As a schoolboy, Stuart Hooper spent most of his time doing three things: studying, playing rugby and picking turnips.
Growing up in the Devon countryside, he failed to make ends meet when he was given his first job by the local farmer.
'I remember expecting £20 or so at the end of my first day but the farmer paid me with four turnips!' he recalls.
Stuart Hooper believes his experiences outside of rugby will help him succeed at Bath
Hooper picked turnips for four years, until he was offered his first rugby contract as an 18-year-old.
His calling was elsewhere and he never looked back. He became a respected clubman with Leeds, Saracens and Bath, although his medal collection was thin and he never played for England.
That is partly why his appointment as Bath's director of rugby – due to be announced this week – has come as a surprise to many. When asked how it all happened, Hooper turns back the clock to those turnip-picking days and a PE project which earned him an A grade in his GCSEs.
'It was 1996 and I did this school project about the impact of rugby clubs turning professional,' he explains. 'I wrote a letter to every club in the Premiership and Bath were the only club that wrote back. I wish I could find the letter now because, from that day, I became a Bath supporter.
'During my career, I was lucky enough to captain Bath for five years. That was pretty special but I was never going to be the best player. I don't have any regrets about my career, but I never won the Premiership, I was never capped by England and I always felt like I could give a bit more.
'What I was good at was getting the best out of those around me. My motivation these days is to achieve what I didn't achieve as a player. When I got to the twilight years, I started to think about what I can do to help this club be great again. Now, it's just getting to the starting line.'
Bath's incoming director of rugby spoke exclusively to Sportsmail's Nik Simon
Type Hooper's name into YouTube and there are no big highlights reels. One of his standout performances was as a youngster at Leeds, when he set out to get under Martin Johnson's skin for 80 minutes – making a statement by refusing to be intimidated by the World Cup winner.
His recently-renovated home on the outskirts of Bath, where he lives with his wife, Kate, and their four boys, Max, Alfie, Jonty and Oliver, has no photographs enshrining his playing days.
'I've been a rugby player but that's not my identity,' he adds.
Now Hooper is ready to redefine himself as a coach. His appointment has come a year early following the surprise departure of Todd Blackadder.
Hooper captained Bath for five years from the second row and has a long association
Aged 37, he will be the youngest director of rugby in the Premiership and he will need to draw on every drop of youthful exuberance and anti-Johnno resistance. He has completed a degree in business management and, leading by example, he is already known for arriving at his office at Farleigh House by 6.30am.
But many people have already written him off. Comparisons have been made with Nick Kennedy, whose youthful London Irish tenure was short lived.
Doomed for failure? Questions asked about Hooper's authority to lead one of England's biggest clubs but Leo Cullen, with Leinster, has shown that it can be done. And Hooper has faith that his formula can end Bath's trophy drought.
'People are entitled to say that I'm too young but I have
