Peter Richards (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Peter Charles Richards is a former English rugby union
player. A versatile player, he has played in three positions: scrum half (his preferred role), fly-half and centre. Richards retired in the summer of 2010 because of a back injury.
, near Ipswich. He moved to Lord Wandsworth College
, Hampshire for sixth form and played alongside Jonny Wilkinson
reaching the Daily Mail Semi-Final in 1996. He featured in both the England U16 and U18 Group Schools teams before joining London Irish
in 1996.
before joining Harlequins for the 1999–2000 season.
He left two years later and spent a year in Italy playing for Benetton Treviso
, then returned to join Bristol Shoguns. He moved again, to Wasps
at the start of the 2003–04 season, when the Shoguns were relegated from the Zurich Premiership
.
In summer 2005, Richards moved to Gloucester
to replace Andy Gomarsall
. He re-signed with London Irish
at the start of the 2007–08 season.
He was part of the England “Tour of Hell” in 1998 to Australia and New Zealand
when he played against the New Zealand Māori
. He came home before the final leg to South Africa.
In 2004 he was part of the winning England
team at the Hong Kong Sevens
.
This decision paid off when he was named in Andy Robinson's
2005 Autumn test squad, though he did not feature in any of the games.
Richards was included in England's 2006 Tour of Australia
and won his first Test cap
against the Wallabies
in a game which Australia beat England 34–3. Richards won his second cap in the second game of the tour in which the Wallabies triumphed again in a 43–18 victory.
He took part in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
in France, coming on as a replacement in the Final, and other games.
He was picked for the 2008 Six Nations Championship
but was then ruled out of the whole tournament after tearing a biceps
muscle while playing for London Irish
against Benetton Rugby Treviso
.
On 19 May 2010, Richards announced his retirement from rugby due to injury, saying "I've had a great career and thoroughly enjoyed my rugby wherever I've played. I would like to have continued on for another couple of seasons, unfortunately that is not going to be physically possible. I would like to thank all the players, coaches and management and supporters at all the clubs I've played with for their help, friendship and encouragement."
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. A versatile player, he has played in three positions: scrum half (his preferred role), fly-half and centre. Richards retired in the summer of 2010 because of a back injury.
Early career
His began playing mini rugby at Farnham Rugby Club, before he went to the Royal Hospital SchoolRoyal Hospital School
The Royal Hospital School, , is a British co-educational independent boarding school with naval traditions. It admits pupils from age 11 to 18 through Common Entrance or the school's own exam...
, near Ipswich. He moved to Lord Wandsworth College
Lord Wandsworth College
Lord Wandsworth College, often abbreviated to LWC, is a medium-sized fully co-educational independent school in Hampshire, England. It takes both day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 - 18. It is set among farmland adjacent to the small village of Long Sutton, near the small town of Odiham...
, Hampshire for sixth form and played alongside Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
reaching the Daily Mail Semi-Final in 1996. He featured in both the England U16 and U18 Group Schools teams before joining 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...
in 1996.
Club career
He quickly made his first team debut for London Irish against Leicester TigersLeicester 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...
before joining Harlequins for the 1999–2000 season.
He left two years later and spent a year in Italy playing for Benetton Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
, then returned to join Bristol Shoguns. He moved again, to Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
at the start of the 2003–04 season, when the Shoguns were relegated from 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...
.
In summer 2005, Richards moved to Gloucester
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...
to replace Andy Gomarsall
Andy Gomarsall
Andrew Charles Thomas Gomarsall MBE is a rugby union player who plays at scrum-half for Leeds Carnegie and England.He previously played for Gloucester Rugby, Bedford and Wasps...
. He re-signed with 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...
at the start of the 2007–08 season.
International career
Richards has represented England at U19, U21 and A level.He was part of the England “Tour of Hell” in 1998 to Australia and New Zealand
1998 England rugby union tour of Australasia and South Africa
-Matches:The tour is often referred to in rugby culture as 'The Tour of Hell' due to the number of heavy defeats suffered by the England team-Full Back:Tim Stimpson, Matt Perry, Nick Beal, Paul Sampson-Three-Quarters:...
when he played against the New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
. He came home before the final leg to South Africa.
In 2004 he was part of the winning 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*...
team 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....
.
This decision paid off when he was named in Andy Robinson's
Andy 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...
2005 Autumn test squad, though he did not feature in any of the games.
Richards was included in England's 2006 Tour of Australia
2006 England rugby union tour of Australia
-Matches:-Backs:I Balshaw , M Van Gisbergen , J Simpson-Daniel , T Varndell , T Voyce , J Noon , M Tait , S Abbott , M Catt , O Barkley , A Goode , S Bemand , P Richards , N Walshe .-Forwards:G Chuter , L Mears , A Titterrell , T...
and won his first Test cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
against the Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in a game which Australia beat England 34–3. Richards won his second cap in the second game of the tour in which the Wallabies triumphed again in a 43–18 victory.
He took part in the 2007 Rugby 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,...
in France, coming on as a replacement in the Final, and other games.
He was picked for the 2008 Six Nations Championship
2008 Six Nations Championship
The 2008 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2008 RBS 6 Nations because of the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the ninth series of the rugby union Six Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the 114th...
but was then ruled out of the whole tournament after tearing a biceps
Biceps brachii muscle
In human anatomy, the biceps brachii, or simply biceps in common parlance, is, as the name implies, a two-headed muscle located on the upper arm. Both heads arise on the scapula and join to form a single muscle belly which is attached to the upper forearm...
muscle while playing for 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...
against Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso
Benetton Rugby Treviso are an Italian professional rugby union club currently competing in the RaboDirect Pro12 and the Heineken Cup.They are based in Treviso in Veneto, and owned by the Benetton clothing company....
.
On 19 May 2010, Richards announced his retirement from rugby due to injury, saying "I've had a great career and thoroughly enjoyed my rugby wherever I've played. I would like to have continued on for another couple of seasons, unfortunately that is not going to be physically possible. I would like to thank all the players, coaches and management and supporters at all the clubs I've played with for their help, friendship and encouragement."