Lee Mears
Encyclopedia
Lee Mears is an English
rugby union
footballer, who plays hooker at Bath
.
and Alan Martinovic. He has played for Devon, and all the England age group teams. In 1997 he was a member of the unbeaten England U18 Schools team that toured Australia. He played in three world cup matches in New Zealand for England U21s.
, hookers Andy Long
, Mark Regan
and more recently Jonathan Humphreys
had all consigned him to the bench, but with Long and Regan moving on and Humphreys injured for much of the 2004–05 season, he was given a regular starting place.
squad but did not play in any of the games. The next year he helped England win the 2005 Churchill Cup and after being named in the Autumn test squad, he made his test début as a replacement against in November 2005. He came on as a replacement in the 2006 Six Nations Championship
games against , and , and earned a start against .
In 2007, Mears was selected in the England squad for the World Cup
.
Mears was selected in the starting 15 against in the 2008 Six Nations. This came after several games trying to break into the side from the bench.
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 hooker at 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...
.
Early years
Mears first started playing rugby for the Torquay Athletic mini team. Then after playing at Paignton College, he went to Colston's School and came under the guidance of Andy RobinsonAndy Robinson
Richard Andrew 'Andy' Robinson OBE is an English rugby union coach and retired player. He is currently the head coach of Scotland.Robinson played as an openside flanker for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
and Alan Martinovic. He has played for Devon, and all the England age group teams. In 1997 he was a member of the unbeaten England U18 Schools team that toured Australia. He played in three world cup matches in New Zealand for England U21s.
Senior team
Mears joined the Bath Academy in 1997 after leaving Colston's. While he managed to score on his first XV début in a friendly against 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...
, hookers Andy Long
Andy Long
Andy Long is an English rugby union footballer who plays at Hooker for Northampton Saints. He has 2 caps for England.Originally a product of the Bath academy, where he came to the attention of Bath coach Clive Woodward, having captained England U19 and U21...
, 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:...
and more recently Jonathan Humphreys
Jonathan Humphreys
Jonathan Matthews Humphreys is a former international Wales rugby union player who during his career also captained Wales. A hooker, he played his club rugby for Cardiff and Bath and was in the Wales squad during the 1995 Rugby World Cup and 1999 Rugby World Cup.-Notes:...
had all consigned him to the bench, but with Long and Regan moving on and Humphreys injured for much of the 2004–05 season, he was given a regular starting place.
International career
Mears was selected for the 2004 Churchill CupChurchill Cup
The Churchill Cup was an annual rugby union tournament, held in June, contested by representative men's teams from Canada, England, the United States, and other invited teams from a wide array of countries....
squad but did not play in any of the games. The next year he helped England win the 2005 Churchill Cup and after being named in the Autumn test squad, he made his test début as a replacement against in November 2005. He came on as a replacement in the 2006 Six Nations Championship
2006 Six Nations Championship
The 2006 RBS 6 Nations Championship was the seventh series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship to be held since the competition expanded in 2000 to include Italy...
games against , and , and earned a start against .
In 2007, Mears was selected in the England squad for the 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,...
.
Mears was selected in the starting 15 against in the 2008 Six Nations. This came after several games trying to break into the side from the bench.