Matt Banahan

Matthew Andrew Banahan (born 30 December 1986) is a Jerseyman who plays rugby union for Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership in international rugby union. He is also a former England international. His main position is wing, however he can also operate as an inside or outside centre.

Matt Banahan
Birth nameMatthew Andrew Banahan
Date of birth (1986-12-30) 30 December 1986
Place of birthSt Helier, Jersey
Height2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight110 kg (17 st 5 lb; 243 lb) [1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing/Centre/Fullback
Current team Gloucester
Youth career
  London Irish
Bath United
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006–2018
2018–		 Bath
Gloucester		 251
43		 (352)
(55)
Correct as of 28 July 2020
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2011
2009–2011		 England Saxons
England		 3
16		 (25)
(20)
Correct as of 25 October 2011
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2007–2008 England

Early life

Banahan grew up playing field hockey, earning selection to the Jersey and West of England junior representative sides before he decided his hockey career was stalled and switching to rugby union.[2] Banahan went to La Moye school, Les Quennevais School and Highlands College.

Club career

Banahan moved to Bath in the summer of 2006, after previously appearing for the London Irish Academy and was brought to the Recreation Ground as a lock.[3] He had also been involved with the RFU's Junior National Academy set-up and, England's sevens set up.

He switched to wing where his powerful combination of size, strength and speed made him a potent weapon in the Bath United and Development sides, for whom he scored ten tries in fourteen games last season.

Quickly promoted to the first team from the Academy set up, Banahan made 26 first grade appearances and finished the 2007/08 season as the club's top try scorer (16) and the Guinness Premiership regular season's second highest (10) behind Leicester's Tom Varndell (13).

On 10 January 2018, it was announced by Bath that Banahan will be leaving after 12-year association to West Country rivals, Gloucester from the 2018–19 season.[4]

International career

Banahan was selected for the "wider" England Sevens squad in the 2007–08 IRB Sevens World Series, which refers to a pool of players who supplement the 11 core squad members. As a member of the wider squad, he was eligible for selection for up to four of the eight events in the tournament.[2] He was also selected for the England Saxons squad to play in the 2008 Churchill Cup.[5] He celebrated his Saxons debut by scoring a hat trick in a 64–10 victory over the USA in the opening round. He then scored two tries against Ireland A and one in the final against Scotland A.

Banahan played for England on Saturday 30 May 2009 against the Barbarians at Twickenham in an uncapped game where he scored a try. He was called up to the England squad for their summer tour replacing David Strettle who was ruled out through injury. He made his full England debut on 6 June 2009 in a comfortable win over Argentina at Old Trafford where he also scored a try and was named 'Man of the Match'. He retained his place for England's 2009 Autumn series against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand, and scored his third international try in the win against Argentina.

Banahan made his first start in the centre for England during their 2010 Autumn series, playing at outside centre in the game versus Samoa on 20 November 2010. He scored a try when England were trailing 6–8, and set up England's second through an intercepted pass.[6] On the back of this performance, he was named on the bench for England's final game of 2010 against South Africa.[7]

Banahan last played for England in October 2011.[8]

International tries
As of 7 July 2019 [9]
TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1 ArgentinaManchester, EnglandOld Trafford2009 Summer Internationals6 June 2009Win37 – 15
2 ArgentinaSalta, ArgentinaEstadio Padre Ernesto Martearena2009 Summer Internationals13 June 2009Loss22 – 24
3 ArgentinaLondon, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2009 Autumn Internationals14 November 2009Win16 – 9
4 SamoaLondon, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2010 Autumn Internationals20 November 2010Win26 – 13

References
  1. "RFU Official Site of the RFU, Governing Body of Rugby Union in England". web page. Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  2. "Banahan selected for England squad". BBC Jersey. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  3. "Travagli and Banahan join Bath". Bath Rugby. 12 June 2006. Archived from the original on 27 November 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
  4. "Matt Banahan will leave Bath Rugby for Gloucester Rugby at the end of the season". bath Chronicle. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  5. "England Squad for 2008 Churchill Cup". England Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 July 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  6. Henson, Mike (20 November 2010). "England 26–13 Samoa". BBC News.
  7. "England recall quartet to face SA". BBC News. 25 November 2010.
  8. "Matt Banahan". 7 July 2019. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  9. "Matt Banahan". 7 July 2019. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
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