Ben Skirving
Encyclopedia
Ben Skirving is a rugby union
footballer who plays at Number Eight for Bath
and has been capped for the England national side
. He has also represented England playing for the England Saxons
and England Sevens
sides and at U21, U19 and U16 age group levels.
and showed early promise as a rugby player, captaining England U16s against Wales in 2000. He played for local side Bishop's Stortford Rugby Club before joining the Saracens
academy system in 1999.
, however Skirving appeared with increasing regularity from the replacements bench, giving him the opportunity to make his mark as an emerging talent.
Further international recognition came at the end of the 2004–05 season, where his pace brought him a place in the England Sevens
squad.
The 2005–06 season was set fair for Skirving to establish himself at the top level, making regular first team starting appearances and scoring his maiden try in the top flight. Further success came in the form of a debut at England 'A'
level in February 2006, before a shoulder injury cut short his season.
Skirving's comeback in the 2006–07 season was hampered by a pre-season injury but he was soon a regular fixture in the starting line up, passing the 100 cap mark for the club during the year at the age of just 22.
His displays brought another call-up for the rebranded England 'A' team, now the England Saxons
to take part in the 2007 Churchill Cup
, unusually to be held in England. Skirving though was to travel to South Africa to take the place of the injured Peter Buxton
in the full England
squad for their two test series against the Springboks. Skirving was not involved in the first test, but won his first England cap
starting the second test on 2 June 2007.
He has been called into the England Saxons
squad to face Italy A
in Ragusa
, Sicily
on 9 February 2008.
. Skirving was one of 15 players told in February that they could leave Saracens at the end of the 2008–09 season.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays at Number Eight for Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
and has been capped for the England national side
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
. He has also represented England playing for the England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
and England Sevens
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
sides and at U21, U19 and U16 age group levels.
Early life
Skirving was educated at Bishop's Stortford High SchoolThe Bishop's Stortford High School
The Bishop’s Stortford High School is a six-form comprehensive secondary school, with a coeducational sixth form, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. The school admits boys aged 11 to 16 in the first five forms, with a mixed sixth form of boys and girls aged 16 to 18...
and showed early promise as a rugby player, captaining England U16s against Wales in 2000. He played for local side Bishop's Stortford Rugby Club before joining the Saracens
Saracens F.C.
Saracens are a professional rugby union team based in St. Albans, England – although they play their home games at Vicarage Road, in Watford. They are currently members of the Aviva Premiership, the top level of domestic rugby union in England...
academy system in 1999.
Saracens 1999–2009
After joining Saracens' academy system in 1999 Skirving worked his way through the club's development sides before making his first team debut against Leeds Tykes in the final fixture of 2002. There were to be a handful of further first team appearances in the 2002–03 season both in the starting line up and from the bench. Places in the starting line up were hard to come by in the succeeding two seasons, with competition from established players such as Taine RandellTaine Randell
Taine Randell is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He was a versatile loose forward and a former All Black captain.-Summary:...
, however Skirving appeared with increasing regularity from the replacements bench, giving him the opportunity to make his mark as an emerging talent.
Further international recognition came at the end of the 2004–05 season, where his pace brought him a place in the England Sevens
England national rugby union team (sevens)
The English national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games.-Honours:* 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament - Winners* Rugby World Cup Sevens Winners 1993* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2002* Hong Kong Sevens Winners 2003*...
squad.
The 2005–06 season was set fair for Skirving to establish himself at the top level, making regular first team starting appearances and scoring his maiden try in the top flight. Further success came in the form of a debut at England 'A'
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
level in February 2006, before a shoulder injury cut short his season.
Skirving's comeback in the 2006–07 season was hampered by a pre-season injury but he was soon a regular fixture in the starting line up, passing the 100 cap mark for the club during the year at the age of just 22.
His displays brought another call-up for the rebranded England 'A' team, now the England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
to take part in the 2007 Churchill Cup
2007 Churchill Cup
The 2007 Churchill Cup was held from May 18 to June 2, 2007. It was the fifth year of the Churchill Cup. Six rugby union teams took part: Canada, England Saxons, Ireland A, New Zealand Māori, Scotland A, and the USA.-Format:...
, unusually to be held in England. Skirving though was to travel to South Africa to take the place of the injured Peter Buxton
Peter Buxton
Peter Buxton is a rugby union footballer who plays at flanker for Gloucester Rugby.When Buxton was in his teenage years, he attended Cleeve School in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. He was the 'Star Player' throughout his time as a student.Buxton signed for Gloucester from Newport back in 2002...
in the full England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
squad for their two test series against the Springboks. Skirving was not involved in the first test, but won his first England cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
starting the second test on 2 June 2007.
He has been called into the England Saxons
England Saxons
England Saxons is the current name of England's men's second national rugby union team. The team has previously been known by a number of names, such as England B, Emerging England and, most recently, England A...
squad to face Italy A
Italy A national rugby union team
The Italy A national rugby union team are the second national rugby union team in Italy after the national side. They compete every year in the IRB Nations Cup.-Fixtures:IRB Nations Cup 2010...
in Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
on 9 February 2008.
Bath 2009–present
On 16 April 2009, it was confirmed that Skirving had signed a two-year deal with Bath RugbyBath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
. Skirving was one of 15 players told in February that they could leave Saracens at the end of the 2008–09 season.