YORK RUFC stalwart Jon Sharpe is to leave the club at the end of the month – bringing to an end an eight-year stay at Clifton Park.

The current first team captain is returning to his native New Zealand, having joined the Shipton Road outfit in November 2002.

Sharpe joined York as a 19-year-old hooker after ending a stint in the academy side at Saracens. He immediately impressed with the quality of his lineouts and director of rugby Andy Gair described his capture as “quite a catch”.

The Kiwi has gone on to be a talisman at the club and was given the armband in January 2007 after previous incumbent Carl Paterson moved to Hull.

Current head coach Sean Bass paid tribute to Sharpe’s time at the club and said he wasn’t losing only a great rugby union player, but also a friend.

“He has been a revelation for our team,” he said. “As soon as he walks into the training sheds, the team lifts. People want to get behind this lad. He is a good friend of mine and a good friend of everyone in the team.

“He is a tough guy on the pitch and people often don’t remember how good a player he is.

“He is a front row and he is playing out of position for us. He is in the back row and he is one of the best number eights in this league. He will be a real loss on the rugby side and he is also a great mate of mine.

“If he had kept his feet in this country for another couple of years, he might not have gone but he has got a job in New Zealand.”

Sharpe is in the side as York host North Ribblesdale in Yorkshire One.

The team have been bolstered by the addition of Kerry Wood, a flanker who has played National Two rugby for Blaydon.

Bass has brought Wood in to play in the back row but also with a mind to develop him into a forwards coach at Clifton Park.

“He has played at a very high standard,” he said. “It will be mouth-watering to see him and Jon Sharpe on the field together, even if it is only for a couple of games.”

Bass is hoping to play a brand of “total rugby” after wet and wintry conditions at Scarborough last week saw the game bogged down. York lost 3-0.

“They kicked a penalty, we missed two,” said Bass. “Neither side was ever going to be able to score a try. I was disappointed we didn’t take anything out of the game but we defended well, as did Scarborough, and it was really bad. No one could string two passes together in the conditions.

“I do like us to play total rugby. The team are a great bunch of amateur lads who want to play good rugby and, hopefully, we can play well and play to our strengths.”