Chris Wyles
Encyclopedia
Chris Wyles is an International rugby union
player who plays for the USA Eagles and plays his club rugby for Saracens
in the Aviva Premiership. He plays as a fullback or wing. Wyles has captained the USA Sevens Team
, which is a core team on the IRB Sevens World Series
before he moved to England when he was 11 years old. He then attended Haileybury and Imperial Service College
in Hertford and went on to study Politics at the University of Nottingham
.
in 2008, after impressive performances in the 2007 World Cup
. Eddie Jones, who was on the Springboks coaching team, saw Wyles' potential and when he became Director of Rugby at Saracens
he signed Wyles to build his squad. Since Wyles joined Saracens
, he has made 69 appearances In the 2009/2010 season he was a regular starter on the Wing and played in the Saracens team that took on Leicester RFC in the final of the Guinness Premiership
. For his performances during the 09/10 Season, Wyles was nominated for Player of the Season by Brendan Venter
. His previous club was Northampton RFC, where he experienced, in the 2006/2007 Season, his first taste of European and Premiership rugby. It was during this period that he caught the eye of the USA Eagles coaching team which eventually resulted in his involvement in the IRB Sevens World Series
and the 2007 World Cup. Wyles’ first professional club was the Championship team, Nottingham RFC. Over two Seasons, he played outside centre, where his performances earned him a contract with Northampton.
. From there, he went on to captain the IRB Sevens World Series
, leading the team to core IRB Sevens status. During his time with the USA Sevens team he scored an impressive 54 tries in 13 tournaments. Wyles earned his first 15's cap at the Churchill Cup in 2007 against England Saxons before going onto to play Fullback for the Eagles in the 2007 World Cup. His performances in the World Cup, led him to be named the American Rugby News ‘Player of the Year’ Since the 2007 World Cup, he has been a regular starter at Fullback for the USA National team. In 2009, Wyles was included in the USA Eagles team of the decade by a leading US rugby publication
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...
player who plays for the USA Eagles and plays his club rugby for 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...
in the Aviva Premiership. He plays as a fullback or wing. Wyles has captained the USA Sevens Team
United States national rugby union team (sevens)
The United States National Rugby Union Sevens team competes in the IRB Sevens World Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens, World Games, and Pan American Games. The Team will also represent the United States in the Summer Olympics beginning in 2016. Under current head coach Al Caravelli the Eagles have...
, which is a core team on the IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
Background
Wyles grew up in Allentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
before he moved to England when he was 11 years old. He then attended Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
in Hertford and went on to study Politics at the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.
Club career
Wyles joined SaracensSaracens 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...
in 2008, after impressive performances in the 2007 World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
. Eddie Jones, who was on the Springboks coaching team, saw Wyles' potential and when he became Director of Rugby at 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...
he signed Wyles to build his squad. Since Wyles joined 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...
, he has made 69 appearances In the 2009/2010 season he was a regular starter on the Wing and played in the Saracens team that took on Leicester RFC in the final of the Guinness Premiership
Guinness Premiership
The English Premiership, also currently known as the Aviva Premiership because of the league's sponsorship by Aviva, is a professional league competition for rugby union football clubs in the top division of the English rugby system. There are twelve clubs in the Premiership...
. For his performances during the 09/10 Season, Wyles was nominated for Player of the Season by Brendan Venter
Brendan Venter
Brendan Venter is a former rugby union player who played at centre and also coached for London Irish. He is currently director of rugby at Saracens...
. His previous club was Northampton RFC, where he experienced, in the 2006/2007 Season, his first taste of European and Premiership rugby. It was during this period that he caught the eye of the USA Eagles coaching team which eventually resulted in his involvement in the IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
and the 2007 World Cup. Wyles’ first professional club was the Championship team, Nottingham RFC. Over two Seasons, he played outside centre, where his performances earned him a contract with Northampton.
International career
Wyles first represented the USA in rugby at the 2007 Hong Kong SevensHong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
. From there, he went on to captain the IRB Sevens World Series
IRB Sevens World Series
The IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
, leading the team to core IRB Sevens status. During his time with the USA Sevens team he scored an impressive 54 tries in 13 tournaments. Wyles earned his first 15's cap at the Churchill Cup in 2007 against England Saxons before going onto to play Fullback for the Eagles in the 2007 World Cup. His performances in the World Cup, led him to be named the American Rugby News ‘Player of the Year’ Since the 2007 World Cup, he has been a regular starter at Fullback for the USA National team. In 2009, Wyles was included in the USA Eagles team of the decade by a leading US rugby publication