Stuart Hooper
Encyclopedia
Stuart Hooper is a rugby union
player for Bath Rugby
in the Aviva Premiership.
Hooper played basketball at county level until he was 16, before opting for rugby on his move to the specialist sports campus at Ivybridge Community College
in Devon.
He broke into the Saracens
team whilst still a teenager and played alongside Frenchman Abdel Benazzi
in the second row. After making over 30 appearances or so for Saracens he made a surprise move to Leeds in June 2003. He made his Tykes debut against Bath Rugby
on 14 September 2003.
Phil Davies
said at the time of his joining the Tykes: "Stuart Hooper is one of the best young second-rows in the country. He is an England Under-21 international and has a massive future in the game. I've been looking at him for more than a year and I'm chuffed to bits he's agreed to come to the Tykes. Saracens certainly didn't want to let him go but when the time was right we moved in and now he's on his way to Headingley."
In June 2005 Hooper was called up for England Saxons
against France
and was part of their Churchill Cup
success in Canada. Hooper captained the 2009 Saxons side in the Churchill Cup
.
Hooper was appointed as captain of Leeds Tykes for the 2005–06 Guinness Premiership
season, and in doing so became the youngest captain in the league.
In April 2006, Hooper re-signed with Leeds, but left at the end of the 2007–08 season to join Bath.
On the 5th July 2011 Hooper was named the new Bath club captain for the 2011/12 season.
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 for Bath Rugby
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...
in the Aviva Premiership.
Hooper played basketball at county level until he was 16, before opting for rugby on his move to the specialist sports campus at Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College
Ivybridge Community College is a state funded secondary school in Ivybridge, Devon, England. It is apparently the second-largest secondary school in Devon. Since 2010, Rob Haring has been the principal. It was awarded a sports specialism in 1997, a specialism in Science in 2004 and a third...
in Devon.
He broke into the 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...
team whilst still a teenager and played alongside Frenchman Abdel Benazzi
Abdelatif Benazzi
Abdelatif Benazzi is a French-Moroccan rugby union footballer who represented both Morocco and France. He played as a lock or back row forward....
in the second row. After making over 30 appearances or so for Saracens he made a surprise move to Leeds in June 2003. He made his Tykes debut against Bath Rugby
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...
on 14 September 2003.
Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Phil Davies is a Welsh former rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s.-Rugby career:Davies played his club rugby for Llanelli and enjoyed a distinguished 46 cap career for Wales between 1985 and 1995...
said at the time of his joining the Tykes: "Stuart Hooper is one of the best young second-rows in the country. He is an England Under-21 international and has a massive future in the game. I've been looking at him for more than a year and I'm chuffed to bits he's agreed to come to the Tykes. Saracens certainly didn't want to let him go but when the time was right we moved in and now he's on his way to Headingley."
In June 2005 Hooper was called up for 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...
against France
France A national rugby union team
The France A national rugby union team, known previously as France XV national rugby union team and France B national rugby union team, are the second national rugby union team behind the French national side.-History:...
and was part of their Churchill Cup
2005 Churchill Cup
The 2005 Churchill Cup was held between 14 June and 21 June 2005 in Edmonton, Canada. It was the third edition of the Churchill Cup competition...
success in Canada. Hooper captained the 2009 Saxons side in the Churchill Cup
2009 Churchill Cup
The 2009 Churchill Cup took place between June 6 and June 21, 2009, in the seventh year of the tournament.For the first time in the tournament's history, all rounds were held in the United States in an effort to reduce the cost of the tournament after the discontinued sponsorship by Barclays and to...
.
Hooper was appointed as captain of Leeds Tykes for the 2005–06 Guinness 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...
season, and in doing so became the youngest captain in the league.
In April 2006, Hooper re-signed with Leeds, but left at the end of the 2007–08 season to join Bath.
On the 5th July 2011 Hooper was named the new Bath club captain for the 2011/12 season.