Record-breaker Dunn reflects on Bath journey

When Tom Dunn turned 10, he had his birthday party at the home of Bath Rugby, The Rec.

Now, some 23 years later, the hooker is preparing to run out at the ground of his hometown club for a third consecutive Prem Rugby semi-final, just weeks after becoming the record appearance holder for the Somerset side.

Dunn, who surpassed David Barnes' club record of 266 in Bath's Champions Cup defeat by Bordeaux last month, told BBC Points West he is proud of all the connections he has with the city.

"Every little piece of Bath has a story attached to me," he said.

"I am proud to come from Bath and be attached to the city. I have enjoyed putting a smile on people's faces, and making people proud again is something I take quite personally.

"Every time there is rugby on in the city it's a different feel, a different vibe, and when the club is going well the city comes to life."

And at present the club is doing well - into the Prem Rugby play-offs for the third consecutive season, this time as defending champions.

In 16 years as a player with the Black, White, and Blue, Dunn has seen it all, seeing them build into a powerhouse over the past five or six seasons.

He says his "durability" is his biggest strength on the pitch, but his longevity as part of the furniture in Bath could have been so different were it not for a chance opening at 20 years of age.

With the team in somewhat of a hooker crisis, the call was put out to the academy - of which Dunn was a part of.

"I had always played tighthead or loosehead prop, but when they came into the dressing room that day and asked if I could play hooker, I basically lied and said yes," he explained.

"I got a run of six or seven games in the side and that was my opportunity."

Up to that point, it had been slow progress for Dunn, who worked an array of jobs to earn a living prior to his first full-time contract.

From washing carrots to helping his father sell car paint, and working in pubs and a Starbucks, Dunn would do anything to keep the dream alive, while he watched the likes of Alex Crockett at The Rec.

"Seeing people from where you are from do what you want to do is an inspiring thing," said Dunn.

"It was a dream to do this, and I feel fortunate and grateful. It is a privilege to still be doing this for the club I supported as a boy.

"I even helped with some renovation work at the home of James [Dyson]."

And what of Dunn's chances of reaching 300?

"I'll keep going and keep trying my hardest to put on the shirt. Mondays are getting tougher," he said.

"When I got to 250, I remember thinking not many players had done that in the professional era. Each game has a memory for me, it's the moments, it's the fans.

"When I passed David [Barnes' record] he sent me a lovely message of congratulations. I trained with him a bit when he was here, but we never played on the pitch together.

"I'm not sure exactly how many games I have, because a lot of the websites that count those started after I started playing."

Ultimately though, it will always be the connection to his hometown city and those he holds closest to his heart that drives Dunn on.

"For me it is about leaving the shirt in a better place than how you find it, and that is what I hope to do," he said.

"If I have taken every opportunity that I have for the team, the club, and the city, I will be pretty happy.

"I'd love my son, who is four, to be old enough to remember me running out at The Rec - that is what inspires me.

"Everyone says it is players who make sacrifices, but players make decisions, and those around, like family and partners, are the ones who make the sacrifices."