James Simpson-Daniel
Encyclopedia
James David Simpson-Daniel (born 30 May 1982 in Stockton-on-Tees
) is an English
rugby union
footballer who plays wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby
.
He attended Red House School
& Sedbergh School
in the Yorkshire Dales
, which has produced a number of professional rugby union players including Will Greenwood
and Will Carling
. He began playing for the Yorkshire Under 18s and then the North East Under 18s. While his schoolmates were attending university open days, he was visiting professional rugby union clubs. He eventually chose Gloucester Rugby
. His Gloucester Rugby debut was against Rotherham
in 2001, when he scored a superb individual try.
He represented England
at the Hong Kong Sevens
in 2002 and scored a hat trick in the final, which England won. He flew back and followed it up with a hat trick in a club game against Bath
. Four days before his twentieth birthday he rounded Jonah Lomu
to score a famous try for an uncapped England XV against the Barbarians
at Twickenham
.
He made his international debut for England
against New Zealand
in November 2002. An injury to his foot meant that he missed a tour to Argentina. He recovered for the Autumn internationals against Australia and New Zealand but was diagnosed with glandular fever
and missed out on playing against South Africa. He was playing again within a few months and was able to be a part of Gloucester Rugby winning the cup.
He narrowly missed selection to the final 30 for the 2003 Rugby World Cup because of a back problem, although he had celebrated his first Six Nations Championship start some months earlier with a try in the match against Italy. Unluckily, injury once again prevented him playing a part in the 2004 Autumn series in November and he missed further game time for the build up to the 2005 Six Nations. Picked in the centre for England's final 2005 Autumn test against Samoa but a hip injury forced him off at half-time.
In 2006, he made the squad for England's tour of Australia and scored two tries in their win over the Barbarians on 28 May. However, he suffered a dead leg midweek during training, and as a result missed both tests, in which England were resoundingly beaten.
Once more, he was beset by bad luck and suffered a comminuted fracture of his collarbone in a pre-season match for Gloucester Rugby, which greatly reduced his chances of playing in the autumn tests.
He was recalled to the England squad for the 2007 Summer Tour of South Africa, alongside club colleagues Andy Hazell, Nick Wood, Iain Balshaw, Anthony Allen and Alex Brown. After fantasic performances for Gloucester throughout the 2007–08 season, Simpson-Daniel was named Guinness Premiership Player of The Season beating Olly Barkley and teammate Akapusi Qera
.
Simpson-Daniel was called into the England Saxons
squad to face Italy A
in Ragusa
, Sicily
on 9 February 2008.
Following some great performances with his top of the league club Gloucester, Simpson-Daniel was called into the England squad for the team to face on Scotland on 8 March 2008. Called into the 2011 Rugby World Cup
training squad, on 1 August 2011 Simpson-Daniel was one of five plyers released by manager Martin Johnson
.
Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rugby union
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 wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester RFC
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union club situated in the west country city of Gloucester. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership...
.
He attended Red House School
Red House School
Red House School is a co-educational independent school in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, in the northeast of England.Nursery, Reception and Year 1 are located in a purpose-built unit, whilst Years 2 and 3 are in a Georgian Vicarage. The Preparatory School and Senior School are in a manor house...
& Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School is a boarding school in Sedbergh, Cumbria, for boys and girls aged 13 to 18. Nestled in the Howgill Fells, it is known for sporting sides, such as its Rugby Union 1st XV.-Background:...
in the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
, which has produced a number of professional rugby union players including Will Greenwood
Will Greenwood
William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:...
and Will Carling
Will Carling
William David Charles Carling, OBE is a former Rugby union player for Harlequins, and a former captain of England from 1988 to 1996, winning 72 caps.-Early life:...
. He began playing for the Yorkshire Under 18s and then the North East Under 18s. While his schoolmates were attending university open days, he was visiting professional rugby union clubs. He eventually chose Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester RFC
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union club situated in the west country city of Gloucester. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership...
. His Gloucester Rugby debut was against 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:...
in 2001, when he scored a superb individual try.
He represented England
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*...
at the Hong Kong Sevens
Hong 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....
in 2002 and scored a hat trick in the final, which England won. He flew back and followed it up with a hat trick in a club game against 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...
. Four days before his twentieth birthday he rounded Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu
Jonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
to score a famous try for an uncapped England XV against the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
He made his international debut for 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...
against New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
in November 2002. An injury to his foot meant that he missed a tour to Argentina. He recovered for the Autumn internationals against Australia and New Zealand but was diagnosed with glandular fever
Infectious mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis is an infectious, widespread viral...
and missed out on playing against South Africa. He was playing again within a few months and was able to be a part of Gloucester Rugby winning the cup.
He narrowly missed selection to the final 30 for the 2003 Rugby World Cup because of a back problem, although he had celebrated his first Six Nations Championship start some months earlier with a try in the match against Italy. Unluckily, injury once again prevented him playing a part in the 2004 Autumn series in November and he missed further game time for the build up to the 2005 Six Nations. Picked in the centre for England's final 2005 Autumn test against Samoa but a hip injury forced him off at half-time.
In 2006, he made the squad for England's tour of Australia and scored two tries in their win over the Barbarians on 28 May. However, he suffered a dead leg midweek during training, and as a result missed both tests, in which England were resoundingly beaten.
Once more, he was beset by bad luck and suffered a comminuted fracture of his collarbone in a pre-season match for Gloucester Rugby, which greatly reduced his chances of playing in the autumn tests.
He was recalled to the England squad for the 2007 Summer Tour of South Africa, alongside club colleagues Andy Hazell, Nick Wood, Iain Balshaw, Anthony Allen and Alex Brown. After fantasic performances for Gloucester throughout the 2007–08 season, Simpson-Daniel was named Guinness Premiership Player of The Season beating Olly Barkley and teammate Akapusi Qera
Akapusi Qera
Akapusi Qera is a Fijian professional rugby union player. A Flanker or No.8, Qera is from a sporting family; his father was an international cricketer for Fiji and his brother also played international rugby for Fiji. Qera is a current test international and has also captained the national side...
.
Simpson-Daniel was 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.
Following some great performances with his top of the league club Gloucester, Simpson-Daniel was called into the England squad for the team to face on Scotland on 8 March 2008. Called into the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
training squad, on 1 August 2011 Simpson-Daniel was one of five plyers released by manager Martin Johnson
Martin Johnson
Martin Osborne Johnson CBE is an English former rugby union player who represented and captained England and Leicester. He is mostly known for captaining England to victory in the World Cup in 2003. He became the new England team manager on 1 July 2008, replacing the previous manager Brian Ashton....
.