French style of throwing caution to the wind 'refreshing', says new RC Vannes centre Henry Trinder

After spending nearly all of his life in the familiar waters of Gloucester now Henry Trinder has plunged into the deep end, seeing out this season with Top 14-chasing RC Vannes in France's north-west. For the centre born in Cirencester who arrived at Hartpury College where Gloucester still train in his mid-teens, and never left until a couple of weeks ago, this is not so much a fresh start, instead closer to beginning your career all over again at the age of 32.

"It’s very strange walking down to the training ground in the streets of Vannes, in a different gym, a very different style of rugby in France, and the crash course I’ve had for Vannes’ push for the end of the season to crack on and push for that Top 14, it’s very exciting," Trinder tells Telegraph Sport. "The first team meeting introducing yourself - I’ve never had to do that before!"

With his introduction and song out the way - Uncle Kracker's 'Follow Me', for those wondering - Trinder's attention is now focussed on earning Vannes promotion from the second division into the French top flight. After 172 appearances and 46 tries for Gloucester over a 14-year spell it will be hard to imagine him running out in anything other than cherry and white, having made his debut in a Gloucester side featuring Peter Buxton, Andy Hazell and Akapusi Qera, with Trinder coming off the bench to replace Leon Lloyd.

Trinder's contract was set to expire at the end of this season, having battled to start at 13 with Scotland's in-form centre Chris Harris. Even the notion of leaving the Cotswolds marks a seismic shift in his life, let alone his career.

"Obviously I have been at Gloucester my whole career, I grew up in Gloucester. I haven’t moved from within a 20-mile radius since I was very young," Trinder explains.

"How it was going at Gloucester, it was great to be part of the squad but George [Skivington] was pushing through the younger guys and I think my opportunities became limited with my performances, so for me it was an opportunity to go somewhere, contribute and really, experience something different. [Playing abroad] has always appealed to me. When this came up and they were interested in having me straight away to contribute, I jumped at the opportunity.

"It ended on a good note with Gloucester, and I think that’s probably the nicest way you can go. You see a lot of players who were stagnant and don’t play all the way through the season who aren’t allowed to go, whereas Gloucester have been great with me. I’m grateful for that."

Recognising the strengths of Harris and fellow centres Billy Twelvetrees and Mark Atkinson, Trinder was conscious that he faced an uphill battle for selection coming off the back of his Achilles injury last summer. He also spotted a rising star of the future breaking through in Tom Seabrook, poised to take ownership of Gloucester's backline just as Trinder did with his enthralling attacking ability as a youngster towards the end of the 2000s.

"Tom Seabrook just needs that exposure, he’ll be a fantastic player when he’s older. He’s a utility at the moment but you’ll see him nailing a starting spot very soon," Trinder states.

Trinder was never capped at Test level by England but a regular for the Saxons, always desperately close only to be cruelly denied by fate, with injuries to his ACL, Achilles, hamstring and shoulder always seeming to strike at the cruelest moment.

"When I was finding my feet in the [Gloucester] squad and my form again, I would pick up a knock and normally they were quite long, sidelining ones. That was frustrating towards the end," he admits.

The highlights include memorable European games against Toulouse and La Rochelle but one fixture with a certain group of neighbours from down the road remains the pinnacle, something Trinder has discussed with his new team-mate at Vannes, former Bath full-back Nick Abendanon.

"For me it’s always been the Bath games. The more players and coaches that come in, you can lose a little bit of that bite and what it means, because ultimately now every game is so important and a must-win. But for me, the build-up to the Bath games has always been great. [Nick] Abendanon being here, you reminisce about those games, some of the scuffles shall we say that we had. I think I was lucky enough to have some great moments, some great wins."

Trinder and Abendanon are joined at Vannes, comfortably second in the ProD2, by more familiar faces from the Premiership in Andy Symons - previously with Worcester, Gloucester and Northampton - as well as Darren Barry who signed from Newcastle this week. Trinder has only been training for a few weeks but has already seen enough to know that in France the more caution thrown to the wind, the better.

"To see rugby succeed in a different way to the way it’s seen in the Premiership by most teams is eye-opening. I’ve been at the same club and had five different head coaches, who all had different views on the game but were all very similar in a way in terms of tactics and risk strategies, I would say. Whereas here, the focus shifts massively to attack, and that appeals to me being known more for my attacking ability than defence. It’s been quite refreshing at times to see these French guys play how they play."

It feels entirely unjust that a player of such service like Trinder, who has given so much to Gloucester, has been denied the chance to say goodbye to supporters due to the pandemic. There was barely enough of a moment to say goodbye to the squad, with Trinder "straight on the plane" after Gloucester's recent game against La Rochelle without really seeing anyone.

The club have opened the door for Trinder to return this summer in order to say a proper goodbye to his team-mates but as for the supporters, the 32-year-old reflects that at least he was able to have his testimonial season in 2019-20. "I was lucky enough to have a testimonial game and a walk on the pitch and I sort of see that as... I was lucky enough to have that."

The club he has left behind are moving in the right direction, Trinder believes, pointing to the building blocks put in place by young head coach George Skivington as the platform to bring Gloucester the success "which the club and fans deserve", with Trinder adding: "His principles and what he has set out from the off are fantastic."

As for Trinder, there is now an opportunity in front of him to savour the last few years of his career. He might be 32 but the mileage on the body clock is lower than average, despite having suffered enough serious injuries for three players' careers.

"How I see it is, I’ve missed a lot of games, but I feel relatively fresh. My age has gone up, but I haven’t been pounded week to week like the other guys. My body feels good, I feel sharp," Trinder explains.

"It’s just getting some games under my belt, match fitness and into the swing of it. That was what appealed in Vannes. I was getting worried that if I sat around at Gloucester the opportunities would become less and less. It was great timing, in a way."

The Shed at Kingsholm will miss him. But after the run of luck he has endured throughout his career, you can only wish for Trinder to enjoy the finest of swansongs in France.