Legendary front row Tony Windo has hailed the impact of Craig Gillies as the giant lock prepares to overtake his appearance record at Warriors – and believes the new landmark figure will never be surpassed.
Gillies will lead the team out and make his 223rd appearance when Warriors face Esher Rugby in the RFU Championship this Saturday at Sixways (kick-off 3pm).
The second row will go one better than the previous best set by prop Windo, who retired from the game in 2008 and is now part of Richard Hill’s backroom team.
And Windo, who regularly lined up alongside Gillies during his playing days, is full of praise for the commitment and dedication the lock has shown during his time at Sixways.
“It’s always a great honour to play for a club for such a length of time and Craig has show a huge amount of loyalty over a long period of time,” said Windo, now Skill Development (Scrum Coach) at Warriors.
“The record is testament to his durability and, similar to myself, I’m sure he will admit it also takes some good fortune to not pick up any injuries and keep playing.
“Craig has been a superb servant for Warriors and hopefully he can carry on over the next few years and set the target even higher – he is playing very well for us at the moment.
“It is a club record that I don’t think will ever be broken. In the professional game it is very unusual for a player to remain at one club for such a length of time and also stay injury free.
“Craig is not only a great player but also a really nice guy off the field, a real role model for young players coming through who underlines what being a true professional rugby player is all about.”
Watch Craig Gillies become the record appearance maker at Warriors! Tickets remain on sale for the game with Esher Rugby by calling 01905 454183 or click HERE for more information.