Peter Betham

Peter Betham (born 6 January 1989) is a professional rugby union player. He currently plays for the Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14. He was a representative player for Australia in international rugby matches. His usual position is wing or fullback.[1]

Peter Betham
Birth namePeter Betham
Date of birth (1989-01-06) 6 January 1989
Place of birthWellington, New Zealand
Height1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in)[1]
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Current team Clermont Auvergne
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015–2017
2017–		 Leicester Tigers
Clermont Auvergne		 38
47		 (55)
65
Correct as of 22 May 2017
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012
2014		 Tasman
Sydney Stars		 9
1
 (25)
(0)
Correct as of 9 October 2012
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–09
2010
2011
2012–2015		 Brumbies
Waratahs
Rebels
Waratahs		 0
0
8
33
 (0)
(0)
(5)
(55)
Correct as of 28 June 2015
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Australia 2 (5)
Correct as of 28 November 2015

Family and early career

Betham was born in Wellington, New Zealand to parents of Samoan heritage. His family moved to Australia and he was brought up in Sydney where he started playing rugby league with the Coogee Randwick Wombats club at the age of 10.[2] He played high school rugby for St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill located on Sydney's Lower North Shore.[3] He became friends with St. Joseph's teammate Kurtley Beale and for two years the pair backed up with Kensington in the South Sydney junior rugby league competition.[4] Having attended a public primary school, Peter represented Sydney East PSSA at the State Championships in 2001 at Kiama. His teammate Rob Horne and Peter went on to represent NSW PSSA that year.

Betham played for NSW Schools in the 2005 National U16 Championship. He subsequently played for the Australia A Schools team that went on to beat New Zealand. In 2006 Betham toured Fiji and New Zealand with the Australian Schoolboys team.[5]

In 2007 he played rugby while studying American history at Sydney University,[4] and was selected in the Australian U19 Rugby World Championship squad.[6] He also became a holder of an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship, one of 26.[7][8]

Rugby union career

Betham played for the Brumbies in the Super 14 competition,[9][10] but injuries kept him off the field until mid 2009 when he rejoined Sydney University[11] where he helped the club win the Sydney competition that year.[12]

In 2010 he continued to play for Sydney Uni, and trained with the Waratahs' squad, as an "unsigned winger"[13] and played in several Tahs' pre-season games.[14][15]

In March 2010 Betham signed with the Melbourne Rebels for the 2011 Super Rugby season,[16] with Rebels assistant coach Damian Hill describing him as "one of the most dynamic and athletic young backs" in Australian rugby.[9]

He spent 2011 in Victoria before returning to NSW. In February 2012 Betham was named to play on the wing in the Tahs' pre-season match against Tonga.[17]

In April 2015 Betham signed for Leicester Tigers. He will join them after the 2015 Super Rugby season finishes mid-2015.[18] Betham marked his Tigers' debut with a try in their opening win of the season over London Irish in October 2015. The tigers have used Betham in both the outside centre role and on the wing.

In January 2017 Betham signed a new contract to stay at the club.[19] In May 2017 Betham signed a contract with Clermont Auvergne for two years.[20]

References
  1. "Peter Betham". rugby.com.au. Australian Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. "Peter Betham". Ultimate Rugby. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  3. "National U16 Championship – Day 1 Results (Afternoon)". Australian Rugby Union. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  4. Geddes, Jon (5 April 2007). "Betham poised to make his mark". Daily Telegraph. News Limited. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  5. "New Zealand Schools too strong for valiant Australians". 10 October 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  6. "Peter Betham". ARU Player Profile. Australian Rugby Union. 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  7. "AIS rugby union scholarship holders announced" (Press release). Australian Sports Commission. 7 March 2007. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  8. "Peter Betham profile". Australian Institute of Sport. Australian Sports Commission. 2010. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  9. "Melbourne Rebels land trio of signings". Herald Sun. News Limited. 3 April 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2010.
  10. "Rebels announce three new Super 15 signings". Super XV. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  11. "Peter Betham profile". Melbourne Rebels. 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  12. "Trio sign with Rebels". Sportal. Sportal Australia. 3 April 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  13. Guinness, Rupert (5 February 2010). "Tahs take the spoils, but it wasn't pretty". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  14. "Halangahu to captain Waratahs in Lismore trial". Super 15. Sports Digital. 20 January 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  15. Warren, Adrian (3 February 2010). "Star Waratahs and Brumbies recruits to miss final trials". The Daily Telegraph. News Limited.
  16. Smith, Wayne (15 March 2010). "Adam Freier on brink of southern shift as Rebels set for signing spree". Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  17. "Ashley-Cooper named for Waratahs trial". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  18. "Tigers agree move for Australia wing Betham". Leicester Tigers. Archived from the original on 20 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  19. "Betham extends contract with Tigers". Leicester Tigers. Leicester Tigers. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  20. "Betham contract with ASM". ASM Rugby. ASM Rugby. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
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