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Preston Grasshoppers
Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club is an England, English rugby union team from Preston, Lancashire. The men's senior team play in the RFU National League 2 North, a level 4 league in the RFU league pyramid. History The club was founded on 28 September 1869 at a meeting held at the Bull Hotel, Preston, making it one of the oldest 'northern' rugby union teams. The club were based at Farringdon Park (modern day Farringdon Crescent), New Hall Lane from 1924 until 1932, on the site of an old amusement park and cycling track. In 1929 the club agreed a six-year sub-tenancy with Preston (speedway), Preston speedway team, and a dirt track was constructed around the perimeter of the rugby pitch. The speedway syndicate folded in 1932 but a greyhound syndicate paid the Grasshoppers £2,000 (a huge sum at the time) to vacate the ground the same year. While many notable players have played for the team before going onto play professionally (both in the Premiership Rugby, Premiershi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lancashire County Rugby Football Union
The Lancashire County Rugby Football Union is the society responsible for rugby union in the county of Lancashire, England, and is one of the constituent bodies of the national Rugby Football Union having been formed in 1881. In addition it is the county that has won the County Championship (rugby union), County Championship on most occasions History Early years The first match arranged for the county of Lancashire took place in 1870, at Leeds against Yorkshire. This match was immediately known as the "Battle of the Roses" and was considered the "blue riband" of Northern rugby football. To be selected to represent the county was an honour bestowed long before the foundation of the Lancashire RFU and it was seen as "the high road to International honours". Formation of a Football Union From 1870 to 1881 the government and arrangement of county matches in Lancashire vested in Manchester Rugby Club, Manchester Football Club. Though self-appointed, Manchester FC was recognised ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1998–99 National League 2 North
The 1998–99 National League 2 North was the twelfth full season of rugby union within the fourth tier (north) of the English league system. It is counterpart to National League 2 South, which covers the southern half of the country. As with the previous season, the battle for the league was very competitive, with Preston Grasshoppers edging out Stourbridge by just 2 points to claim the title and only promotion spot to the 1999–00 National League 1. At the other end of the table Winnington Park, Lichfield, Hinckley were the three sides to be relegated, with newly promoted Hinckley being the most competitive of the three. Winnington Park would drop to North 1 while Lichfield and Hinckley fell to Midlands 1. The reason National League 2 North had so many relegation places compared to National League 2 South (3 to 1) was that both of the two teams relegated from the division above were based in the north of the country, requiring more places to accommodate for their arriva ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1993 British Lions Tour To New Zealand
In 1993 the British Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand. This was the last Lions tour in the sport's amateur era. The Lions were managed by Geoff Cooke, coached by Ian McGeechan and Dick Best, and captained by Gavin Hastings. The Lions played a three-test series against New Zealand, and ten matches against provincial teams and the New Zealand Maori. They won six and lost four of those games. The Lions lost the first test match, but won the second to level the series, with New Zealand winning the third test and the series. Wade Dooley appeared briefly on the tour but left to return home to England to attend his father's funeral and he was replaced by Martin Johnson. Squad Backs Forwards Schedule Test series First test The first test was won by New Zealand. Second test The Lions won the second Test, with a particularly strong performance by Ben Clarke. Third test Thus the series came down to the third Test decider at Eden Park. The Lions took a 10–0 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1989 British Lions Tour To Australia
In 1989, the British Lions toured Australia for the first time since 1971. Unlike previous tours to Australia, the Lions did not play any matches in New Zealand, this being the first Australia-only tour since 1899. The side was captained by Finlay Calder. The Lions suffered a 30–12 defeat in the first test in Sydney on 1 July, then their heaviest defeat by Australia. In this first test, Australia scored four tries, and flyhalf Michael Lynagh kicked 5 from 6. For the second and third tests, changes included Mike Teague, recovered from injury, at blindside flanker; Rob Andrew replacing Craig Chalmers at fly-half; and Jeremy Guscott and Scott Hastings coming into the centre positions. The team became the only Lions team ever to come from 1–0 down to win a series, winning the second test in Brisbane 19–12 and the third test in Sydney 19–18. The Lions completed their tour with a victory of a combined ANZAC team. Teague was named player of the series. Results :''Scores and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Haley (rugby Union)
Michael Patrick Haley (born 28 June 1994) is an English-born, Irish-qualified rugby union player who plays as a Rugby union positions#Full-back, fullback for United Rugby Championship club Munster Rugby, Munster. Club career Sale Sharks Haley made his professional debut for Sale against Saracens F.C., Saracens on 10 March 2013, in the semi-final of the 2012–13 LV Cup. Munster It was announced in February 2018 that Haley would be joining Irish United Rugby Championship side Munster Rugby, Munster on a three-year contract at the start of the 2018–19 season. Haley is Irish-qualified through his maternal grandmother, who hails from Tralee, County Kerry. He made his competitive debut for Munster on 1 September 2018, starting at fullback in their opening 2018–19 Pro14 fixture against South African side Cheetahs (rugby union), Cheetahs in Thomond Park, a game which Munster won 38–0. Haley made his European debut for Munster on 13 October 2018, starting in the provinces 10� ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ireland National Rugby Union Team
The Ireland national rugby union team is the men's representative national team for the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British & Irish Lions. They have players eligible to play for Ireland and the Lions. The Ireland national team dates to 1875, when they played their first international match against England. Ireland reached number 1 in the World Rugby Rankings for the first time in 2019; the team returned to number 1 for a second time on 18 July 2022 and did not relinquish the top spot until 2 October 2023. Twelve former Ireland players have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. History Early years: 1875–1900 Dublin University Football Club, Dublin University was the first organised rugby football club in Ireland, having been founded in 1854. The club was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Greenwood
John Richard Heaton Greenwood (born 11 September 1940) is an English former rugby union player and coach. A flanker, he played for Waterloo, Cambridge University, Lancashire and . He later coached Preston Grasshoppers and England. Biography Greenwood was born in Chorley in Lancashire. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby and at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He played for Waterloo, Cambridge University and Lancashire. In 1966 he made his debut for England against Ireland at Twickenham. In total he won five international caps until 1969, serving as captain in his last game, again against Ireland. He never won a game for England, drawing one and losing four. In 1973 he was sent to Kenya by the Rugby Football Union on a coaching assignment, and while there was selected to play for The Scorpions, an East African invitation team. After this assignment he moved to Italy to play for Rugby Roma from 1973 to 1976, becoming the Italian Championship's best try scorer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alex Sanderson
Alexander Sanderson (born 7 October 1979 in Chester) is an English former rugby union footballer who played in the back row during the 1990s and 2000s for Saracens and Sale Sharks. He is the brother of Pat Sanderson who also played rugby for Littleborough RUFC. He is currently Director of Rugby at Sale Sharks. His rugby career blossomed under coach Brian Gornall at Kirkham Grammar School. His first Sale coach, John Mitchell, also had a great influence on him as did Steve Diamond and Jim Mallinder, both of whom he played alongside when he broke into the first team. He scored a try on his England debut after coming on as a replacement against Romania in November 2001, having captained the England midweek side in North America soon after being selected for the England XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham. He made his Six Nations debut as a replacement against Italy in March 2003 and was part of the wider 43-man squad for the World Cup, playing in the pre-World Cup warm-up ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Borthwick
Stephen William Borthwick (born 12 October 1979) is an English rugby union coach and former player, who is currently the head coach of the England national team. As a player, he played as a lock for Bath and Saracens. At international level, he played for England 57 times from his debut in 2001; he served as captain from 2008, until he was dropped from the side in 2010. Borthwick was appointed as England's forwards coach in December 2015, a role which he left in mid 2020 to become head coach of Leicester Tigers instead. In December 2022, he was appointed as the England head coach. Club career Born in Carlisle, Cumbria, Borthwick was captain of the Hutton Grammar School rugby team, with whom he went on a tour to Australia, and captained to the semi finals of the Daily Mail Cup in 1998. Bath: 1998–2008 Borthwick joined Bath in 1998 from Preston Grasshoppers, making his debut against Saracens in December 1998. During this time, he was balancing rugby commitments with study, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iain Balshaw
Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE (born 18 April 1979) is an English former rugby union player who played on the wing or at full back for Bath, Leeds Carnegie, Gloucester and Biarritz Olympique. He won 35 international caps for England between 2000 and 2008, and three for the British & Irish Lions in 2001. He was a member of the England squad that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Early life Born 18 April 1979 in Blackburn, England, Balshaw was educated at the Jesuit Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. Club career Bath At junior level he played for Preston Grasshoppers and joined Bath as a teenager in 1997. He made his senior debut in 1998, scoring thirteen tries in his first season. Leeds Carnegie After Balshaw's move to Leeds in July 2004, his game at club level flourished. Balshaw was out of action for the beginning of the season with a groin injury, but after three months of work with the Leeds medical staff he was back to fitness. He made his debut off the bench in the Tykes fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pat Sanderson
Pat Sanderson (born 6 September 1977 in Chester) is a former England national rugby union team, England international rugby union player and a former Flanker (rugby union), flanker for Worcester Warriors, Worcester. He is the brother of the former England player Alex Sanderson. His early rugby union career blossomed at Bury Grammar School, Littleborough RUFC and then at Kirkham Grammar School and included his first international cap for the England 16 Group Schools team. For the 1994/95 and 1995/96 seasons he played for Preston Grasshoppers Colts. The Colts won the Lancashire County Rugby Football Union Colts Cup in both seasons, in the latter season he played alongside his brother, Alex Sanderson, the future England Captain, Steve Borthwick, and John Kirkpatrick (rugby league). He joined Manchester Sale (now Sale Sharks) in 1996 and was capped by England U21s and England A. He moved to NEC Harlequins, Harlequins where he played in the 2001 Powergen Cup final, when Quins lost to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Will Greenwood
William John Heaton Greenwood, Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 20 October 1972) is an English former rugby union player who played for Leicester Tigers and Harlequin F.C., Harlequins and was a member of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup, 2003 World Cup-winning team and the 1997 British & Irish Lions. He played in the centre, mainly as an inside centre. He is the son of Dick Greenwood, who was a former England national rugby union team, England coach. Early life Born 20 October 1972 in Blackburn, Lancashire, Greenwood was educated at Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall, St Mary's Hall and Sedbergh School. As a schoolboy, he was also a talented cricketer and played for the Lancashire Schools representative team before ultimately deciding to concentrate on rugby. He graduated with a BA in economics from Durham University in 1994. He then worked as a trader at a bank in London. Career Club Greenwood played club rugby for Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C., Preston Grasshoppers, Waterloo R.F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
