During his ten years at Chinnor, Lynn helped the Club reach the National Leagues for the first time and proved an influential figure across the whole Club.

John Vaughan is just one of many who played under Lynn at Chinnor and we asked him to write some words about his former coach:

Lynn arrived at Chinnor as Head Coach in the pre-season of 1997/98. This was a major coup for the Club as Lynn had a stellar reputation having coached Oxford University for 15 years in the heyday of Varsity Rugby, where he had coached many of the world's leading players. He was also one of the leading thinkers and philosophers of the game and his long standing and deep relationship with legendary Frenchmen Pierre Villepreux helped influence his vision. Ken Vaughan and Kevin Robinson led the pursuit for Lynn and eventually, luckily, he cracked.

Lynn had an immediate and transformative impact on the Club, not just the first team but throughout the playing ranks – senior, junior and mini. His passion, humour and infectious personality, coupled with his deep knowledge of the game, was a heady mix and quickly won over many dyed in the wool exponents of ten-man rugby. With a focus on improving core skills and players finding space by introducing small-sided games in training, the impact was remarkable. He could persuade players to do things even they thought impossible and turned previously one-dimensional players into multi-skilled exponents and thinkers of the game. It felt like an honour to be coached and spend time in his company.

The style of rugby was fast and free flowing and a joy to play with all players encouraged to handle and run. It inevitably led to success on the pitch with promotions and cup victories, including an epic victory against Banbury at Oxford University’s ground, Iffley Road, which was very poignant for Lynn. He often arranged coaching sessions at Oxford University if the weather was too bad to train outdoors.

There were set backs and these could lead to some forensic straight talking in the changing rooms and at training. After one heavy defeat at Dorchester, Lynn administered a force ten rollicking to the boys individually picking on who and what went wrong, with the players looking at the floor hoping they would not be the next in the spotlight. Ben Phillips, whose opposite number had scored a hat-trick, was happily surprised that he had missed out on any vitriol as Lynn's summary seemingly had come to an end. Silence abounded the changing room as Lynn then turned to Ben and uttered the immortal words “And as for you Lord Lucan..." These were moments made all the more memorable for their rarity.

Not content with improving the boys as players, Lynn also managed to gel the squad in to a more than passable male voice choir. The long trips back from the west country flew past as Lynn honed the singing like a masterful maestro with renditions of ‘When the coal comes from the Rhondda’, ‘Dem Bones’ and ‘Hymns and Arias’. Although he was sometimes bemused by the amount of liquid consumed before the singing would begin. In later years, Lynn would entertain everyone at the Christmas party with a medley of his greatest hits.

Lynn's influence and playing philosophy throughout the Club was established and still remains with Lynn running many 'coach the coaches' forums and happily helping out with his coaching masterclasses right across the age groups. His huge network of rugby contacts meant players were also privileged to be coached by the likes of Pierre Villepreux and Emile N'tamack and Lynn arranged for groups of players to attend summer rugby camps in France. If Toulouse were using the same techniques and skills then we must have been doing something right! The reputation for advanced coaching and open rugby meant the Club also attracted better players willing to learn and standard constantly improved. Not forgetting that Mary, Lynn's wife, was very generous in her allocation of Wimbledon tickets which could often lead to the rather incongruous sight of Cliff Richard sitting next to cauliflower eared props on Centre Court.

A proud Welshman, a visionary rugby man, a true gentleman and philosopher of the game who it seems is happiest coaching on a wet and windy night - a great Chinnor clubman. We are very proud to have Lynn as an Honorary Life Member.