Matt Cook (rugby league)

Matthew Cook (born 14 November 1986) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop, second-row and loose forward for the Widnes Vikings in the Betfred Championship.[2][3]

For the Jersey born Spanish rugby union footballer, see Matt Cook (rugby union).

Matt Cook
Personal information
Full nameMatthew Cook
Born (1986-11-14) 14 November 1986
Warrington, Cheshire, England
Height6 ft 0 in (182 cm)
Weight16 st 7 lb (105 kg)[1]
Playing information
Rugby league
PositionProp, Second-row, Loose forward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2004–09 Bradford Bulls 70 6 0 0 24
2008(loan) → Castleford Tigers 3 1 0 0 4
2010–11 Hull Kingston Rovers 28 8 0 0 32
2012–14 London Broncos 64 11 0 0 44
2015–20 Castleford Tigers 112 12 0 0 48
2021– Widnes Vikings 0 0 0 0 0
Total 277 38 0 0 152
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006–06 England 2 0 0 0 0
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
????–03 Saracens F.C.
As of 14 December 2020
Source: [2][3][4][5]

Cook has played at representative level for England, and at club level for Bradford Bulls, on loan at Castleford Tigers, then Hull Kingston Rovers, London Broncos, and then a second time with Castleford Tigers in the Super League.

Background

Cook was born in Warrington, Cheshire, England.

Cook represented England at all levels up to under-19s in rugby union and up to under-18s in rugby league. He represented the England Academy rugby league side where he scored two tries in the record-breaking win over Australia. As a junior, he played for Bedford Swifts when they were both a rugby league and rugby union side.

Playing career

2000s

Cook signed for Super League club the Bradford Bulls from Saracens (rugby union) during December 2003.

In 2005, Cook made his Super League début for the Bradford Bulls against St. Helens on Monday 28 March 2005, and he went on to make several appearances off the bench.

In 2006, Cook started the season with a 30-10 victory over National Rugby League premiers the Wests Tigers in the 2006 World Club Challenge. He also played in the Challenge Cup round victory over Hull F.C. where he was awarded the man of the match. At the end of 2006's Super League XI he played in the play-off semi-final loss against Hull FC, and made his England début on Sunday 22 October 2006 against France national rugby league team (sub) and earned a second cap against Tonga national rugby league team (sub) leading to the team winning the Federation Shield competition.[4]

In 2007, Cook established a regular bench spot and made his first starting game against the Leeds Rhinos in the controversial Millennium Magic Weekend match.

In 2008, Cook had a brief loan spell at the Castleford Tigers before his parent club the Bradford Bulls called him back. He played just 3 games for the Castleford Tigers where he also scored a try on his début against Hull F.C. on Friday 11 April 2008.[6]

On 1 September 2009 Cook signed for the Hull Kingston Rovers on a 2-year contract, starting with the 2010 season.

2010s

In 2010, Cook made his Hull Kingston Rovers début on 7 February against Salford Red Devils. He also played in the club's first ever play-off win with a 24-04 victory over local rivals Hull F.C.

In 2011, Cook found his game time limited but still managed to score an impressive 5-tries in only 10 games for the Robins.

On the 1 of September 2011 Cook signed for London Broncos on a 3-year contract, starting with the 2012 season.

In 2012, Cook made his London Broncos début on 12 February against Warrington Wolves.

In 2013, Cooks dreams of playing at Wembley Stadium in the Challenge Cup final came to an end when the team came crashing to an embarrassing 70-0 record semi-final defeat by Wigan Warriors.

In 2014, after the club narrowly avoided going into administration at the end of 2013, Cook was handed the tough challenge of leading a young and inexperienced London Broncos team that sadly resulted in their relegation to Championship (rugby league).

On the 1 September 2014 Cook signed for Castleford Tigers on a 3-year contract, starting with the 2015 season.

In 2015, Cook made his second Castleford Tigers début on 27 February against St. Helens.

In 2016, having played the majority of the season's fixtures Cook was relieved to have scored his only try of the season in the last fixture of the campaign, happily avoiding the dreaded traditional rugby league forfeit of having to do a nude run.

In 2017, Cook made history with the Castleford Tigers when they topped the league for the first time in the club's 91-year history winning the League Leaders' Shield. Cook also played in his and the Castleford Tigers first Super League Grand Final in 2017 against the Leeds Rhinos. Unfortunately on his and the Castleford Tigers maiden Grand final he had to settle for a runners-up medal at Old Trafford.[7][8][9]

On 6 August 2020 it was announced that Cook would leave Castleford to join Widnes Vikings on a 1-year deal[10]

Club
YearClubAppsPtsTGDG
2005 Bradford Bulls8----
2006 Bradford Bulls12----
2007 Bradford Bulls1541--
2008 Bradford Bulls17164--
2008 Castleford Tigers341--

Tries
Scores and results list Matt's try tally first.
DateVenueOpponentResultTournamentScored
4 April 2008KC Stadium,Hull F.C.8–24Super League1
11 April 2008Wheldon RoadHull F.C.12–32Super League1
22 June 2008Odsal,Hull F.C.36–22Super League1
17 August 2008OdsalHull F.C.42–14Super League1
24 August 2008OdsalHull Kingston Rovers42–18Super League1
5 April 2010Twickenham Stoop,Harlequins12–52Super League1
11 April 2010Craven Park (Hull)Warrington Wolves36–16Super League1
22 August 2010Craven Park (Hull)Wigan Warriors18–38Super League1
9 April 2011Craven Park (Hull)Leeds Rhinos38–28Super League1
15 April 2011Craven Park (Hull)Wigan Warriors16–28Super League1
22 April 2011KC StadiumHull F.C.36–18Super League1

Representative
YearTeamMatchesTriesGoalsDrop GoalsPoints
0000
0000
0000

References
  1. "Castleford Tigers 1st Team Matt Cook". Official Castleford Tigers web site. Castleford Tigers Rugby League Football Club Ltd. 2015. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 30 November 1994. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. London Official
  6. "Castleford switch for Bulls' Cook". BBC. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2008.
  7. "Castleford 6-24 Leeds: Grand Final 2017 – as it happened". Guardian. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  8. "Grand Final 2017: Castleford 6-24 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  9. "Danny McGuire guides Leeds to Grand Final success over Castleford". Guardian. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  10. "MATT COOK JOINS WIDNES VIKINGS FOR 2021". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
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