Richard Wigglesworth (rugby union)

Richard Eric Peter Wigglesworth (born 9 June 1983) is an English rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby.

Richard Wigglesworth
Birth nameRichard Eric Wigglesworth
Date of birth (1983-06-09) 9 June 1983
Place of birthBlackpool, Lancashire, England
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight84 kg (13 st 3 lb; 185 lb) [1]
SchoolKirkham Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Current team Leicester Tigers
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2002–2010 Sale Sharks 156 (106)
2010–2020 Saracens 250 (155)
2020– Leicester Tigers 3 (5)
Correct as of 7 November 2020
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008–2018 England 33 (5)
Correct as of 16 October 2019
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
  England

Born in Blackpool, England, he attended Kirkham Grammar School. Wigglesworth's position of choice is as a scrum-half and can also operate as a fly-half or as a winger.

Club career

Wigglesworth started his professional career with Sale Sharks coming through the youth ranks, and starting the 2005–06 Premiership final.[2] In June 2010, Wigglesworth moved to Saracens.[3] During his time at Saracens he won five further Premiership titles in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019, with Wigglesworth featuring in all five finals.[4][5][6][7][8] He also helped Saracens win the European Champions Cup in 2016, 2017 and 2019.[9][10][11] He left Saracens at the conclusion of the 2019–20 season.[12]

On 6 November 2020 Wigglesworth joined Leicester Tigers for the 2020-21 Premiership Rugby season.[13]

International career

Wigglesworth was called up to the England squad for the 2008 Six Nations Championship.[14][15] He was selected for the England Saxons and the training squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.[16]

He was named in the starting line-up for England in the 2008 RBS Six Nations Championship match against France in Paris.[17] Sale coach Philippe Saint-Andre said he is confident that England newcomer Wigglesworth has the mentality required for international rugby.[18] On 23 February 2008, he scored a 79th minute try to help England to a 24–13 win in Paris.[19]

He served as the defence and kicking coach of Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[20]

Personal life

He married Lindsay Jane Fitzgerald in July 2009 and they now have two daughters, Matilda and Margot and a son, Freddie. Lindsay is a qualified dentist and graduated from Liverpool University's BDS course in 2007.

International tries
As of 7 July 2019 [21]
TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1 FranceParis, FranceStade de France2008 Six Nations23 February 2008Win24 – 13

References
  1. "RFU Official Site of the RFU, Governing Body of Rugby Union in England". web page. RFU. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  2. "Sale 45-20 Leicester". BBC. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  3. "Sale's Wigglesworth joins Sarries". BBC News. 26 January 2010.
  4. "Leicester 18-22 Saracens". BBC. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. "Premiership final: Bath 16-28 Saracens". BBC. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. "Premiership final: Saracens 28-20 Exeter Chiefs". BBC. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  7. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 10-27 Saracens". BBC. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  8. "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 34-37 Saracens". BBC. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. "Saracens beat Racing 92 to win first European Champions Cup". BBC. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  10. "European Champions Cup: Saracens beat Clermont 28-17 to retain European title". BBC. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  11. "Leinster 10-20 Saracens: English side win third Champions Cup in Newcastle". BBC. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  12. "Wigglesworth commits short-term future to Saracens but accepts new club on horizon". Rugby Pass. 25 June 2020.
  13. "Richard Wigglesworth: Leicester sign former Saracens and England scrum-half". BBC Sport. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  14. "Vainikolo named in England squad". BBC. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
  15. "Vainikolo – named in England squad". Sportinglife. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
  16. "England add Wigglesworth to squad". BBC. 6 August 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2008.
  17. "Wigglesworth handed England call". BBC. 19 February 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2008.
  18. "Wigglesworth 'right for England'". BBC. 20 February 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  19. "France 13-24 England". BBC. 23 February 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  20. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2019/08/27/exclusive-richard-wigglesworth-interview-36-year-old-could-yet/
  21. "Richard Wigglesworth". 7 July 2019.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.