{"id":26987,"date":"2025-07-14T12:07:48","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T12:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nottinghamsport.com\/?p=26987"},"modified":"2025-07-14T12:07:48","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T12:07:48","slug":"cherry-enjoying-life-as-an-archer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nottinghamsport.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/14\/cherry-enjoying-life-as-an-archer\/","title":{"rendered":"Cherry Enjoying Life As An Archer"},"content":{"rendered":"

As hard-working good blokes go, Nottingham Rugby\u2019s number eight, James Cherry, is certainly one of them, and he\u2019s got the award to prove it.<\/p>\n

A graduate of the University of Nottingham, where he gained a BA History, and MSc Management, Cherry, now 24-years-old, was the captain of the uni rugby side, one in which made over fifty appearances.<\/p>\n

In the latter stages of his time at UoN, the Norfolk native turned up at Lady Bay \u201cto help out,\u201d and he\u2019s never looked back; that was just a couple of years ago, although it certainly feels longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played what, fifty-one first team games whilst at university, it was class and I really enjoyed it;\u201d began Cherry.<\/p>\n

I only wanted to play for fun but, after having just one training session, I really loved what it was all about here, and showed me that it was actually something that I wanted to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something that I can really do and, having played at university beforehand, that\u2019s definitely a place to go, especially if you\u2019re someone who has missed out on academies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since rocking up at Lady Bay, the former number seven made his Archers debut in mid-April 2022, when away to Bedford, however, it would be eighteen months before picking up his first start, in October 2023 at home to Ampthill.<\/p>\n

Injury though set him back some whilst in his third year at UoN, the reason being; \u201cI was playing too much rugby,\u201d<\/p>\n

The likes of Jamie Taylor and Paul Westgate though have been more than instrumental in shaping the player of today, the duo having done much to aid in the progression of a young player who still has the world at his feet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was playing rugby as a young kid, but never thought I was any good,\u201d explained the young Archers star.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn-fact I\u2019ve never actually been the best player anywhere I\u2019ve been playing but, going into last season, having previously played at seven, I realised I wasn\u2019t going to get much game-time, so I spoke with Hammo (Archers Head Coach, Craig Hammond), and I was moved to eight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI added a few extra kilos last pre-season, and just wanted to start in the eight and we took it from there.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the games in which we lost though, we could have easily finished top five, even top four, but, after the Prem Cup, and with the injuries we had and momentum stuttering, we struggled to get anything back.<\/p>\n

\u201cPersonally though, I was still starting games, and there was joke about how I was going to go on an play every game, but for me, the goal was to just start games.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought I\u2019d actually do it, but that\u2019s what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside picking up the \u2018Hard Working Good Bloke Award,\u2019 Cherry was also presented with the \u2018Supporters Player of the Season Award,\u2019 and \u2018Neil Hannah Player of the Season Award,\u2019 with statistics that made for an ultra-successful, 2024\/25 campaign in the Championship, now Champ Rugby.<\/p>\n

Being an ever-present, that saw Cherry make an impressive 32 appearances (22 Championship, 6 Prem Cup, 4 friendlies), made for a dominant season on the field alongside which he topped the charts for \u2013<\/p>\n