James Arlidge

James Anthony Arlidge

Full name	James Arlidge
Date of birth	11 August 1979
Place of birth	Hamilton, New Zealand
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	93 kg (14 st 9 lb)
School	Dilworth School, Auckland
University	Auckland University
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Fly Half, Fullback, Centre
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
	Pakuranga United
Professional / senior clubs
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2000-2002 2001 2003 2004-2008 2008-2010 2010-2013	Auckland Northland (loan) Otago NTT Docomo Kansai Dragons Nottingham	40 68	(259) (755)
correct as of 5 May 2008.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2001–2002 2003	Blues Highlanders	13 7	(107) (7)
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2002 2003 2007–2011	NZ Barbarians  Māori  Japan	1 32	1 (0) (286)
correct as of 2 October 2011.

James Arlidge (ジェームス・アレジ Jēmusu Areji) (born 11 August 1979 in Hamilton, New Zealand) is a Japanese international rugby union player. He plays primarily at fly-half.

Club career

Unusually he made his Super Rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making the step from junior rugby with Pakuranga and the Auckland Colts, due to the then Blues first choice fly-half Carlos Spencer being injured. Later in 2002 Arlidge would go onto make his debut for Auckland in New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.^[1]

In 2001 having started the NPC season with Auckland, Arlidge would spend the majority of the season on loan with another side in the Blues franchise. Northland. After another season back with Auckland and the Blues, Arlidge opted to sign for South Island side the Highlanders (rugby union) for the 2003 Super 12 season, as well as playing his NPC rugby with Otago.^[2] His brother Gareth has also represented Auckland at provincial level.

After a single season in Dunedin, Arlidge began a four-year stint in Japan with Osaka based club NTT DoCoMo Kansai. Having been listed by the Japan Rugby Football Union as being unaffiliated to a club,^[3] on 5 May 2008 the South Wales Argus quoted new Newport Gwent Dragons signing Tom Willis as "looking forward to joining forces with his compatriots and former Highlanders team-mates, including James Arlidge, in Dragons colours next season.".^[4] In June 2010 Nottingham announced that Arlidge had joined them on a one-year contract.

International

Prior to leaving New Zealand, Arlidge made his New Zealand Maori debut, against a Canada All Stars side, on their 2003 North America tour.^[5]

Having qualified for Japan on residency grounds, Arlidge was named by new "Cherry Blossoms" coach and fellow New Zealander John Kirwan's first squad. His test debut came in an emphatic 82–0 win over South Korea in Tokyo,^[6] scoring two tries and converting all of his ten conversions. Having looked a certainty for a berth in the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad, a fractured leg obtained against a Classic All Blacks side forced Arlidge onto the sidelines,^[7] until the 2008 HSBC Asian Five Nations.

In the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup Arlidge was the top points scorer with 56 for Japan, six points ahead of Callum Bruce of the New Zealand Maori.

Arlidge was included in Japan's 2011 Rugby World Cup squad. He played in 3 of Japan's 4 matches during the tournament, scoring 34 points, consisting of 2 tries, 3 conversions and 6 penalties.^[8]

References

1. Blues Profile: James Arlidge
2. "James Arlidge Highlanders 2003". Web.archive.org. 1 September 2003. Archived from the original on 1 September 2003. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
3. "Japan v Korea Preview". RugbyJapan.com. Japan Rugby Football Union. 21 April 2008.
4. "New Dragon Willis ready to take leading role". The South Wales Argus. 5 May 2008.
5. "Arlidge to make Maori debut". Scrum.com. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
6. "Japan Hammers South Korea 82–0". Rugbyjapan.com. 16 June 2003. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
7. "Kirwan names Japan's RWC squad". 11 August 2007.
8. "James Arlidge 2011 World Cup profile". Retrieved 2 October 2011.

External links

• Newport Gwent Dragons profile