“It was a weird feeling because I was more excited than ever but my nerves were in control,” Vincent says. “My emotions were under control because I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity like this. When I first started playing at Sandy Park, I was so nervous…I almost doubted myself a little bit.
“I didn’t know if I could compete at that level. I was playing in the BUCS last year. It’s another step up to the Premiership, but I didn’t know if I was ready. I didn’t know if the coaches made the right decision to put me in, but I’m glad they did. When you get thrown deep, you adjust and adapt. Learn about things.
“But I don’t think it sunk in… It was a surreal experience to stand in line for the national anthem and keep looking up, looking up, and it just… never stopped. A lot. It was the most exciting match I’ve ever been to.
“Everyone else had left at that stage, apart from myself and Tommy Allan. I doubted how much time, if any, we would get. That’s why they said, ‘Ross, you’re up.’ I was very grateful when you told me that.
“My parents, cousins, girlfriend and family friends from when we lived in Dubai were also there. I was so grateful that they were able to make it happen.”
Vincent was born in Johannesburg to South African parents and is eligible for an Italian passport and is eligible to play for the Azzurri through his maternal grandfather, but was punted by the Italian Rugby Federation in 2020. Since then, he has always felt indebted to the Italian Rugby Federation. He had just finished a match. He worked for rugby stable Bishops for three years and had applied to universities in England with no plans to play rugby after school. At that point, Vincent was “scrum half, fly half, utility back” and had played one lone game in the back row. Thanks to the brother of his current Italian teammate, Vincent ultimately postponed his university application and spent six months at Remedello, then a year at Parma, where he excelled with the Azzurri’s Under-20 team. , who eventually made his Test debut – via Exeter – just four years after moving into the back row.
“During my final year of school, I moved to the back row at the suggestion of my coach,” Vincent says. “I did one game and it went pretty well. Then Covid came along and I didn’t have a lot of options because I didn’t have enough shooting time or exposure. Tom Negri [brother of Sebastian] He spoke to me and found out about my connection to Italy and connected me with the Italian Federation and the National Academy. From that moment I wanted to play for Italy because they put a lot of effort into my play.
“They invested in me and gave me an opportunity when I didn’t have any more, and I feel like I should repay that as much as they gave me. We give back to them as well.”
Vincent may be indebted to Italy, but it would be helpful if his name was spelled correctly. At the time of his debut, his shirt was missing the awkward “T” in the middle of his name. “That’s a common mistake,” he added.
Vincent is not lacking in ambition and recalls a particularly memorable trip to Twickenham last year when the test fire was lit.
“Italy were playing England in the Six Nations,” he added. “I had some connections in the Italian set-up, including video analyst Massimo Lombardo. I really wanted to go see it, so I asked him if there was any way I could get tickets. I thought he might have a spare. I was in Exeter on the morning of the match and he contacted me and said he had two tickets available. I told my father that and said, “Let’s try it.” I traveled from Exeter and caught the 9:30am train. Once seated, we were seated directly below the coach platform at the halfway point. I said to my father, “Two years from now, I want to be here playing for Italy against England.”
Consider Domino’s Pizza’s Exeter branch for a moment. Soon, our most decorated delivery driver will be gone.