Darren Crompton
Encyclopedia
Darren Crompton is a professional rugby union
player for Bristol Rugby
. He has played for Richmond, Bath
, Cardiff Blues
and represented England
at many levels. He also has a judo
black belt, winning a national gold medal at 13.
, helping to win the National Division One title in 2005. Newly promoted to the top flight of English club rugby, they were joined in the front row at the start of the 2005 Guinness Premiership
season by yet another former Bristol and Bath man, Mark Regan
. With Hilton playing loosehead, Regan at hooker, and Crompton at tighthead, their combined age was over 100. Because of this, no one expected the old but experieced front row team to have as much impact as they did, and have become known as 'Dad's Army'.. . Having helped keep Bristol in the Premiership in their first season, and after playing every game during the 2006-2007 campaign, which saw the team finish a surprising 3rd, he renewed his contract to Bristol Rugby in spring 2006.
due to Heineken Cup
and European Challenge Cup
finals commitments. This meant that Crompton was selected for the tour at the age of 34, nine years after his first senior England tour, as a result of his form in the Premiership. Thus he was able to win his full England cap, when he took to the field during the first test against the Springboks
in Bloemfontein
as a replacement for Stuart Turner.
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 for Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
. He has played for Richmond, 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...
, Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
and represented 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...
at many levels. He also has a judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
black belt, winning a national gold medal at 13.
Professional career
Darren began his professional career at Bath in 1993, moving to Bristol in 1999 after a spell at Richmond. He played for Bristol for four years, making up his first stint at the club, before moving to the Cardiff Blues for the 2003-2004 season. He returned for his second spell at Bristol on a two year contract along with another former Bristol and Bath player, Dave HiltonDave Hilton (rugby player)
Dave Hilton born 3 April 1970 in Bristol, England is a former rugby union player for Bath Rugby, Glasgow Warriors and Bristol Rugby whose position of choice is as a prop. He gained his first cap for the Scotland national rugby union team against Canada on January 21, 1991 and his 42nd and final cap...
, helping to win the National Division One title in 2005. Newly promoted to the top flight of English club rugby, they were joined in the front row at the start of the 2005 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...
season by yet another former Bristol and Bath man, Mark Regan
Mark Regan
Mark 'Ronnie' Regan MBE is an English rugby union player. He has played as a hooker for Bristol, Bath, Leeds Tykes as well as England and the British Lions.-Career:...
. With Hilton playing loosehead, Regan at hooker, and Crompton at tighthead, their combined age was over 100. Because of this, no one expected the old but experieced front row team to have as much impact as they did, and have become known as 'Dad's Army'.. . Having helped keep Bristol in the Premiership in their first season, and after playing every game during the 2006-2007 campaign, which saw the team finish a surprising 3rd, he renewed his contract to Bristol Rugby in spring 2006.
International career
He has played for England U16s, captained the U18s and the U21s, leading the U18 team in all five of their matches in 1991. He was selected for the England A tour of Australia and Fiji in 1995 debuting against South Australia. In 1998 he went on his first full England tour to the Southern Hemisphere, but returned home uncapped. He made no further appearance for England until 2007 when he was selected for the mid-year test series in South Africa. Many spaces were made available on this tour as no Leicester, Wasps or Bath players were selected by Brian AshtonBrian Ashton (rugby player)
William Brian Ashton MBE is a former rugby union player and the former Head Coach of the England and Ireland national rugby union teams.-Biography:...
due to Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
and European Challenge Cup
European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
finals commitments. This meant that Crompton was selected for the tour at the age of 34, nine years after his first senior England tour, as a result of his form in the Premiership. Thus he was able to win his full England cap, when he took to the field during the first test against the Springboks
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
as a replacement for Stuart Turner.