The rugby community in Stamford and Oakham has been paying tribute after the sudden death of young player Alex Waycot.

Teammates described former Stamford College student Alex, who was training to be a barber, as a very young and very talented player, 'an honour to play with.'

The 21-year-old played with Oakham RFC from junior level, as a big part of the team which won four county cups in a row, before playing senior games for Stamford College. He went on to play most recently for Stamford College Old Boys RFC.

Clubs from across the country joined friends in reacting to news of his death with shock and sadness, posting tributes on social media with the hashtag #rugbyfamily.

A spokesperson for Stamford College Old Boys RFC told Stamford Nub News: "Alex was well known to us as his stepdad was a past captain of the club and even as a child he would occasionally watch our training sessions and matches in between playing himself – and excelling at a high level within junior rugby.

"Alex joined us as a player at the beginning of the 2018-19 season and slotted straight in at fly half. Both on and off the field he was a big character.

"Pulling the strings at fly half he picked up respect straight away on the pitch, and that led to some blossoming friendships between him and the team off the pitch too, he was always around for a beer or five after a game.

"Although we didn't win any silverware during the 2018-19 season, he was part of the squad that reached the NLD Vase Final and featured in many league games. He had a great ability to run the tempo of the game, with his tricky footwork and excellent vision of the game.

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"Alex was only with us for one brief season but he left an impression on us all, and naturally the club were shocked to hear of the tragic news of his passing. Our deepest condolences go out to his family at such a very sad time."