‘I see my rugby as worship’

Growing up, Peter Browne was, in his own words, “sport mad”. From an early age, he loved all sports, but with a father who had played rugby at school and university, it’s perhaps not surprising that he, too, was eventually drawn towards a career in Rugby Union. 

After a growth spurt in his teens saw him reach 6ft 7in, he knew there was a realistic prospect of playing at a high level. “I understood the game, I was tall and athletic. It made sense for me to pursue it as best I could.” In 2008, while in his second year of studying theology at the University of Durham, he made his Premiership debut as a forward for Newcastle Falcons.

Faith and sport

Browne’s father was a vicar, and so he’d “always had an awareness of God”. But it wasn’t until a summer camp in his teens that Browne made a commitment of his own. “It hit home what Jesus did on the cross, and I gave my life to him,” he says.

Browne says that he never looked back from that decision, but the contrast between his faith, his theology degree and the hard-drinking culture of the rugby club provided some interesting opportunities to stand out from the crowd. 

At Durham, the university rugby team initiation ceremony included new players downing six pints of extra-strong cider. These days, Browne is a moderate drinker, but during his early rugby career he made the decision not to drink at all. So instead, he was given an even harder challenge: downing six pints of rancid milk. He managed it (though it didn’t stay down for long) and gained the respect of his teammates in the process.

Despite the challenging environment, Browne finds no conflict between his sporting and spiritual life. He grew up going to Christians in Sport camps, which meant that, for him, “the connection between sport and faith was always there”. Referring to Romans 12:1-2, which urges Christians to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice”, Browne says: “There’s no reason why a rugby game can’t be viewed as a worship session.”

Facing the challenges

After joining Harlequins in 2010, Browne endured a series of injuries. First, he ruptured the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee. Later, he tore his pectoral muscle off the bone. Even after he returned to fitness, there were challenging times. In 2013, he joined London Welsh and in one season, the team didn’t win a single game. At other times, he simply wasn’t selected to play. 

For Browne, these difficulties were opportunities to show others what it truly means to be a follower of Christ – off the pitch as well as on it: “You have the opportunity to have relationships with other guys who are injured, physios, people you [otherwise] wouldn’t spend as much time with.” In 2015, he moved to Ulster. In his penultimate season of rugby, he didn’t get picked much and played for the second team a lot. “It was difficult, and not where I wanted to be, but I was still able to worship God with my gifts.”

The solid foundation that allowed Browne to cope with injury, defeat and deselection is, ultimately, his identity in Christ. “The world says you are what you do, you are how you perform. As a high-level player, everything is analysed. One week you might have great stats, maybe next week that doesn’t happen,” he explains. “If you base your identity on your performance, it’s topsy turvy. But if it doesn’t go to plan, if I’m deselected, injured, we don’t win the cup, none of that defines me. What you do on the pitch is good and important, but it doesn’t define you. You’re defined by Jesus.”

A new chapter

Following a series of concussions, and after consulting with medics and his wife, Browne retired from professional rugby, aged 31. Some people may have thought it was premature, but Browne doesn’t regret the decision, especially with the emergence of evidence about the long-term effects of concussions on rugby players.

Now, Browne works for Christians in Sport as the rugby lead and on their international team. His role is to make connections with players who are Christians or searchers, connect with them through Bible studies and one-to-one meetings, and help build relationships between them. Professional players are often not able to participate fully in church life. “They’re often travelling a lot and it’s harder to be fully integrated into a local church. We pray that they integrate well, but also this is a time when they’re called to be Christians in rugby. We support them to be people of faith in the context of rugby.”

What you do on the pitch is important, but it doesn’t define you

So, based on his experience, would he advise aspiring Christian rugby players to follow in his footsteps? Of, course, he says, but adds a caveat: “If you already know you’re going to take it to the maximum level, don’t lose the ability to enjoy what you do. It can quickly become a job.” 

Not everyone will enjoy international success, but for anyone involved in competitive rugby, Peter advises: “Don’t stop inviting God into it. Whatever level you’re at, the squad you’re in for that season will never be exactly the same again, so make the most of the time that you have. 

“Young players may think they have 15 years of play ahead, but you never know when your last game will be,” he adds. “So enjoy it!”