Tom Hudson, a visionary rugby coach for all eras.

I was in the Quinnell Lounge at the Scarlets rugby stadium a few months ago listening to the account of the famous Llanelli win over the All Blacks 50 years ago, the score was 9-3 and never to be forgotten. Delme Thomas, Roy Bergiers and Derek Quinnell are all legends of the game and were divulging priceless memories as key players on that great day. DQ, while name-checking the great Carwyn James the legendary Welsh coach, suddenly cut in with some telling comments : ' Very few people realise that one of the key influences on us that day was Tom Hudson, our fitness coach who was years before his time'. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck as I could have said the same about him for his impact on the great Bath teams of the 80's and early 90's.

DQ and I talked later that evening about gong to visit Tom in Swansea as his health was failing. We are too late - Dr Tom Hudson sadly passed away a few days ago age 88 and we never got to see him. We will always be sad about that but at least we have our memories.

Tom should be remembered as one of the great coaches of his and any era.

I first met Tom when I was recovering from a career- threatening dislocated ankle the week after my England debut. The mechanical work was done brilliantly well, but the physical and mental rehab is a different matter. It was very hard and as well as a lonely road. Tom was Director of Sports at Bath University, ex SAS and an Olympic Pentathlete and of course many years of experience at Llanelli, one of the top clubs in Britain. He fixed me with an intense look as I exited yet another physiotherapy session. I was doubting my ability to recover and I never seemed to make any progress.' How much do you want to play for England again?If you really do then I will help you.' Although he was smiling there was a serious question in there.' I think you may not have the inner strength...' he left that hanging in the air and I realised he may be right.

Over time I bought into his challenge. Every morning for weeks I swam 25 lengths a day under his watchful eye, started a gym programme and was given advice on body fitness, after all many Olympic athletes underwent his training programme at Bath University. We played squash often but within what I was capable of, although he thought nothing of hitting me with the ball when I got in the way. When I complained, he laughed and asked why I couldn't accept some pain on my way back to fitness!

Three years later and about the time I eventually returned to the England side, he was introduced by Jack Rowell to the title winning team of the mid 80's as part of the Bath Coaching triumvirate alongside himself and Dave Robson. Tom soon made his mark, he was a real people person and knew how to motivate individuals. He promised to take us to new levels of fitness and attitude.

He was very demanding and picked up on every lapse of concentration, nothing escaped him. Noone was immune to his caustic tongue. Once a week we would for 30 minutes work at pace scoring length of field tries with little or no rest in between. It was lung bursting stuff even for hardened Internationals. ' This will make sure no-one will live with you in the last 20 minutes a match whatever the scoreline'. He was right, many a star-studded opposition was left wondering in the bar how we could have won by 20 points when it was level after 60 minutes. We would smile, knowing the pain it had taken to get us to that level of physical and mental strength.

When Bath beat Gloucester in the Pilkington Cup Final 1990 at Twickenham in 30 degrees of heat by an impossible scoreline of 48-6 for my fifth trophy and the club's sixth, the coach trip back was a haze of champagne, rum punches and Genesis at full blast. It was also my last game for Bath.

Tom Hudson came to sit next to me. He was melancholy for a moment: ' Everything I thought we were capable of came true today. The project is over and we should all be proud, I can do no more.' I looked at him and his moist eyes were the closest I had seen to emotion, he was always the rock on which we had built our excellence and resilience. I also realised he was saying goodbye and was going to leave the club, which he did. So did I for different reasons but I will never forget Tom's personal and sporting advice. I learnt more from him that I could appreciate at the time.

Tom's departure was not the end for Bath, his legacy lasted for years. Bath's professionalism under the triumvirate of coaches won us countless trophies over a decade and a half. Tom's qualities were timeless, and as the understated influence behind two of the greatest club sides of all time Tom will live in the memory.

Tom, thanks for your friendship as well as the time you spent to make us better people on and off the field. We will not forget you.

RIP