Jeff Probyn
Encyclopedia
Jeff Probyn is an English
former Rugby Union
player.
The Askeans, Streatham
and Wasps prop was selected in England's squad for the 1987 Rugby World Cup
, but Probyn did not make his international debut until 1988, at the age of 31, against France
. Left out of the 1993 Lions squad that toured New Zealand
, Probyn toured South Africa
with a World XV in 1989, and was a member of the Wasps FC
side that won the English Courage league
in 1990. Along with Stuart Barnes
, Wade Dooley
, Mike Teague
, Peter Winterbottom
and Jon Webb
, Probyn wore the England shirt for the last time in a 17-3 defeat by Ireland
at Lansdowne Road
in 1993. In total, he won 37 caps for England and scored 3 tries.
Probyn was fairly slight for a modern international prop, and a good part of his effectiveness can be explained by his unusual physique: his bony shoulders sloped at a sharp angle, and his hips were widely set.
At one stage Probyn was voted the best prop in the world and as such was part of many advertising campaigns including those for Nike
and Cotton Traders
.
Due to Probyn's exceptional scrummaging techniques some players took to cutting off the sleeves of their shirts as they believed this was how Jeff managed to get so low down in the scrum and would use the sleeves as leverage. After Probyn continued to keep the scrum incredibly low, it was evident that their sleeve cutting was unnecessary.
After retirement from playing, Probyn was a member of Club England, the Rugby Football Union Committee. He was the manager of the England U21 team from 1994 to 1997 during which time he introduced Clive Woodward and Andy Robinson as coaches to representative rugby. After managing the U21 teams tour of Australia, where they played as a warm up for the first ever Cooke cup game between England and Australia, he returned to the RFU council and sat on the Club England group that elected Woodward as England coach. He sat on the 2006 review that saw the replacement of England's world cup winning coaches with the current team, led by Martin Johnson.
After leaving the RFU, Probyn was critical of cross-code transfers, such as that of Andy Farrell.
He also formed The Front Row Union Club F.R.U.C with fellow international front-row forwards Brian Moore and Paul Rendall.
Probyn is an Honorary President of Wooden Spoon
, the charity of British and Irish rugby.
Probyn is also a regular on talkSPORT
as their expert on Full Contact.
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...
former 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...
player.
The Askeans, Streatham
Streatham-Croydon RFC
The Streatham-Croydon Rugby Football Club, is a historic Rugby Union club, founded in 1871, based at Frant Road, Thornton Heath, in the London Borough of Croydon, South London....
and Wasps prop was selected in England's squad for the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
, but Probyn did not make his international debut until 1988, at the age of 31, against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Left out of the 1993 Lions squad that toured New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Probyn toured South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with a World XV in 1989, and was a member of the Wasps FC
Wasps FC
Wasps FC is the amateur side of the Wasps rugby union club formed in 1867. The men's first team was split from Wasps FC at the turn of professionalism, for the 1996-97 season, to become Wasps RFC, owned by Chris Wright, and later became London Wasps in the summer of 1999...
side that won the English Courage league
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...
in 1990. Along with Stuart Barnes
Stuart Barnes
Stuart Barnes is a former English rugby union footballer, and now rugby commentator for Sky Sports. Barnes played fly-half for Newport RFC, Bristol, Bath; and represented England and the British Lions at international level.-Biography:Born in Essex, Barnes was educated at Rougemont and Bassaleg...
, Wade Dooley
Wade Dooley
Wade Dooley is a former England rugby union international who played lock forward. He played for his country 55 times and was known as the "Blackpool Tower", as a result of being 6 feet 8 inches tall and a police officer with Lancashire Constabulary in Blackpool.Dooley was born in Warrington,...
, Mike Teague
Mike Teague
Michael Clive Teague is a former England and British Lions rugby union footballer.-Early life:Teague was born and raised on a pig farm a few miles outside Gloucester...
, Peter Winterbottom
Peter Winterbottom
Peter James Winterbottom , is a former England rugby union footballer who played as an openside flanker. He was England's most-capped openside until being overtaken by Neil Back in 2003...
and Jon Webb
Jonathan Webb
Jonathan Mark Webb is a former English rugby union footballer who represented England in 33 Test matches. He played for two clubs, first Bristol and then Bath where he played mainly at fullback. His career representing England lasted between 1987 and 1993, and he scored a total of 296 points for...
, Probyn wore the England shirt for the last time in a 17-3 defeat by Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
in 1993. In total, he won 37 caps for England and scored 3 tries.
Probyn was fairly slight for a modern international prop, and a good part of his effectiveness can be explained by his unusual physique: his bony shoulders sloped at a sharp angle, and his hips were widely set.
At one stage Probyn was voted the best prop in the world and as such was part of many advertising campaigns including those for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and Cotton Traders
Cotton Traders
Cotton Traders is a British clothing company, specialising in rugby apparel and leisurewear, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith....
.
Due to Probyn's exceptional scrummaging techniques some players took to cutting off the sleeves of their shirts as they believed this was how Jeff managed to get so low down in the scrum and would use the sleeves as leverage. After Probyn continued to keep the scrum incredibly low, it was evident that their sleeve cutting was unnecessary.
After retirement from playing, Probyn was a member of Club England, the Rugby Football Union Committee. He was the manager of the England U21 team from 1994 to 1997 during which time he introduced Clive Woodward and Andy Robinson as coaches to representative rugby. After managing the U21 teams tour of Australia, where they played as a warm up for the first ever Cooke cup game between England and Australia, he returned to the RFU council and sat on the Club England group that elected Woodward as England coach. He sat on the 2006 review that saw the replacement of England's world cup winning coaches with the current team, led by Martin Johnson.
After leaving the RFU, Probyn was critical of cross-code transfers, such as that of Andy Farrell.
He also formed The Front Row Union Club F.R.U.C with fellow international front-row forwards Brian Moore and Paul Rendall.
Probyn is an Honorary President of Wooden Spoon
Wooden Spoon Society
Wooden Spoon is a children's charity founded in 1983, when the England rugby team received the Wooden Spoon in the 5 Nations. Spoon is dedicated to helping children and young people who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially by using sport as a method of improving lives while...
, the charity of British and Irish rugby.
Probyn is also a regular on talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
as their expert on Full Contact.
Statistics
- Physical: 1.78 metres, 102 kilograms
- 37 caps (+ 1 nonofficial) for England
- Selections per year: 8 in 1988, 3 in 1989, 7 in 1990, 11 in 1991, 4 in 1992, 4 in 1993
- Five Nations tournaments: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 1992 1993
- World Cups: 1991, 5 matches