Jonathon Dawe Interview: Guernsey’s German star
Jon Dawe in action for Guernsey against National Two East leaders Old Albanian
©Martin Gray
At first glance, the Rugby Europe Championship and National League Rugby might seem worlds apart.
But in recent years, the connection between the two competitions has grown.
Germany, for example, is no stranger to this crossover.
Last year, the Schwarze Adler squad featured National League Rugby players like Howard Packman of Tonbridge Juddians and Henry Pearson of Esher.
And now, in 2026, they have added another name to the mix: Jonathon Dawe.
The utility back currently plies his trade in National Two East [Level 4 of English rugby] with Guernsey Raiders but has represented Germany at 7s and 15s.
Dawe was one of the German heroes who brought down Romania just a few weeks ago, giving them a chance to qualify for the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship semi-finals.
But before we talk about the heroics of that day, how did Dawe find himself as a Guernsey resident?
“It was quite a wild, interesting decision at the time,” says Dawe
“One of my friends that I used to play with was living in Guernsey, and they sent me a message at the right time, when I was looking for the next chapter in my career.
“The club made a good pitch, and I decided to join without ever looking back.”
Having played for Cardiff Met, Worthing Raiders and Taunton Titans, with a brief stint in Russia, Dawe knows that he made the right decision and is enjoying life at the moment.
“It is a small island, yes, but it is a lovely place to live,” he continues. “It has cool beaches, it is easy to get around, and the people are welcoming.
“As for the club, the level of rugby and the professionalism are what I was looking for as well. The board and staff are always looking after us. A match made in heaven, to be honest.
“I am pretty settled in Guernsey, and I don’t think about leaving any time soon. My partner is here with me, and it would take a lot for us to move. We love the quality of life we have here.”
On the pitch, Guernsey sit ninth in National Two East, and are currently on a three-match winning run following their 21-12 victory over Sevenoaks last weekend.
Dawe, who has played Test match rugby, admits the club’s long-term goal is to keep climbing the ladder of the English game, and he also believes National Two East is highly competitive and deserves more attention.
“[In National Two East], you will find a more expansive kind of rugby, with teams trying to play a kind of free-flow rugby and putting their abilities to the test. There’s quite a good mix of everything, making it a very enticing competition.”
For Dawe, both National One and National Two offer good competition and a steady development pathway for young players, making the leagues easy to recommend to national teammates who might be seeking a new thrill.
“I don’t want all of the good players to leave Germany, as the Bundesliga is quite intense, but the National Leagues are a good challenge,” Dawe says.
“My experience of living and playing in the UK has been great, and I’ve been exposed to different styles of rugby.”
Touching on the subject of Germany, Dawe has participated in some of his country’s greatest moments, with their latest 30-24 victory over Romania a main highlight.
The majority of rugby fans were stunned by the Schwarze Adler's amazing accomplishment, but for Dawe, it didn’t come from nothing, as he breaks it down.
“I think the younger boys have stepped up into leadership roles, with the team being more experienced and mature.
“It now has the right balance of experienced veteran players and talented youngsters that can make an immediate impact.
“We have developed a new core of players, and we are reaping the rewards of that restructuring.”
The centre played the full 80 minutes against Romania, collecting a total of 17 successful tackles, a turnover and a few offloads.
He reveals how he felt in the dying seconds of their Round 1 Men’s Rugby Europe Championship victory.
“To be fair, I was quite exhausted by the end of the match, and I was wishing for that moment to come so we could finally celebrate.
“It was a brilliant feeling to see that ball go over the line. A team of amateurs were giant killers on that day, being one of the proudest moments of my life.”
Having grown up in Plymouth and taken a biomedical science master’s degree at Cardiff Met, Dawe’s life completely changed the day he accepted the chance to play for Germany.
Looking back on how it all started, Dawe is happy he chose to represent Germany in 2017, becoming a central figure in the 7s squad and now in the 15s.
“It was possibly one of the best decisions of my life," Dawe, who qualifies for Germany through his mother, admits.
“I’ve made so many great memories representing the 7s side and, now, the 15s, developing a family bond with my national teammates. It has pushed me to keep developing as a player.
“Rugby in Germany is not the biggest, but they play with their hearts and are tremendously passionate about it.”
With the Men’s Rugby Europe Championship moving at a high pace, Germany will now travel to Belgium, with the winner of that game having the chance to qualify for the Championship semi-finals.
Without any certainty about what might happen in Saturday's game, Dawe feels confident they can get a positive result on their neighbours' turf.
“We don’t want to look too far ahead, as we like to take one game at a time, but the ability of our team is exceptional, and there is no reason why we can’t push Belgium and get a win.”
The 33-year-old would like to add another highlight to his fascinating rugby journey, and while the thought of hanging up his boots has crossed his mind, the Guernsey centre still has goals he wants to accomplish.
“Retirement is definitely on the horizon, and I think it would be naïve to say that the body doesn’t hurt that much compared to what used to hurt in the past.
“But I am not done, and I hope I can still give the best version of myself to Guernsey and Germany in the time I still have.”
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