the family from Trinidad.
BEVON ARMITAGE has a little brother to be proud of.
At 18 months his junior, Delon is the new darling of Twickenham, England's answer to the full-back problem that has dogged them in recent years, and the poster boy for Martin Johnson's new youthful and energetic backline.
The 24-year-old earns his second cap against Australia at the home of rugby tomorrow, having catapulted himself into overnight fame with a man-of-the-match winning performance against the Pacific Islands last Saturday.
Bevon cannot talk highly enough of the impact Delon has made, and with Steffon – the third of five brothers who is already making big noises with London Irish in the Guinness Premiership – the name Armitage is set to become a rugby union legacy.
But Bevon will not tell his brother this much.
It is not in the nature of an eldest son in a competitive environment to lavish praise on a younger brother.
The Armitage boys have not got where they have today by confessing they look up to each other.
"We are all too competitive for that," admits Bevon, who plies his trade with Doncaster Knights in National One, away from the glare of London Irish and England.
"Even if we did look up to one another, you wouldn't let the other know about it.
"But as long as any of us do well that's all that matters."
Doing well is an understatment.
From humble beginnings in Trinidad, where they did not even pick up a rugby ball, the Armitage name has been on the rise since the early 1990s following the family's move to London.
"My dad was into rugby and we just went along with him to watch one day and me and Delon fancied having a go," said Bevon, who was 10 – Delon nine – when he first joined Richmond.
"I was the big lad, Delon had the brains and the awareness and the pace to go with it."
Bevon, Delon and Steffon were a year apart in the junior teams they represented but they all left after three years with the Richmond club having never tasted defeat.
In one final, Delon had his ear ripped open but after having it stitched up, he led his side to victory and collected the trophy from future England manager Andy Robinson.
The south of France was the next stop for the Armitage family, dad John sweeping his family away in 1996 for a 'change of scenery' as Bevon puts it, that lasted six years.
The brothers settled in quickly, playing for Racing Rugby Club de Nice and, in Delon's case, France's Under-16s as well.
But six years after returning to England, he fulfilled his ambition when he pulled on the Red Rose, overcoming a bout of debut nerves last Saturday to help get the Johnson management era off to a winning start against the Pacific Islands.
"Delon's always been an impact player," said Bevon, the pride and admiration showing through.
"To me he's one of the best full-backs in England right now.
"If he makes a mistake he punishes himself.
"But right now it's perfect for him because Martin Johnson has decided to go with the younger players and that's given a lot of young boys hope."
Everyone but Bevon was present at Twickenham to see Delon's big day, from immediate family to cousins and future mothers-in-law.
Mum Verna, dad John, the youngest daughter Juanita, Steffon, 22, Guy, 16, who plays at Wellington College and who has represented England Under-16s and is on the books at London Irish, and Joel, 13, were all there and will be in south west London again tomorrow.
"Joel is still learning his trade playing rugby in Brixham," added Bevon, the only member of the Armitage family who will miss out on watching his younger brother represent England this autumn, as he tries to help Doncaster keep pace with National One's leading clubs.
"I texted Delon before the game," he said. "I don't like to put any more pressure on him and I normally give him his space.
"I just said I hope he has a good game. We (Doncaster) were playing down at Plymouth so I couldn't be there, but I've seen the highlights and he looked good under the high ball and he looked sharp.
"The whole family was there to cheer him on, mum, dad, brothers and sister. My mum was over the moon when they announced Delon as winning the man-of-the-match award.
"My dad was the proudest, though, he's really loving it at the minute."
Loving it that much that John Armitage could not contain his delight in the Twickenham players' lounge after the match.
"I met Johno (team manager Martin Johnson) after the game and and was ribbing him," said John.
"'You should be giving our Steff a shirt,' I was saying to him.
"Steff is desperate to get involved.
"It's fantastic, though, with Delon at the moment. All the boys have done fantastically well."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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