Jon Boden (rugby union)

Jon Boden (born 19 October 1978) is a rugby union footballer/coach, currently playing at Fly-half or Centre for Leicester Lions in National League 2 North.[1][2] He has played higher level rugby (second tier) for Rugby Lions and Doncaster Knights, as well as European rugby with Italian side Gran Parma (now disbanded). An excellent kicker, as of the end of the 2015–16 season, Jon is the all-time points scorer in National League 2 North with over 2,000 points.[3]

Jon Boden
Date of birth (1978-10-19) 19 October 1978
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half, Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2000–02
2002–04
2004–06
2007–		 Gran Parma
Rugby Lions
Doncaster Knights
Leicester Lions		 ?
48
55
278		 ?
295
92
2,064
Correct as of 5 May 2018

Career

After spending some of his early career playing rugby league with the London Broncos, Jon moved to Italy to play rugby union for Italian side, Gran Parma, where he became a regular in the team, gaining Super 10 and European Shield experience. In the autumn of 2002, after two years in Italy, Jon returned to England to sign for the Rugby Lions, then playing in division 2 of the English rugby union league system.[4] Despite appearing and scoring regularly for the Lions, Jon's time with the club was not successful, as they suffered consecutive relegations in the two seasons he was there.[5][6]

Following the Lion's relegation, in the summer of 2004 Jon moved north to sign for Doncaster, who were playing in the same division that Rugby had just been relegated from. After several dismal seasons, Jon's luck was to change as he made 20 league appearances for his new club, who won the league and promotion to the second division.[7] Jon spent several more seasons with Doncaster, where he became a squad player, but decided to leave during the 2006–07 season as Doncaster were becoming a professional outfit and he could not combine full-time rugby with his other job role as a school teacher.

At the start of 2007 Jon joined tier 4 side, Leicester Lions, where he was signed as a player-coach.[8] Jon became an invaluable player at the Lions, finishing as the league's top scorer in 2008 with 282 points as the Lions finished 4th.[9] Since then he has regularly finished as one of the top kickers in what is now known as National League 2 North becoming the most prolific points scorer in the division of all time as of the end of the 2016–17 season.[3] In the summer of 2017 Jon was part of the Leicestershire county side that won the 2017 County Championship Plate with a 39–7 win over Hampshire at Twickenham Stadium.[10][11]

Season-by-season playing stats

Club
Season Club Competition Appearances Tries Drop Goals Conversions Penalties Total Points
2001–02 Gran Parma Super 10??????
European Challenge Cup60151249
2002–03 Rugby Lions National Division One21212326137
2003–04 National Division Two25412124137
Powergen Cup2115121
2004–05 Doncaster Knights National Division Two20403232
Powergen Cup2001311
2005–06 National Division One26302740
Powergen National Trophy100000
2006–07 National Division One610209
Leicester Lions National Division 3 North1010241392
2007–08 National Division 3 North25525547282
2008–09 National Division 3 North24705427224
EDF Energy Trophy100102
2009–10 National League 2 North24715632246
2010–11 National League 2 North29506940283
2011–12 National League 2 North25102222115
2012–13 National League 2 North24004635197
2013–14 National League 2 North24005934220
2014–15 National League 2 North1620349105
2015–16 National League 2 North211015550
2016–17 National League 2 North28204116140
2017-18 National League 2 North27003612108

[12][1]

County/Representative
Season Side Competition Appearances Tries Drop Goals Conversions Penalties Total Points
2016–17LeicestershireCounty Championship Plate3[a 1]050010
  1. May have appeared in all 4 games but press coverage of county championships very poor so not clear.

Honours and records

National League 2 North

Doncaster Knights

Leicester Lions

Leicestershire

References
  1. "Jon Boden Player Profile". EPCR. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  2. "Leicester Lions History". Leicester Lions RFC. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  3. "National Two North All time leading scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 5 May 2018.
  4. "Boden to make Lions bow". Coventry Telegraph. 4 October 2003.
  5. "Leagues 2002/03". Moseley Rugby club. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  6. "Defeat seals Lions' demise". Coventry Telegraph. 12 April 2004.
  7. "CASTLE PARK MEN CROWNED KINGS". Doncaster Free Press. 8 April 2005.
  8. "RUGBY: Clash of Lions at first home game". Rugby Advertiser. 6 September 2007.
  9. "National Three North 07/08 Leading top scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 19 April 2008.
  10. "DOMINANT LEICESTERSHIRE CRUISE TO DIVISION TWO FINAL WIN". England Rugby. 28 May 2017.
  11. "LEICESTERSHIRE 39 HAMPSHIRE 7". Hampshire RFU. 28 May 2017.
  12. "Jon Boden Record by competition". Rugby Statbunker. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
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