Sean Long

Sean Bernard Long (born 24 September 1976), also known by the nickname of "Longy", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s.[7] An England[5] and Great Britain[6] international Scrum-half, Long is regarded by many as one of the finest British players of his generation. He began his career with the Wigan Warriors, and also played for the Widnes Vikings and Hull FC, but is best known for his time playing for St. Helens in the Super League with whom he won a total of four Super League championships and five Challenge Cups, as well as numerous individual accolades including the Man of Steel award, and three Lance Todd Trophies.[3][4]

For Irish footballer, see Sean Long (footballer).

Sean Long
Personal information
Full nameSean Bernard Long[1]
Born (1976-09-24) 24 September 1976
Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Playing information
Height2 ft 9 in (0.84 m)
Weight13 st 5 lb (85 kg) [2]
Rugby league
PositionStand-off, Scrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1994–97 Wigan 12 2 2 0 12
1997 Widnes Vikings 9 0 0 0 0
1997–09 St Helens 265 124 812 20 2140
2010–11 Hull F.C. 22 6 0 0 24
Total 308 132 814 20 2176
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1998–2000 England 6 2 5 0 18
1599–06 Great Britain 4 14 1 45
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2011 Preston Grasshoppers
Source: [3][4][5][6]

In 2017, he joined rugby union side Orrell RUFC in his first cross code move.

Following his retirement as a player, Long began a coaching career. He was assistant coach of Harlequin FC, and the Samoa national rugby league team. On 26 October 2020 Long was confirmed as the Assistant Coach at Leeds Rhinos marking his return to rugby league.

Early life

Between the ages of eleven and thirteen Long attended St Joseph's Catholic Comprehensive School in Horwich but moved to the Deanery High School on Frog Lane in Wigan because the former only played football, not rugby.[8]

Playing career

1990s

After signing from local amateur side, Wigan St Judes, Long started his career at Wigan. After Wigan released him from his contract, Long moved to Widnes, where he attracted the attention of several of the European Super League's top clubs. He was signed by St Helens in 1997.[9]

In the 1997 post season, Long was selected to play for Great Britain from the interchange bench in two matches of the Super League Test series against Australia.

Long played for St. Helens from the interchange bench, kicking two goals in their 1999 Super League Grand Final victory over Bradford Bulls. <re

2000s

Long twice set the St. Helens record for the number of points scored in a Super League season, gaining 284 points in 1999 and 352 points in 2000.[10] Having won the 1999 Championship, St. Helens contested in the 2000 World Club Challenge against National Rugby League Premiers the Melbourne Storm, with Long playing at scrum half back and kicking a goal in the loss. Long played for St. Helens at scrum half and kicked four goals in their 2000 Super League Grand Final victory over Wigan Warriors, and was named as Man of Steel in 2000. As Super League V champions, St. Helens played against 2000 NRL Premiers Brisbane Broncos in the 2001 World Club Challenge. Long played at scrum half, scoring a try, three goals and a field goal in Saints' victory.

Long played for St. Helens at scrum half, scoring a try, a goal and the match-winning drop goal in their 2002 Super League Grand Final victory against the Bradford Bulls.[11] Having won Super League VI, St Helens contested the 2003 World Club Challenge against 2002 NRL Premiers Sydney Roosters. Long played at stand-off in Saints' 38–0 loss. In 2004, Long served a three-month ban for his part in the 2004 rugby league betting scandal. Despite this, Long was selected in the Great Britain team to compete in the end of season 2004 Rugby League Tri-Nations tournament. In the final against Australia he played at scrum half in the Lions' 44–4 loss. By 2005, Long had scored 2,000 points for St Helens. During the 2005's Super League X, he sustained a broken cheek bone in a challenge by Wigan Warrior' Terry Newton in an incident that saw Newton receive a 12-match ban, the heaviest for an on-field action in Super League history at the time.[12]

Long played for St Helens at scrum half and scored a try in their 2006 Challenge Cup Final victory over Huddersfield Giants, and won the Lance Todd Trophy as man-of-the-match in a Challenge Cup final for a record third time. St Helens reached the 2006 Super League Grand final to be contested against Hull FC, and Long played at scrum half in Saints' 26–4 victory. Following the season, Long was selected for Great Britain in the Tri nations. Long played in the first game between Great Britain and Australia, which resulted in Great Britain's first victory in Sydney in 18 years, with a score of 23–12. However, on 13 November 2006, Long returned home from the Tri-Nations tour, with 'personal reasons' cited as the reason by Great Britain coach Brian Noble.[13] As 2006 Super League champions, St Helens faced 2006 NRL Premiers Brisbane Broncos in the 2007 World Club Challenge. Long captained Saints from scrum half in their 18–14 victory.

St. Helens in 2007 took all honours apart from the Super League title when they were beaten by Leeds at Old Trafford in the Grand Final. In 2007 Long received a testimonial match for St Helens against Leigh. Former St Helens players returned for the game, including Chris Joynt, Tommy Martyn and Paul Newlove. St Helens won the game 40–10.[14]

Long officially retired from international football on 16 April 2007, wishing to concentrate on his club career.

Long scoring a try against Wigan in 2008

He played in 2008's Super League XIII Grand Final defeat by Leeds.[15]

Long playing for Hull F.C. in 2010

On 1 June 2009 it was announced that Sean had signed a two-year contract with Hull F.C. for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, leaving St Helens after 12 seasons.[16] Also in 2009 an Autobiography, Longy: Booze, Brawls, Sex and Scandal was published.[17] Long kicked his 1,000th goal for St. Helens on 22 February 2009 in a game against Huddersfield.[18]

He played in the 2009 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]

2010s

Long announced his retirement from playing rugby league on the morning of 10 August 2011, and began an assistant coaching job with Salford.[31] On 1 November it was announced he had signed a playing contract with Rugby Union side Preston Grasshoppers in SSE National League 2 North.[32]

In 2013, Sean Long was appointed assistant coach of Samoa's 2013 Rugby League World Cup campaign. In 2014 Long reprised his role as Samoa played in the Four Nations. Sean Long was appointed assistant coach for Samoa for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

In November 2014, Long left Salford and took up the assistant coach role at St. Helens following former teammate Keiron Cunningham's appointment as head coach from 2015 onwards.[33]

References
  1. "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  2. "Hull F.C." web page. Hull F.C. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  3. "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2018.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2018.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. "St Helens' Sean Long agrees deal to join Hull at the end of the season". The Guardian. London. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  8. Longy page 35
  9. https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/17708322.sean-long-says-emotional-farewell-saints-fans/
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. Gordos, Phil (27 April 2003). "League poised for breakthrough". BBC Sport. UK: British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  12. unknown (14 September 2005). "Newton got off lightly - Anderson". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  13. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2006/nov/14/rugbyleague.trinations2006
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 1 November 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "2008 Grand Final". BBC. 4 October 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  16. "Hull FC sign Saints veteran Long". BBC News. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  17. Long, Sean; Appleyard, Nick (2009). Longy: Booze, Brawls, Sex and Scandal. UK: John Blake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84454-856-9. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
  18. unknown (22 February 2009). "Long's 1,000th goal crowns St Helens success". London: Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  19. "Rhinos Take Super League Title". Sky News. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  20. Burke, David (11 October 2009). "Smith's Crisp". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  21. AFP (11 October 2009). "Leeds makes it Super League hat-trick". ABC News. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  22. AAP (11 October 2009). "Leeds claim third successive Grand Final". nrl. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  23. Linfoot, Ben (10 October 2009). "Grand Final: Leeds Rhinos 18 St Helens 10". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  24. Correspondent (12 October 2009). "Potter refuses to blame video ref". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  25. Fletcher, Paul (10 October 2009). "St Helens 10-18 Leeds Rhinos". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  26. "Third time unlucky as Saints fail to halt Rhinos' charge to title". Liverpool Daily Post. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  27. "Sinfield hails winning culture". The Daily Mirror. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  28. Stewart, Rob (12 October 2009). "Lee Smith targets place in England rugby union team after Grand Final victory". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  29. "Sinfield hails historic title win". BBC Sport. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  30. "Leeds Rhinos fans in homecoming welcome". Yorkshire Evening Post. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  31. Sky Sports http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12207/7111580/Salford-recruit-Long-to-staff. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  32. http://pgrfc.co.uk/preston-grasshoppers-announces-arrival-of-league-legend. Retrieved 1 November 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  33. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/nov/17/sean-long-return-st-helens-assistant-coach
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