Eric Peters
Encyclopedia
Eric Peters was an amateur and professional rugby union
player, usually playing at No8, who rose to captain the Scotland national rugby union team
.
Peters attended Brentwood School, and Cambridge University, where he became captain of rugby
. He played rugby for England at both Under 21 and Student level, before choosing to play for Scotland at senior level.
club in September 1993, when rugby union was still an amateur game, so he also qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and worked for a property consultant. He first played for Scotland against Canada, in January 1995, and became a professional player when the code was changed in 1996. He was first appointed Scottish captain for the 1999 match against Italy, but sustained a shattered kneecap in April 1999, and was out of the game for over a year. In March 2000, whilst still undergoing rehabilitation and surgery on his knee, it was discovered that he had testicular cancer, which was successfully treated with chemotherapy.
Whilst still injured, he left Bath and joined Harlequins
, who he first played for in December 2000. Leaving Harlequins in 2001, he briefly joined Fylde
and Rotherham
before joining Connacht
in 2002. He also briefly returned to the Scotland team in 2002.
Peters usually played in the Number 8 position, is 1.96m tall and had a playing weight of 105 kg
, for whom he still plays rugby sevens
, helping them win the RICS tournament 3 years in a row. He also commentates on rugby for BBC Radio 5 Live
and is a celebrity supporter of the Orchid cancer charity.
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, usually playing at No8, who rose to captain the Scotland national rugby union team
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
.
Early life
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Peters attended Brentwood School, and Cambridge University, where he became captain of rugby
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
. He played rugby for England at both Under 21 and Student level, before choosing to play for Scotland at senior level.
Rugby career
He joined 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...
club in September 1993, when rugby union was still an amateur game, so he also qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and worked for a property consultant. He first played for Scotland against Canada, in January 1995, and became a professional player when the code was changed in 1996. He was first appointed Scottish captain for the 1999 match against Italy, but sustained a shattered kneecap in April 1999, and was out of the game for over a year. In March 2000, whilst still undergoing rehabilitation and surgery on his knee, it was discovered that he had testicular cancer, which was successfully treated with chemotherapy.
Whilst still injured, he left Bath and joined Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
, who he first played for in December 2000. Leaving Harlequins in 2001, he briefly joined Fylde
Fylde Rugby Club
Fylde Rugby Union Club is a rugby union club based in Lytham St Annes, on the Fylde coast in Lancashire, England. Its home venue is the Woodlands Memorial Ground on Blackpool Road in Ansdell...
and Rotherham
Rotherham R.U.F.C.
Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans are a professional rugby union team from Rotherham, Yorkshire, currently playing in the English RFU Championship-History:...
before joining Connacht
Connacht Rugby
Connacht Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Connacht that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 comprising teams from the Celtic nations plus Italy. Normally, it also competes in the second-tier pan-European club competition, the European Challenge Cup...
in 2002. He also briefly returned to the Scotland team in 2002.
Peters usually played in the Number 8 position, is 1.96m tall and had a playing weight of 105 kg
Later career
Retiring from professional rugby in 2003, Peters became a Chartered Surveyor and Senior Associate at property consultants King SturgeKing Sturge
King Sturge was an international property consultancy with over 210 offices and 4,200 staff in 45 countries. They operated throughout the UK and Europe and had associations and partners in Asia Pacific and North, Central and South America...
, for whom he still plays rugby sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
, helping them win the RICS tournament 3 years in a row. He also commentates on rugby for BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
and is a celebrity supporter of the Orchid cancer charity.