Club pays tribute to popular first XV flanker
Enfield Ignatians Rugby Club recently lost one of their best first XV players when, aged 24, he collapsed and died suddenly at home.
Lucas Yoxall joined the Club as a 11-year-old and was soon noticeable for his rugby skills and his competitive, confident, loyal, generous, and affable character.
He became a 1st team player after being made Players’ Player of the Year at second-team level. In 2019/20 he claimed his first try for the first team against Kilburn Cosmos on his second appearance, and was part of a squad which eventually gained promotion to the former London Two North-West League. In the 2021/22 season the talented flanker secured eight league tries and a memorable hat-trick in a 29-14 win over Hackney.
The 2022/23 season saw him cross the whitewash five times. Lucas was on the scoresheet again in the 53-39 win against Hampstead last September, but his appearance against Hackney at Spring Hill on 9th December would be his last for the club.
A bumper crowd paid their own rugby tribute to the young player at Donkey Lane on Saturday 13 January when his team playing Hitchin was spurred on by the spirit of Lucas and played some of their best rugby of the season.
Enfield Ignatians will also be putting a bench outside the clubhouse where Lucas loved spending time with his teammates as a lasting tribute.
A qualified electrician and former Highlands School pupil, the popular Lucas was, said Ignatians’ head coach Jack Wilson, “not only an exceptional rugby player, but also a kind soul, and always a pleasure to be around. He will be sorely missed by everyone.”
