Kyle Eastmond
Encyclopedia
Kyle Eastmond is a professional rugby union footballer who currently plays for Bath
, and has played for St. Helens in Super League
and internationally for England
. Eastmond has been compared to Australian
international Scott Prince
, because of his darting runs to the line and a good kicking game. He has also got a keen eye for a gap in the defensive line. Eastmond features on the UK cover of video game Rugby League Live
.
, Oldham. Kyle is also related to Arsenal F.C.
's Craig Eastmond
, who is his cousin.
fixture with Wigan
, scoring a late try and a goal. He made 13 appearances in this season scoring 6 tries. He was then compared to Jason Robinson
for his general attributes, and with his size finds it easy to duck under any oncoming opposition which helped him 778m.
In 2009, Kyle became an influential player for the St. Helens side. He may have played one less game than in 2008, but he scored 8 tries, 30 goals (18 more than the previous year), 7 try assists, he gained 899m and made more clean breaks. Kyle capped off an impressive year in 2009 by scoring all of Saints' 10 points in the Championship Final
defeat to Leeds
.
He was then selected for England
in the 2009 Four Nations tournament and made his international debut against Wales
in a warm-up game. In December 2009, Eastmond signed a new two-year contract with St Helens that ended at the end of the 2011 Super League season.
left St. Helens to join Hull at the end of the 2009 season, Kyle became the new number 7 for Saints. He started the year very well before injuries hit him for the 2nd half of the season. Although he still managed to make 19 appearances scoring 15 tries. He scored 63 goal kicks missing 18, and kicked 2 drop goals. He made a total of 1615m. Every time he came back from injury he seem to aggravate it. Therefore meaning he missed the Grand Final
defeat to Wigan
. Matty Smith
, now of Salford
, returned from his loan spell at Salford for the play-offs and featured in the final.
In early 2011 Eastmond was linked with a move to Rugby Union
. Kyle started the season poorly and with fans getting on his back. However on the 28th February 2011 both the club and coach Royce Simmons
, confirmed he was to leave Saints. It was revealed that Kyle had signed a three year deal with Bath Rugby
, Eastmond has promised to be 100% committed to his current club for the rest of the season. Commenting on the move, Bath Director of Rugby Sir Ian McGeechan
said he envisions Eastmond playing at centre.
On the 16th March 2011 it was announced on the St. Helens website that he had been suspended by the club pending an investigation into serious misconduct. The club also said that no further comments will be made until the completion of the investigation. It was confirmed by the club that he made an inappropriate gesture to his home fans, and it looked unlikely he would ever play in the red V again, especially after the emergence of scrum-half sensation Jonny Lomax
and stand-off Lee Gaskell
. He was dropped to the under-18s team. However injuries struck Saints, and they called upon Kyle to fill in. He was playing under difficult circumstances, with Saints fans booing him with every touch of the ball, however he made a decent return. In July 2011 he successfully made the switch from the halfbacks to fullback, scoring 2 tries against Wakefield Trinity
on 9 July. Since then Kyle has regained his confidence and is playing in a similar way to the 2008-09 seasons. He has so far managed 15 appearances and scored 5 tries, but reduced to just 4 goal kicks (3 missed kicks) due to Jamie Foster replacing him as the club's kicker.
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...
, and has played for St. Helens in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
and internationally for England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
. Eastmond has been compared to Australian
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
international Scott Prince
Scott Prince
Scott Prince is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and current captain of the Gold Coast Titans club of the National Rugby League...
, because of his darting runs to the line and a good kicking game. He has also got a keen eye for a gap in the defensive line. Eastmond features on the UK cover of video game Rugby League Live
Rugby League Live
Rugby League Live is a 2010 video game based on the sport of rugby league. It is the fifth in the NRL Rugby League video game series and the first on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
.
Early life
Kyle attended the Radclyffe SchoolThe Radclyffe School
The Radclyffe School is a mixed comprehensive school for 11 – 16 year olds, located in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, England.-Grammar school:...
, Oldham. Kyle is also related to Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's Craig Eastmond
Craig Eastmond
Craig Leon Eastmond is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal. A product of Arsenal Academy who came to prominence during 2008–09 FA Youth Cup, he can play as either a defensive midfielder or right back...
, who is his cousin.
Early career
In 2007, Kyle Eastmond was promoted to training with the St. Helens first team squad.2008-09
In 2008, he was given the number 24 jersey and made a spectacular early impression in the traditional Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
fixture with Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
, scoring a late try and a goal. He made 13 appearances in this season scoring 6 tries. He was then compared to Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson
Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for...
for his general attributes, and with his size finds it easy to duck under any oncoming opposition which helped him 778m.
In 2009, Kyle became an influential player for the St. Helens side. He may have played one less game than in 2008, but he scored 8 tries, 30 goals (18 more than the previous year), 7 try assists, he gained 899m and made more clean breaks. Kyle capped off an impressive year in 2009 by scoring all of Saints' 10 points in the Championship Final
2009 Super League Grand Final
The 2009 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 10 October 2009, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was contested by defending champions and 2009 League Leaders Leeds Rhinos, and the team they had faced in the grand final for the past two years, St Helens.The 2009 decider, contested...
defeat to Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
.
He was then selected for England
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
in the 2009 Four Nations tournament and made his international debut against Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
in a warm-up game. In December 2009, Eastmond signed a new two-year contract with St Helens that ended at the end of the 2011 Super League season.
2010-11
After Sean LongSean Long
Sean Long is an English former professional rugby league and current rugby union footballer with Preston Grasshoppers. He has played for Wigan, Widnes and Hull but is best known for playing for St Helens in the Super League. Internationally he has represented England and Great Britain at /...
left St. Helens to join Hull at the end of the 2009 season, Kyle became the new number 7 for Saints. He started the year very well before injuries hit him for the 2nd half of the season. Although he still managed to make 19 appearances scoring 15 tries. He scored 63 goal kicks missing 18, and kicked 2 drop goals. He made a total of 1615m. Every time he came back from injury he seem to aggravate it. Therefore meaning he missed the Grand Final
2010 Super League Grand Final
The 2010 Super League Grand Final was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of Super League XV. Held on Saturday 2 October 2010, at Manchester's Old Trafford stadium, the match was contested by English clubs St Helens and Wigan Warriors...
defeat to Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
. Matty Smith
Matty Smith
Matty Smith is an English rugby league footballer who plays for Salford City Reds in the engage Super League, having spent the 2010 season on loan there from his parent club St...
, now of Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
, returned from his loan spell at Salford for the play-offs and featured in the final.
In early 2011 Eastmond was linked with a move to 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...
. Kyle started the season poorly and with fans getting on his back. However on the 28th February 2011 both the club and coach Royce Simmons
Royce Simmons
Royce Simmons is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player, currently the head coach of St Helens RLFC in the European Super League...
, confirmed he was to leave Saints. It was revealed that Kyle had signed a three year deal with 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...
, Eastmond has promised to be 100% committed to his current club for the rest of the season. Commenting on the move, Bath Director of Rugby Sir Ian McGeechan
Ian McGeechan
Sir Ian Robert McGeechan OBE is a Scottish former rugby union player and coach. His nickname is "Geech".-Playing career:...
said he envisions Eastmond playing at centre.
On the 16th March 2011 it was announced on the St. Helens website that he had been suspended by the club pending an investigation into serious misconduct. The club also said that no further comments will be made until the completion of the investigation. It was confirmed by the club that he made an inappropriate gesture to his home fans, and it looked unlikely he would ever play in the red V again, especially after the emergence of scrum-half sensation Jonny Lomax
Jonny Lomax
Jonathan "Jonny" Lomax is a professional rugby league player who plays for St Helens in the engage Super League. A versatile player, Lomax is primarily a stand-off but is equally as comfortable at scrum-half, but featured more regularly on the wing in the early stages of his professional career....
and stand-off Lee Gaskell
Lee Gaskell
Lee Gaskell is a professional rugby league player currently playing for St. Helens in the Super League. Signing from local amateur club Blackbrook Royals, Gaskell is primarily a stand-off half but can convert to the centres when required...
. He was dropped to the under-18s team. However injuries struck Saints, and they called upon Kyle to fill in. He was playing under difficult circumstances, with Saints fans booing him with every touch of the ball, however he made a decent return. In July 2011 he successfully made the switch from the halfbacks to fullback, scoring 2 tries against Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
on 9 July. Since then Kyle has regained his confidence and is playing in a similar way to the 2008-09 seasons. He has so far managed 15 appearances and scored 5 tries, but reduced to just 4 goal kicks (3 missed kicks) due to Jamie Foster replacing him as the club's kicker.