A season to remember for Armand

By Mark Stevens
26/6/17

Don Armand admits it will be tough to top the experiences of last season, but the Exeter Chiefs forward is already focusing on the future and what it can bring.

Just days after helping the Devon club lift their first-ever Premiership title at Twickenham, the 28-year-old was then jetting off to South America as part of Eddie Jones’ England squad for their summer tour to Argentina.

A first international cap followed for the Zimbabwean-born forward, who received his first international recognition last summer when he played for the England Saxons on their tour of South Africa.

With Jones keen to unearth further riches within the England selection make-up, Armand – along with Exeter club-mates Harry Williams, Jack Maunder, Henry Slade and Ollie Devoto – did not disappoint as they helped the Red Rose country to a 2-0 series victory over the Pumas.

Williams and Slade started both tour games, while Maunder and Armand were both used off the bench in the thrilling 38-34 victory over the Pumas in the first Test in San Juan.

Sadly, that was Armand’s only action during the tour as former England skipper Chris Robshaw was used for the second test, which England won 35-25 in Santa Fe.

The experience, however, of featuring in a full international and winning his first cap was something the all-action forward clearly savoured – and has given him the appetite to strive for future honours, both with club and country.

“I think I learnt a lot on tour and I was lucky enough to get a run-on at the end of the first game and get a first taste of it and I enjoyed it,” said Armand. “There is a still a lot of hard work for me to do. Obviously, it was a nice little cherry on top of the season that we had at Chiefs, but I am under no illusions that that was the end-game, and there is a lot of hard work to do.”

Taking about the tour experience, Armand explained: “It is pretty much a professional rugby players’ academy, with non-stop rugby. You are all in a hotel together, everything you do is provided by people who are paid to do the best, from nutrition, recovery, training, physios, coaching, everything… and you get the best of the best there.”

Touring again with England was clearly a highlight for Armand, who admitted having a number of his club colleagues alongside him on the trip was ‘fantastic’.

“It really made it sweet because you are not arriving on your own,” he said. “Trying to get to know everyone, you have always got someone to fall back on, and to give you a bit of a helping hand if you need it, and vice versa.”

Now, Armand is looking forward to the start of the new season as the Chiefs look to replicate last term’s stunning success of lifting the Premiership crown.

“That was the best season I have had,” said Armand. “I can’t really cap that. It was an amazing season, and putting aside winning the Premiership title, the memories you take from it and the friendships that have been made will be ones that I cherish for a long time.”

Armand knows that, as league champions, everyone will want to beat Rob Baxter’s side this coming season, but he believes that is something to look forward to.

“That is a good thing because it will keep us on our toes,” he explained. “It is obviously new territory and we are going to be the match that people get themselves up for, and we have got to make sure we are on top of it every game.”