Unsurprisingly, Denis was born in Birmingham. He grew up in Harborne near Birmingham University. Secondary School was King Edward Five Ways, where it was a Rugby only school. No football allowed due to the preponderance of Welsh rugby mad teachers. After School Denis attended Matthew Bolton College where he did Business Studies.

In 1980 Denis joined Rolls Royce in Derby as a Trainee Computer Programmer. The commute was tedious, and he jumped at the chance of a house share in the Market Place in Melbourne, where Ted Moult was his landlord.

The house was occupied by other geeky computer programmers, redeemed by their shared fondness for a beer or two. On his first night in Melbourne the lads took Denis to The Swan, a favourite venue on account of the charms of a certain barmaid who must remain nameless. There was a rather over-refreshed gentleman exceedingly unsteady on his feet. Denis enquired as to the identity of this alarming character and was told by one of the geeks ‘Oh, I believe that’s the Village Idiot’. It turned out to be Dr Fawcett MBE.

The next evening the favoured watering hole was The Alma, where Denis met Denis Smith who regaled him with rugby tales. Another meeting was with Bengo who told Denis that there was another Brummie locally who lived on a farm and did a bit of Rugby training on Sunday mornings, followed by a dip in a very cold swimming pool, finished off with a few pints in the local. This appealed to Denis who turned up on the next Sunday and met the likes of George and Will Shields, Bev Silkstone etc.

Garry was first team captain of Coalville Rugby Club at that time and took an increasing number of fledgling rugby players to play at Coalville. Eventually, there appeared to be enough to have their own team at Melbourne. The rest you know!!

What you may not know is that upon becoming President of Melbourne Rugby Club, Roger Lucas asked Denis’s girlfriend Carol to be the Club Secretary. Meetings were held in the upstairs room of The Hotel (now Harpurs), in the Billabong Bar.

Denis continued in his role of 2nd Team Captain, citing his biggest contribution in that role as the ability to rope people in to play. Then work took him to firstly Portsmouth for 18 months for IBM. Then a stint of 6 months in Amsterdam also for IBM. A return to Melbourne in 1986 was necessary in order to plan the wedding of Carol and Denis.

Allied Breweries was the next step in a Consultant role staying with them until 1993.

Fate played a big role when Denis saw a tiny advert in a Computer magazine and applied for a job in which the criteria fitted his skillset. The interviewer was conducting around two dozen interviews in London and heading back to New York but there was just time for Denis to attend the London Hotel and be interviewed whilst the interviewer was packing his suitcase. Denis was offered the job on the spot and had two weeks to prepare to leave for Boston. Initially the arrangement was for 6 months and they would see how it went. That was 29 years ago. Ten years were spent in Boston working for Pinkerton Computer Consultants, before Denis was offered a job in Tampa Florida for Nynex Telephone Company, who later became Verizon. 20 years later Denis has just retired. Carol and Denis have two daughters born in Boston. One training to become a Doctor and the other studying Business Management with a view to going into Commercial Realty.

Against all odds, after almost 30 years in the USA, Denis still sounds the complete Brummie.

1. First position you played in rugby:- Winger
2. Worst injury:- Broken Collar Bone (Twice)

3. Best player you played with at MRFC or elsewhere:- Stuart Hamilton

4. Best person for post-match drinks, fun and frolics:- Bengo

5. What should your nickname be:- Jono

6. What bad habit do you have:- Loud Snoring

7. Your sporting hero:- Jeff Probyn

8. Your non-sporting hero:- Bill Gates

9. Favourite food/meal:- Doner Kebab

10. Favourite TV programme/film:- Sopranos

11. Favourite book:- Stark by Ben Elton

12. Who dead or alive would you like to have a conversation with:- Neil deGrasse Tyson

13. You can take either a book, music or a tool to a desert island. Which, and what would it be :- Fishing Rod and Reel

14. Dream job:- Photographer

15. Tell me something about you that no one knows:- Guest Speaker at IBM Conference in Las Vegas

16. A phrase that reflects your life:- WTF

17. What sport do you wish you’d tried:- Kite Boarding

18. Who would you like to see interviewed for this article:- Garry Fawcett

19. Your wish for the future of MRFC:- Continued Success

20. Your Melbourne Dream Team of players past and present:-

Roger Lucas
Garry Fawcett
Brian Barber
Ray Sparkes
Brian Cope
Pete Lewsey
Robin Clayborn
Ian Lucas
Jake Oxspring
Chris Walters
Ian Watts
Dean Sylvester
Jonathon French
Dave Middleton
Graeme Hardy