Chris Wyles

Chris Wyles (born 13 September 1983 in Stamford, Connecticut, United States) is an American-British rugby union player.

Chris Wyles
Birth nameChris Wyles
Date of birth (1983-09-13) 13 September 1983
Place of birthStamford, Connecticut, U.S.
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback/Wing/Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2004–2006
2006–2007
2008–2018		 Nottingham
Northampton Saints
Saracens		 40
9
254		 (105)
(15)
(375)
Correct as of 26 May 2018
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2015 United States 54 (222)
Correct as of 26 May 2018
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2007–2009 United States 13 (270)

Until his retirement from international rugby in January 2016, Wyles had represented the USA Eagles in three World Cups (2007, 2011 and 2015). He was the USA Eagles Captain in the 2015 World Cup. In the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 season, he was Captain of the USA National Sevens team, a core team in the World Rugby Sevens series. In 2015, he was selected for the USA Olympic team to compete in the Sevens rugby event at the Rio Olympic Games.

In 2008, he joined Saracens in the English Premiership. In over 200 appearances, he has helped his club to win 4 Aviva Premiership Champion titles (2011, 2015, 2016, 2018) and two European Champions Cup (2016, 2017)

He played at wing, full back or centre. Wyles is the most-capped fullback of all time for the U.S. national team.

Background

Wyles was born in Stamford, Connecticut but lived mostly in Allentown, Pennsylvania before he moved to his parents' native United Kingdom when he was 11 years old.[3] He then attended Haileybury and Imperial Service College in Hertford and went on to study Politics at the University of Nottingham.

Club career

Wyles' first professional club was the Championship team, Nottingham RFC. He then played for Northampton Saints, in the 2006/2007 season. It was during this period that he caught the eye of the USA Eagles coaching team and this eventually resulted in his involvement in the IRB Sevens World Series and the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.

Wyles joined Saracens in summer of 2008, after impressive performances in the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Eddie Jones, who was on the Springboks coaching team, saw Wyles' potential and when Jones became Director of Rugby at Saracens, he brought him to the club.[4] Wyles debuted for Saracens on 24 August 2008 against the Sale Sharks.

In the 2009/2010 season he was a regular starter on the wing, playing in the Saracens team that took on Leicester in the final of the English Premiership. For his performances during the 2009/10 season, Wyles was nominated for Player of the Season by Brendan Venter.

Following on from that season, Wyles became a key figure in the successful 2010/11 Premiership winning side, beating Leicester 22-18 in the Final.[2]

In the 2014/15 season, Wyles scored 12 tries, tying for second highest scorer in the English Premiership.[5] One of these tries helped Saracens to a second Premiership title by defeating Bath 28-16 in the final.[3]

The 2015/2016 season was a major achievement year for Saracens, winning the Premiership Title for a third time, overcoming Exeter 28-20 (with Wyles scoring a try in the final for the second year running)[4] and taking the European Champions Cup, 21-9 against Racing 92.[5]

The 2016/17 season was also a huge achievement for Saracens, winning the European Championship for a second year in a row, beating Clermont Auvergne in Edinburgh 28-17.[6] Wyles made his 50th European appearance during this season.

Wyles has now contributed over 60 tries for his Club, 23 of those scored in European Competition.

As of the 2017/18 season Wyles holds the record for most tries scored in the Premiership semi-final rounds with five.[7] Wyles went on to score two tries in the final as Saracens claimed their fourth Premiership title in eight years with a 27-10 win over Exeter at Twickenham; these were his third and fourth tries scored in a victorious Premiership final after getting one in 2015 and one in 2016.[8]

Wyles retired in 2018. He then started working for Wolfpack lager, with former team-mate Alistair Hargreaves.[9]

International career
Chris Wyles with the USA Eagles during the 2010 Churchill Cup vs Russia
Wyles playing for the Eagles during the 2015 World Cup

Wyles first represented the USA National Rugby Sevens team at the 2007 Hong Kong Sevens. From there, he went on to captain the USA team in the IRB Sevens World Series. During his time with the USA National Sevens team, he scored an impressive 54 tries in 13 tournaments.

Wyles earned his first XV's cap at the Churchill Cup in 2007 against England Saxons before going on to play Fullback for the Eagles in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. His performances in the World Cup led him to be named the American Rugby News 'Player of the Year'.[7] He continued to be a regular starter at Fullback for the USA National team after the 2007 World Cup.

In 2009, Wyles was included in the USA Eagles team of the decade by RugbyMag, a leading US rugby publication.[8] Wyles continued his form for the USA team, playing in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, finishing as the Eagles top points scorer. His performances for club and country won him the 2012 Player of the Year award for American rugby.[9]

Wyles participated in his third and final World Cup in England in 2015. He was appointed Captain of the USA National team for this event.

In January 2016, Wyles announced his retirement from international XVs duty with the Eagles. He had amassed 222 points for the National team over his 54 cap career, scoring 16 tries and 142 points with the boot. His future intent was to focus on the remaining years of his contract with Saracens FC in England and to push for selection to the USA Olympic Team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games.[10]

Wyles reached his Olympic goal by playing with the USA National Sevens Team in Rio in August 2016.

International Tries
Try Opposing team Venue Competition Date Result Score Ref.
1  South AfricaStade de la Mosson, Montpellier2007 Rugby World Cup30 September 2007Lost15–64[10]
2  UruguayRio Tinto Stadium, SandyTest match8 November 2008Won43–9[11]
3  JapanChichibunomiya Stadium, TokyoTest match22 November 2008Lost17–32[12]
4  RussiaInfinity Park, Glendale2010 Churchill Cup5 June 2010Won39–22[13]
5
6  ItalyTrafalgar Park, Nelson2011 Rugby World Cup27 September 2011Lost10–27[14]
7  RussiaEirias Stadium, Colwyn Bay2012 International Rugby Series9 November 2012Won40–26[15]
8  RomaniaStadionul Arcul de Triumf, BucharestTest match24 November 2012Won34–3[16]
9
10  JapanChichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo2013 Pacific Nations Cup23 June 2013Lost20–38[17]
11  GeorgiaRustaviTest match16 November 2013Won25–23[18]
12  RussiaAllianz Park, LondonTest match23 November 2013Won28–7[19]
13  UruguayEstadio Charrúa, Montevideo2015 Rugby World Cup qualifier22 March 2014Draw27–27[20]
14  CanadaBonney Field, Sacramento2014 Pacific Nations Cup21 June 2014Won38–35[21]
15  SamoaFalmer Stadium, Brighton2015 Rugby World Cup20 September 2015Lost16–25[22]
16  JapanKingsholm, Gloucester2015 Rugby World Cup11 October 2015Lost18–28[23]

References
  1. "Aviva Premiership Rugby - Saracens". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  2. "Leicester 18-22 Saracens". BBC. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  3. "Premiership final: Bath 16-28 Saracens". BBC. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  4. "Premiership final: Saracens 28-20 Exeter Chiefs". BBC. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. "Saracens beat Racing 92 to win first European Champions Cup". BBC. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. "European Champions Cup: Saracens beat Clermont 28-17 to retain European title". BBC. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  7. "Premiership: Saracens 57-33 Wasps". BBC Sport. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  8. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 10-27 Saracens". BBC. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/fame-fortune/alistair-hargreaves-earned-6500-start-rugby-career-now-business/
  10. "Rugby World Cup, Pool A - Montpellier, 30 September 2007, 20:00 local, 18:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  11. "Uruguay Tour - Sandy, 8 November 2008, 16:00 local, 23:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  12. "United States of America Tour - Tokyo, 22 November 2008, 19:00 local, 10:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  13. "Churchill Cup, Pool B - Glendale, 5 June 2010, 15:30 local, 21:30 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  14. "Rugby World Cup, Pool C - Nelson, 27 September 2011, 19:30 local, 06:30 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  15. "International Rugby S - Colwyn Bay, 9 November 2012, 18:00 local, 18:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  16. "United States of America Tour - Bucharest, 24 November 2012, 16:00 local, 14:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  17. "Pacific Nations Cup - Tokyo, 23 June 2013, 14:10 local, 05:10 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  18. "United States of America Tour - Rustavi, 16 November 2013, 14:00 local, 10:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  19. "Russia Tour/United States of America Tour - Barnet, 23 November 2013, 15:00 local, 15:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  20. "2015 Rugby World Cup qualifier - Montevideo, 22 March 2014, 16:00 local, 19:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  21. "Pacific Nations Cup - Sacramento, 21 June 2014, 15:00 local, 22:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  22. "Rugby World Cup, Pool B - Brighton, 20 September 2015, 12:00 local, 11:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  23. "Rugby World Cup, Pool B - Gloucester, 11 October 2015, 20:00 local, 19:00 GMT". espn.co.uk. ESPN. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
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