Matt Cairns
Encyclopedia
Matt Cairns is a rugby union
footballer who plays at hooker for Harlequins
and has been capped for the England
national side as well as representing England in the Saxons
and Sevens
teams as well as at several age group levels. He also played for a season with Sale Sharks
and has had two spells with Saracens
.
where he made his first representative appearances for the North Under-16s, followed by games at colts level for London and England while playing for Wirral Rugby Club
. An all round sportsman, he also had trials for Liverpool F.C.
. He then attended Brunel University
, playing at the time for England Students.
In the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons Cairns was making regular first team appearances, with 2003 bringing another step up the international ladder, touring with the England Saxons
in their Churchill Cup
campaign.
It was clear that in the 2003–04 season it became clear that Cairns would competing for his place with French captain Raphael Ibanez
who had just been signed by Saracens, and he returned to the north for a spell with Sale Sharks
.
, making ten starting appearances in their Guinness Premiership campaign, with a further eight bench appearances and scoring four Premiership tries. He was once again called into the England Saxons side for their 2004 Churchill Cup tour, before returning to Saracens.
and Ireland's Shane Byrne, making more than 20 appearances in each season since his return to Vicarage Road. In the 2006–07 season he passed the 150 cap mark for Saracens in all competitions. In the same season he reached another landmark when he was called up to the full England
side for their summer tour to South Africa, earning his first, and to date, only cap as a replacement during the first test against the Springboks on 26 May 2007 before falling victim to the virus that prevented many England players being considered for the second test.
He signed a new contract with Saracens in 2006, that if completed will see Cairns mark ten years of service with the club.
Following the 2008/09 season Cairns was one of the bunch who were released by Saracens
. Cairns has recently signed with London club Harlequins
and was named on the bench in the LV= Cup Match against The Llanelli Scarlet's.
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 at hooker for 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...
and has been capped for the 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...
national side as well as representing England in the 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...
and Sevens
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*...
teams as well as at several age group levels. He also played for a season with Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
and has had two spells with Saracens
Saracens 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...
.
Early life
Cairns attended Wirral Grammar School for BoysWirral Grammar School for Boys
Wirral Grammar School for Boys, founded in 1931, is situated on Cross Lane, Bebington, on the Wirral Peninsula in England.-Admissions:It is a foundation school, located within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and requires all potential pupils to take, and pass, the eleven plus exam exam prior to...
where he made his first representative appearances for the North Under-16s, followed by games at colts level for London and England while playing for Wirral Rugby Club
Wirral Rugby Club
Wirral Rugby Club is based in Thornton Common Road, Clatterbridge, Wirral, England. Wirral Rugby Club is a thriving Club on the Wirral. It has many Minis and Juniors teams from under 8s upwards, and runs Colts and Four Senior teams. The Club was formed in 1937 and was based at the School, at...
. An all round sportsman, he also had trials for Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. He then attended Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
, playing at the time for England Students.
Saracens 1998–2003
Cairns' first professional club was Saracens, joining the club's academy system and making two appearances for the first team as a substitute in the 1998–99 season, followed by a debut appearance in the starting line up the following season, along with several more bench appearances. In his third season he made several appearances in Saracens starting XVs and also recorded his maiden try.In the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons Cairns was making regular first team appearances, with 2003 bringing another step up the international ladder, touring with 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...
in their Churchill Cup
Churchill 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....
campaign.
It was clear that in the 2003–04 season it became clear that Cairns would competing for his place with French captain Raphael Ibanez
Raphaël Ibanez
Raphaël Ibañez is a retired French rugby union footballer. A hooker, he was also a former captain of the France national team.-Club career:...
who had just been signed by Saracens, and he returned to the north for a spell with Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
.
Sale Sharks 2003–04
Cairns spent a single season with Sale SharksSale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
, making ten starting appearances in their Guinness Premiership campaign, with a further eight bench appearances and scoring four Premiership tries. He was once again called into the England Saxons side for their 2004 Churchill Cup tour, before returning to Saracens.
Saracens 2004–present
Cairns was soon a regular starter in Saracens line ups once again, despite facing competition for his place from the likes of Italian international Fabio OngaroFabio Ongaro
Fabio Ongaro is an Italian rugby union footballer. Although he now plays as a hooker, he played in the Italian youth teams as a flanker.-Career:...
and Ireland's Shane Byrne, making more than 20 appearances in each season since his return to Vicarage Road. In the 2006–07 season he passed the 150 cap mark for Saracens in all competitions. In the same season he reached another landmark when he was called up to the full 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...
side for their summer tour to South Africa, earning his first, and to date, only cap as a replacement during the first test against the Springboks on 26 May 2007 before falling victim to the virus that prevented many England players being considered for the second test.
He signed a new contract with Saracens in 2006, that if completed will see Cairns mark ten years of service with the club.
Following the 2008/09 season Cairns was one of the bunch who were released by Saracens
Saracens 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...
. Cairns has recently signed with London club 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...
and was named on the bench in the LV= Cup Match against The Llanelli Scarlet's.