WORCESTER Warriors’ scrum-half Jonny Arr has surprised himself by scooping a firstclass honours degree in leadership and management.

He started studying the course with former Warrior Jake Abbott, who has since moved to the USA, two-and-a-half years ago.

“It’s been a couple of years of hard work and at times I thought I’d never finish it,” admitted Arr, who took the course through Northumbria University.

“It’s nice to know I got the result and I went to the graduation ceremony to bring an end to my time as a student.”

Worcester-born Arr made his full firstteam debut for Warriors in 2007 having initially started his rugby in the club’s successful junior set-up.

The scrum-half has since played 168 times for Warriors and received the result of his degree while he was at the club.

“I was in the team-room and got an email through. I knew from the subject heading exactly what it was about,” said Arr.

“My heart-rate went through the roof and I was a bit nervous but, when I found out I got a first, it was a relief and I was delighted. I was hoping for a first-class degree. I had a good idea of what I needed to do to get one and I just had to produce the last bit of work to get over the line.”

He added: “Another former Warrior, Paul Hodgson, was doing the course too but was two years ahead of Jake and I so we were pretty jealous when he got his result knowing we still had a year left.

“There’s quite a few people across rugby who are doing the course and I know Andy Short has now started studying it.”

Arr is now 26 and believes it’s important to start to think about life after rugby.

“I’m not 19 anymore without a care in the world,” he said.

“It was a case of finding something else to do to keep us occupied away from the club and having one eye on the future.

“It’s given me a lot of skills and shown I can juggle something else along with a full-time job that’s pretty physical and mentally demanding.

“Hopefully that in itself will keep me in good stead for when the time comes when I have to hang up my boots.”