Rugby: Sheridan's music may make him a propstar

Andrew Sheridan is out of the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

It's not really what is expected of big, macho front rowers - but Andrew Sheridan and Matt Stevens are England's Singing Scrummagers with credible credentials for a career in music after the mauls.

Sheridan, the massive prop recently returned to England after shoulder injury ended his Rugby World Cup, has produced a mellow, harmonious 16-track album which features on itunes.

It is a fine piece of musical craftsmanship. Sure, it probably won't go platinum but his guitar work and vocals, accompanied by the piano, drums and even, according to Sheridan, "a creaking chair" make for an easy listen. They are not tunes to crank out when you want to bounce into a work day.

Sheridan is hardly a stereotypical rugby boofhead. His interests are wide away from the game. Apart from his musical talent, he has learnt bricklaying, is keen on plumbing and plastering, and received As in A-level history and religious education exams (the equivalent of New Zealand's old bursary). He received a guitar from his parents for his 21st birthday. His wife Siwan encouraged him to record some tracks to occupy time during his 2009-10 injury lay-off.

"Over the past 10 years I have amassed a reasonable collection [of songs]," Sheridan has written. "At times I was tempted to sit and make them musically perfect but we stuck with the real instruments and live feel [on the album]. We have tried to keep the songs simple and relaxed."

One of his songs goes thus:

I gave more than I had to give;

But you don't like the way we live.

I sweated blood and I sweated tears;

To give us something that could last for years.

All the hurtful things you said;

Still remain in my head.

I don't know,

Where do we go from here.

Where Sheridan goes from here could be, at 31, retirement - given this will be his fourth shoulder operation in two years. But the song is not about Sheridan. He actually wrote the song: "about the experiences my best friend was going through with his then-partner a few years ago. It was a difficult time for him, and I have tried to reflect this."

Sheridan's absence means someone needs to fill the breach. Who better than fellow England prop Matt Stevens? He was a finalist on British television channel ITV's X-Factor: Battle of the Stars in 2006, wowing crowds with numbers such as Mack the Knife and New York, New York. He eventually came second, raising £125,000 for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in the process. The former South Africa president thanked him personally for his efforts.

The Durban-born prop's career has been up and down a few octaves since. After strong performances at the 2007 World Cup which helped England progress to the final, he was banned from rugby for two years in January 2009 after he failed a drug test and confessed to cocaine use.

Stevens has played for Saracens since returning. He completed his reprieve with his World Cup squad call-up.

In a candid interview with rugbydump.com he said he learnt plenty during exile: "As athletes we have an inability to deal with extreme pressure," he said.

"Our bodies aren't made for it, spending all this time trying to put on a facade that we're unconquerable gladiators where nothing fazes us. We're mentally tough and physically strong, and then you have to admit you have a serious problem."

Stevens said admitting to cocaine use provided massive relief.

"I could move on without having to hide anything or be secretive any more."

Now he just has to perform on the field.