Rob Thirlby

Rob Thirlby
Full name Robert Graham Thirlby
Date of birth (1979-03-02) March 2, 1979
Place of birth Redruth, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Height 6ft 1in (1.85m)
Weight 202 lb (91.6kg)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Fullback/Wing
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
1999-2000
2000-2005
2005-2006		 Saracens
Bath Rugby
Gloucester Rugby		 28
36
10		 (71)
(54)
(5)

Rob Graham Thirlby (born 2 March 1979), in Penzance, Cornwall is a Cornish rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or full back for Yatton whilst also acting as the video analyst for Gloucester Rugby.[1] He previously played for Moseley, Penzance-Newlyn, and for Redruth whom he joined from Gloucester Rugby. He played regularly for the England Sevens team.

Playing career

Saracens

Educated at Richard Lander School, Thirlby began his career with Redruth before guesting for Penzance & Newlyn in the 1998 Safari Sevens tournament in Kenya where he was spotted by Kyran Bracken[2] who recommended him to Saracens and Thirlby joined the club ahead of the 1998-1999 season. He made his Sarries debut in an Anglo-Welsh clash with Cardiff on 16 January 1999, kicking 11 points in a 36-22 victory.[3] He made his Premiership debut against Northampton Saints on 6 February 1999 and went on to make 28 appearances for the club in the competition, scoring six tries.

Bath Rugby

Thirlby left Saracens to join Bath Rugby in May 2000[4] and celebrated his move with a call up for England's 2000 tour of South Africa.[5] Although he did not appear in the test side, he played in the three tour matches, scoring a try in the 36-27 victory over Gauteng Falcons.[6] He played 36 times for Bath in the Premiership scoring eight tries, the highlight being the hat-trick of tries he scored against Rotherham on 14 April 2001,[7] before joining Rotherham in February 2003.[8] He helped the club secure promotion from National Division One back into the Premiership before returning to Cornwall and Penzance & Newlyn for the 2003-2004 season.

Gloucester Rugby

After two seasons with Penzance & Newlyn, Thirlby returned to the Premiership by signing a two-year contract with Gloucester Rugby.[9] After just ten Premiership appearances and a solitary try, Thirlby joined Redruth on loan in January 2007, agreeing a permanent two-year contract with the club in March 2007.

England Sevens

Thirlby has been a regular member of the England Sevens team. He represented the team in both the RWC Sevens 2001 and RWC Sevens 2005, the only England player to do so,[10] and was a member of Joe Lydon's twelve-man squad for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.[11] Although the team returned without medals, they did win the Sevens Plate in the tournament.[12] He has made 35 appearances in the IRB Sevens World Series, the third highest total by an England player.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Debutant Thirlby adds class as Yatton grind out victory". Bristol Evening Post. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  2. ↑ Malin, Ian (15 November 2003). "Ambitious Pirates are no Cornish patsies". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  3. ↑ Llewellyn, David (18 January 1999). "Saracens Youngsters Reveal Their Potential". London: The Independent. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  4. ↑ "Bath Sign Rob Thirlby". Bath Rugby Official Website. 22 May 2000. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  5. ↑ "England's new boys: Backs". BBC Sport. 23 May 2000. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  6. ↑ "England made to dig deep". BBC Sport. 28 June 2000. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  7. ↑ "Bath Bury Rotherham". BBC Sport. 14 April 2001. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  8. ↑ "Rob Joins Rotherham". Bath Rugby Official Website. 13 February 2003. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  9. ↑ "Gloucester Seal Thirlby Contract". Gloucester Rugby Official Website. 17 June 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  10. ↑ "Rob Thirlby 2005 RWC Sevens Profile". Rugby Football Union Official Website. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  11. ↑ "Rob Confirmed In England Sevens Squad". Bath Rugby Official Website. 25 July 2002. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  12. ↑ "No Medal For Thirlby, But England Lift Games Plate". Bath Rugby Official Website. 5 August 2002. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  13. ↑ "IRB Sevens World Series - Top 50 Appearances" (PDF). International Rugby Board Official Website. Retrieved 2009-01-27.

External links

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