This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/apr/05/saracens-will-fraser-driven-to-succeed

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Saracens' Will Fraser driven to succeed by his brother's beach accident Saracens' Will Fraser driven to succeed by his brother's beach accident
(6 months later)
Twickenham will host some highly motivated individuals on Saturday but the emotional force driving Will Fraser is unique. When the 23-year-old flanker runs out for Saracens he will, as always, be representing two players, not one. Before kick-off he will glance down at the initials 'HF' deliberately written on his bandaged left wrist. Up in the stand in his wheelchair, his younger brother Henry will also take a deep breath and experience "the special feeling" he gets whenever his sibling takes the field.Twickenham will host some highly motivated individuals on Saturday but the emotional force driving Will Fraser is unique. When the 23-year-old flanker runs out for Saracens he will, as always, be representing two players, not one. Before kick-off he will glance down at the initials 'HF' deliberately written on his bandaged left wrist. Up in the stand in his wheelchair, his younger brother Henry will also take a deep breath and experience "the special feeling" he gets whenever his sibling takes the field.
Potentially their intertwined tale could be a tragic one, a tale of savage misfortune and crushing disappointment. Instead, as both brothers will tell you, the beach holiday accident in Portugal that left Henry, now 21, paralysed from the shoulders down has fostered a powerful, life-enhancing bond. "He knew how much I loved to play and writing down my initials is a way of me still being out there playing with him," explains Henry, the warmth of his gratitude contrasting with the chilly wind outside. "It's a huge, huge thing and very touching every time."Potentially their intertwined tale could be a tragic one, a tale of savage misfortune and crushing disappointment. Instead, as both brothers will tell you, the beach holiday accident in Portugal that left Henry, now 21, paralysed from the shoulders down has fostered a powerful, life-enhancing bond. "He knew how much I loved to play and writing down my initials is a way of me still being out there playing with him," explains Henry, the warmth of his gratitude contrasting with the chilly wind outside. "It's a huge, huge thing and very touching every time."
Given Henry was also a talented athlete in the Saracens' junior ranks, their contrasting paths are even more striking. As kids in the village of Chipperfield in Hertfordshire, all four Fraser brothers – Tom is the eldest, Dom the youngest – would play rugby together dreaming of future glory. Two-on-two was the customary format, with the middle brothers pitted against Tom and Dom. "It was always me and Henry," recalls Will, now a hulking 6ft 2in flanker on the fringes of England's senior squad. "We'd play in the garden but if it was too wet we'd go out and play full contact on the gravel driveway. There'd be stones being pinged around and windows being smashed. It would always end up in some kind of fight or argument."Given Henry was also a talented athlete in the Saracens' junior ranks, their contrasting paths are even more striking. As kids in the village of Chipperfield in Hertfordshire, all four Fraser brothers – Tom is the eldest, Dom the youngest – would play rugby together dreaming of future glory. Two-on-two was the customary format, with the middle brothers pitted against Tom and Dom. "It was always me and Henry," recalls Will, now a hulking 6ft 2in flanker on the fringes of England's senior squad. "We'd play in the garden but if it was too wet we'd go out and play full contact on the gravel driveway. There'd be stones being pinged around and windows being smashed. It would always end up in some kind of fight or argument."
Such knockabout memories have become ever more precious since the July day in 2009 when Henry ran down the beach, dived into the Algarve surf, struck a hidden ridge of sand just below the surface and severed his spinal cord. For a week or two his life hung in the balance; even after he was transferred from hospital in Lisbon to Stoke Mandeville, where he stayed for six months, there were some desperately bleak days. "It was a very hard time for the family," confirms Will, who used to head straight to Henry's bedside after training. "It was horrible. Henry was only 17 at the time. You'd go into Stoke Mandeville every day and see people on the ward in similar situations. Don't get me wrong, you're never better off than someone else in that kind of situation but some had a lower level of paralysis. Then you'd look at Henry who has really limited movement, just from his shoulders …"Such knockabout memories have become ever more precious since the July day in 2009 when Henry ran down the beach, dived into the Algarve surf, struck a hidden ridge of sand just below the surface and severed his spinal cord. For a week or two his life hung in the balance; even after he was transferred from hospital in Lisbon to Stoke Mandeville, where he stayed for six months, there were some desperately bleak days. "It was a very hard time for the family," confirms Will, who used to head straight to Henry's bedside after training. "It was horrible. Henry was only 17 at the time. You'd go into Stoke Mandeville every day and see people on the ward in similar situations. Don't get me wrong, you're never better off than someone else in that kind of situation but some had a lower level of paralysis. Then you'd look at Henry who has really limited movement, just from his shoulders …"
As it turned out the story was just beginning. It swiftly became apparent this was no ordinary patient. Henry's inspiring personal account at HenryFraser.org should be compulsory reading for anyone doubting the power of the human spirit. "I think the fact Henry got over it so quickly helped," says Will, the finer details of Saturday's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster suddenly a trivial irrelevance. "He would have his moments, obviously, but then he would say: 'Look, it's the card I've been dealt. I've just got to make the best of it and do what I can.' As an older brother, to see your little brother take on an attitude like that is huge. Massive. It makes me very proud, and the whole family feel the same.As it turned out the story was just beginning. It swiftly became apparent this was no ordinary patient. Henry's inspiring personal account at HenryFraser.org should be compulsory reading for anyone doubting the power of the human spirit. "I think the fact Henry got over it so quickly helped," says Will, the finer details of Saturday's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster suddenly a trivial irrelevance. "He would have his moments, obviously, but then he would say: 'Look, it's the card I've been dealt. I've just got to make the best of it and do what I can.' As an older brother, to see your little brother take on an attitude like that is huge. Massive. It makes me very proud, and the whole family feel the same.
"Even before Henry's accident we were very close but when something like that happens it pulls you even closer. I always do the 'HF' on my wrist for him because, had he had it his way, he'd be doing what I'm doing.""Even before Henry's accident we were very close but when something like that happens it pulls you even closer. I always do the 'HF' on my wrist for him because, had he had it his way, he'd be doing what I'm doing."
Chipperfield's answer to the house of Fraser is, clearly, no run-of-the-mill place either. Andrew Fraser turned out for Fullerians in Watford for 31 years as well as running his own graphic design company, while Dom has just kicked Dulwich College to a second successive Daily Mail Cup success. Like Will and Henry, he has also attended the Saracens academy, testimony to the family's high-achieving genes. "Mum and Dad are both very strong people," confirms Henry, a flanker-cum-centre before his injury. "They're very determined and it's definitely rubbed off on us."Chipperfield's answer to the house of Fraser is, clearly, no run-of-the-mill place either. Andrew Fraser turned out for Fullerians in Watford for 31 years as well as running his own graphic design company, while Dom has just kicked Dulwich College to a second successive Daily Mail Cup success. Like Will and Henry, he has also attended the Saracens academy, testimony to the family's high-achieving genes. "Mum and Dad are both very strong people," confirms Henry, a flanker-cum-centre before his injury. "They're very determined and it's definitely rubbed off on us."
When Will speaks of his desire to play at the highest level, therefore, only a fool would doubt him. Mentored by the former England flanker Richard Hill at Saracens – "I was a bit star-struck" – he has already trained with the senior squad, having missed out in the under-18s and U-20 age groups after representing his country at U-16 level. He fits the template of today's bigger, stronger opensides and, even as a sixth-former, he was notably single-minded. "Every Tuesday, no matter what, he'd get the train from Dulwich to St Albans to train at Saracens on a Tuesday night," recalls Henry. "That's quite a round-trip but once he's determined to do something he'll do it, especially in rugby. He had lots of injury knock-backs himself but he always came back."When Will speaks of his desire to play at the highest level, therefore, only a fool would doubt him. Mentored by the former England flanker Richard Hill at Saracens – "I was a bit star-struck" – he has already trained with the senior squad, having missed out in the under-18s and U-20 age groups after representing his country at U-16 level. He fits the template of today's bigger, stronger opensides and, even as a sixth-former, he was notably single-minded. "Every Tuesday, no matter what, he'd get the train from Dulwich to St Albans to train at Saracens on a Tuesday night," recalls Henry. "That's quite a round-trip but once he's determined to do something he'll do it, especially in rugby. He had lots of injury knock-backs himself but he always came back."
Saracens ooze that kind of resilience and character and Ulster will have to dig exceptionally deep to deny them a semi-final place. Such things are trifling, though, when measured against the stoicism of Henry in the face of such adversity. As well as opening Saracens' new ground in Hendon a fortnight ago, the latter is now an ambassador for the Matt Hampson Foundation – set up by the prop who became paralysed from the neck down after a training accident in 2005 – and his brother has noticed a change in him. "One of the good things to come out of this is that, because of the number of people coming up to speak to him, he's had to open up and speak to them. That's brilliant because he never used to."Saracens ooze that kind of resilience and character and Ulster will have to dig exceptionally deep to deny them a semi-final place. Such things are trifling, though, when measured against the stoicism of Henry in the face of such adversity. As well as opening Saracens' new ground in Hendon a fortnight ago, the latter is now an ambassador for the Matt Hampson Foundation – set up by the prop who became paralysed from the neck down after a training accident in 2005 – and his brother has noticed a change in him. "One of the good things to come out of this is that, because of the number of people coming up to speak to him, he's had to open up and speak to them. That's brilliant because he never used to."
How much pleasure, then, would it give the Fraser clan if Saracens were to win a trophy and Will were to tour Argentina with England this summer? If it happens there will be more tears and a strong sense of sacrifice rewarded. As Will acknowledges: "Everyone in my family knows this is what I've wanted to do ever since I started playing."How much pleasure, then, would it give the Fraser clan if Saracens were to win a trophy and Will were to tour Argentina with England this summer? If it happens there will be more tears and a strong sense of sacrifice rewarded. As Will acknowledges: "Everyone in my family knows this is what I've wanted to do ever since I started playing."
That singularity of focus, even so, will not prevent him reaching for the biro this afternoon and once again inscribing the letters 'HF' which now signify so much. "Only once since the accident have I gone out without having it written on there. Throughout the warm-up I was thinking: 'This isn't right,' and quickly had to go back in and write it on. If I score I'll always give it a glance." Ulster will see a solitary opponent but there will forever be a double meaning to all that Fraser does.That singularity of focus, even so, will not prevent him reaching for the biro this afternoon and once again inscribing the letters 'HF' which now signify so much. "Only once since the accident have I gone out without having it written on there. Throughout the warm-up I was thinking: 'This isn't right,' and quickly had to go back in and write it on. If I score I'll always give it a glance." Ulster will see a solitary opponent but there will forever be a double meaning to all that Fraser does.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.