Scrum Down: Will Foden enjoying his life of contrasts

Scrum Down with rugby writer Will Wood:

WILL Foden has had his ear ripped off three times and received more than 100 stitches to his face from rugby.

In the 2009 Under-20 County Championship final at Twickenham he dislocated his jaw in the first minute and went on to play the remainder of the match.

The dislocation meant one of his teeth had become dislodged and at half-time he asked the physio to pull his tooth out so he could carry on.

It is safe to say that the Cinderford captain knows a thing or two about pain, commitment and putting his body on the line.

Cut from the same cloth as former England openside Lewis 'Mad Dog' Moody, both have racked up a catalogue of injuries over the years.

Moody retired from the game last March whereas at just 23 Foden still has a long way to go in the game despite happily punishing his battered body every weekend.

Foden is a typical number seven and he would run through a brick wall to get to somebody if needed to – he often looks like he has after a game.

What is not typical about Foden, though, is his day job away from the rugby pitch.

Off the field he works as a residential support worker for children aged 11 to 19 with challenging behaviour in Bromyard in Herefordshire.

Foden lives with his girlfriend, British show jumper Marcelle Vaughan, on a farm in Bromyard after the pair met at Hartpury College.

Leaving his family and friends behind in West London, Foden moved to Hartpury by himself at 16 to pursue a career in professional sport and eventually gained a masters degree.

Shunning a potential profession as a tennis player to opt for the oval-shaped ball, Foden had to grow up quickly when he moved to Gloucestershire.

Leading a team out in the demanding third tier of English rugby is no easy thing, at any age, let alone for someone as young as Foden.

But this is a man who lives to make that tackle and stop his opponent at any cost, no matter what the result is to his body.

For someone so accustomed to inflicting so much pain on the pitch, it is quite unusual to see the same grizzly gladiator caring for children from Monday to Friday.

Foden says rugby is his escape, a cathartic chance to release all of the caged frustrations of the working week, usually on some poor unsuspecting fly-half.

Having worked on a farm and as a supply teacher, he says it is possible to use the different elements from both sides of his life.

Instead of his responsible role taming this backrow beast, Foden says there is no chance of it ever changing him as a player.

"There's nothing more gratifying in the world then rattling someone's ribs in my eyes, I love it," said Foden.

"I'm naturally quite an aggressive person and in rugby if someone hits me, I want to hit them harder.

"Whatever problems have happened in the week, I let it all out on a Saturday and tackle everyone. Sometimes people get afraid because it's National One and there are some good players, but if you're captain you have to be a role model.

"You can't ask someone to put their head in if I'm not going to.

"My right ear was once hanging off from the lobe before, but you get used to that.

"In my job you have a lot of responsibility, you have someone's general life purpose in your hands.

"Some of the children don't understand some things, so you're looking after someone which is similar to looking after a team.

"Rugby's my get out, that's where I release all my tension and I'm a lot more aggressive and gladiatorial.

"But the responsibility and communication in my job is very team orientated because you work in teams and those sort of attributes can come into it.

"It's more about man management, because challenging behaviour could be that they struggle to do things.

"It's not necessarily an altercation, it's knowing and understanding people.

"It's more people skills rather than physical intervention. It's more psychological battles.

"It's social understanding, understanding their view of the world.

"It's not like a mental institution – that's very physical based – it's the opposite.

"It's one of those jobs which is very soul rewarding but on the other hand it's stressful because you're in a very challenging environment.

"But watching a kid grow is always awesome.

"It's different every day, I'm not an office guy, I couldn't stick that, it would do my head in.

"I have to do something different, the environment is always changing and people are doing different things.

"I never thought I'd work in learning disabilities.

"I sort of fell into it when I was looking for something I could fit around my farming and it's only down the road.

"I've always been a people person, ever since I first coached sport at 14.

"It's similar in that you're trying to get someone to better themselves.

"I enjoy working with kids and educating them, but it's also social skills rather than just education and that's very gratifying.

"From 7.30am I get them up, help them shower, have breakfast and then take them to school and help them at school.

"I support them in school as well as on the residential side of the living side of it.

"It varies from going to the cinema or walking in the park to Parents Get Lost stuff.

"Even little things like taking them to the supermarket and getting them some food, just general living stuff.

"Sometimes I work 13 or 14-hour shifts until 10pm.

"But I'm happy with what I'm doing and when I'm not playing rugby I try and be as nice as possible."