Ollie Smith
Encyclopedia
Oliver James Smith is an English rugby player who plays for Harlequins F.C. Rugby Club as of next season (10/11) and England
usually at outside centre and occasionally inside centre or wing. He sees himself as a centre who has enough pace to deliver on the wing if required. Smith is 6'1" (1.85 m) and weighs 14 st 5l bs (91 kg). He formerly played for Leicester Tigers
. It has been announced that he will join London side Harlequins
for the 2010/2011 season.
, Hinckley
and went on to do a PE & Sports Science degree at Loughborough University
. He started playing junior rugby union with Old Bosworthians and then joined Market Bosworth at U14 level. As a boy he attended Tigers matches with his father and had his first season ticket at Welford Road at age seven. He joined Leicester Academy in 1999 after attending a trial. He was an unused replacement aged 17 before making his Leicester debut in September 2000 against London Irish
after his 18th birthday, at the time he was the youngest player to feature in the Zurich Premiership
. His age and ability led to comparisons with former Tigers' centre Paul Dodge
who did make his debut aged 17 and was to be his mentor.
. He started his first game for England in the trial against France
. However, concerns about his defensive positioning saw him fail to make the 2003 World Cup
Squad.
With injuries to other centres Mike Tindall
and Will Greenwood
, Smith was tipped by amongst others former centre Jeremy Guscott
to take his place in the 2005 Six Nations side. However, Smith was overlooked in favour of Newcastle centres of Mathew Tait
and Jamie Noon
. Tait, aged only 18, played poorly in his debut against Wales and was substituted by Olly Barkley
who played in the remaining matches. Noon was solid, if unspectacular and retained his place. Some good performances from Smith in club games saw him come onto the bench for the games against Ireland, Italy and Scotland, gaining two more caps against Italy and Scotland.
Smith was then named to the British & Irish Lions squad for the tour of New Zealand ahead of Noon and Barkley. Shortly after this announcement, his father died. He played in the warm-up test against Argentina scoring a try. This game was later granted test status by the IRB.
In 2008 there was a great disappointment for Smith because he did not get into the England squad for the mid-year tour to New Zealand.
rugby league team, apparently in an effort to rediscover his form. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2006/08/02/srengl02.xml Smith then regained a regular starting position in the Leicester team with many tries to his name in the 2006/07 season.
Smith openly admitted to having talks with other clubs over a move for this season. He signed for Montpellier after playing over 180 games for the Tigers.
In March 2010, Harlequins
announced that they had signed Smith from the start of the 2010/11 season. Smith said after returning to England from a stint with French club Montpellier: “I am really looking forward to coming back to England and joining such a prestigious club, and one which has so much history. It boasts an exciting and young group of English players, some of whom I have been lucky enough to have played with during my time in the Saxons and the Churchill Cup. Quins is a team which is going in the right direction and I want to be a part of it.
“I will be joining Quins a year before the World Cup, and I am not afraid to say that one of the reasons I have returned to England is so I can push for a position in next year’s World Cup squad, and I believe Quins, with the players and coaching structure that they have in place, will allow me to achieve that aspiration.” The news comes very soon after Quins had announced that David Strettle, one of Quins' best wingers would be leaving to Saracens
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...
usually at outside centre and occasionally inside centre or wing. He sees himself as a centre who has enough pace to deliver on the wing if required. Smith is 6'1" (1.85 m) and weighs 14 st 5l bs (91 kg). He formerly played for Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
. It has been announced that he will join London side 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...
for the 2010/2011 season.
Early career
He was educated at John Cleveland CollegeJohn Cleveland College
John Cleveland College is a state Comprehensive school in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:The school also comprises a sixth form with approximately 470 students, and a nursery with around 50 infants...
, Hinckley
Hinckley
Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, England. It has a population of 43,246 . It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council...
and went on to do a PE & Sports Science degree at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
. He started playing junior rugby union with Old Bosworthians and then joined Market Bosworth at U14 level. As a boy he attended Tigers matches with his father and had his first season ticket at Welford Road at age seven. He joined Leicester Academy in 1999 after attending a trial. He was an unused replacement aged 17 before making his Leicester debut in September 2000 against London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
after his 18th birthday, at the time he was the youngest player to feature in the Zurich Premiership
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...
. His age and ability led to comparisons with former Tigers' centre Paul Dodge
Paul Dodge
Paul William Dodge is a former English rugby union international footballer who gained 32 caps for his country between 1978 and 1985. His Leicester Tigers career earned him 436 appearances....
who did make his debut aged 17 and was to be his mentor.
International career
He played for England U18 ‘A’ in 1999/00 and the next season became a member of the England U19 team, progressing to the U21 side during 2001/02, then Smith gained his first cap as a replacement against ItalyItaly national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
. He started his first game for England in the trial against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
. However, concerns about his defensive positioning saw him fail to make the 2003 World Cup
2003 World Cup
2003 World Cup can refer to:* 2003 Cricket World Cup* 2003 Rugby World Cup* 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup* 2003 Speedway World Cup* 2003 FIVB Women's World Cup* 2003 Alpine Skiing World Cup-See also:* 2003 Continental Championships...
Squad.
With injuries to other centres Mike Tindall
Mike Tindall
Michael James Tindall, MBE is an English rugby player who plays outside centre for Gloucester Rugby and has captained the England team...
and Will Greenwood
Will Greenwood
William John Heaton "Will" Greenwood, MBE is an English former rugby union footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.-Career:...
, Smith was tipped by amongst others former centre Jeremy Guscott
Jeremy Guscott
Jeremy Clayton Guscott is a former rugby union outside centre who played for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions. On rare occasions, he has also appeared for England on the wing....
to take his place in the 2005 Six Nations side. However, Smith was overlooked in favour of Newcastle centres of Mathew Tait
Mathew Tait
Mathew Tait is an English rugby union footballer. He is an outside centre, a fullback or wing...
and Jamie Noon
Jamie Noon
Jamie Darren Noon is a rugby union footballer who plays at centre for CA Brive.-Career:Hard-running centre Noon joined the Falcons in the 1998/9 season, after a letter from one of his school teachers alerted the club to a player who had been totally missed by the representative rugby system in...
. Tait, aged only 18, played poorly in his debut against Wales and was substituted by Olly Barkley
Olly Barkley
Oliver John Barkley is an English rugby union player who plays at fly-half or centre for Bath and England. Uniquely, Barkley played for his country before making his full senior club début.-Early career:...
who played in the remaining matches. Noon was solid, if unspectacular and retained his place. Some good performances from Smith in club games saw him come onto the bench for the games against Ireland, Italy and Scotland, gaining two more caps against Italy and Scotland.
Smith was then named to the British & Irish Lions squad for the tour of New Zealand ahead of Noon and Barkley. Shortly after this announcement, his father died. He played in the warm-up test against Argentina scoring a try. This game was later granted test status by the IRB.
In 2008 there was a great disappointment for Smith because he did not get into the England squad for the mid-year tour to New Zealand.
2006 onwards
Following a disappointing 2005/6 season, Smith went to Brisbane, Australia to train with the Brisbane BroncosBrisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
rugby league team, apparently in an effort to rediscover his form. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2006/08/02/srengl02.xml Smith then regained a regular starting position in the Leicester team with many tries to his name in the 2006/07 season.
Smith openly admitted to having talks with other clubs over a move for this season. He signed for Montpellier after playing over 180 games for the Tigers.
In March 2010, 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...
announced that they had signed Smith from the start of the 2010/11 season. Smith said after returning to England from a stint with French club Montpellier: “I am really looking forward to coming back to England and joining such a prestigious club, and one which has so much history. It boasts an exciting and young group of English players, some of whom I have been lucky enough to have played with during my time in the Saxons and the Churchill Cup. Quins is a team which is going in the right direction and I want to be a part of it.
“I will be joining Quins a year before the World Cup, and I am not afraid to say that one of the reasons I have returned to England is so I can push for a position in next year’s World Cup squad, and I believe Quins, with the players and coaching structure that they have in place, will allow me to achieve that aspiration.” The news comes very soon after Quins had announced that David Strettle, one of Quins' best wingers would be leaving to Saracens