London Irish
Encyclopedia
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 division of English rugby union, the Aviva Premiership. The club also compete in the Anglo-Welsh Cup as well as one of the two Europe-wide club competitions—the Heineken Cup
or European Challenge Cup
, depending on their performance in the previous season. The club play at the Madejski Stadium
in Reading
, Berkshire
until 2026.
The team plays in green and white colours, with a reversed away strip. London Irish won its first major trophy in 2002, claiming the Powergen Cup (the competition that later became the Anglo-Welsh Cup). Irish have also reached the final of the 2009 Guinness Premiership, losing 10-9 to Leicester at Twickenham. In the 2007/08 the team came close to a place in the Heineken Cup
Final losing out to Toulouse
15-21 in a tense encounter at Twickenham
.
The club's mascot
is an Irish Wolfhound
called Digger.
of London
; it was modelled on the already established London Welsh and London Scottish
teams. London Irish suffered during World War I
and the Irish War of Independence
. It was not until 1923 when the Irish Free State
was established and peace returned that the club was able to welcome players from across the Irish Sea
on a regular basis.
By the late 1920s the club boasted its first "home grown" Ireland
international in S J 'Cags' Cagney who won 13 caps between 1925 and 1929. The club developed a home of its own in 1931 at The Avenue
in Sunbury
, the first game was played on 5 December against London Welsh; the result was an honourable 8–8 draw. Although the club now play their games as tenants of Reading FC
at the Madejski Stadium
in Reading
, the ground at Sunbury is still its spiritual home.
The 1950s was a period of mixed fortunes for London Irish. In 1959–1960 season London Irish only lost 2 games all season, featuring Ireland International players such as Andy Mulligan
& Sean McDermott, Mike (C.M.H.) Gibson (played 1 game in the late 1960s), Tony O'Reilly
(who played a handful of games in 1970) and Ollie Waldron (who played in the late 1960s-early 70s), all graced the Sunbury pitch.
The improving quality of fixtures demanded a change in attitude to training and playing as the sixties became the seventies. Under the leadership of the great hooker Ken Kennedy, with the assistance of exceptional players like Nick Hegarty, Mick Molloy and Barry Bresnihan, London Irish became a force to be reckoned with once more. In 1976–77 the Rugby Football Union
introduced proper club merit tables and in that season London Irish finished first in the London Division with six wins out of seven. The Irish made visits to France and famously to South Africa in 1977 where the club became the first touring side to play so many mixed race teams.
In playing terms the eighties were another period of inconsistency. The first team struggled to find reliable form as work pressures made more demands on players' time making them unavailable for regular training and matches. Happily, at the lower levels and socially London Irish continued to thrive. In 1990–91 London Irish were promoted to the first division with a side containing four new Ireland internationals: Simon Geoghegan
, Jim Staples, David Curtis
and Rob Saunders, the youngest ever captain of his country at 22 years of age.
The harsh financial realities of playing at the top end of the game in England gradually became clear to all the country's senior clubs including London Irish in the early years of the decade. Operating losses mounted and but for the generosity of key benefactors at the time, the club would have struggled to survive. The financial struggles were reflected on the pitch where London Irish failed to make any impact in the leagues despite employing the services of a number of high profile coaches.
In 1999 London Irish merged with London Scottish
and Richmond
to form a new umbrella company to support the professional team which now competes in the Aviva Premiership in England. An amateur club was also formed at this time, London Irish Amateur RFC, which remains in Sunbury. The club won its first piece of silverware in 2002 by beating Northampton Saints
in the Powergen Cup final at Twickenham
.
, Topsy Ojo
and Delon Armitage
having gone on to play for the senior side and be internationally capped.
, in Reading
. Madejski is the home of Reading FC
and was opened in August 1998. The ground is a 24,161 all-seater capacity.
All London Irish home matches are played at the Madejski. The largest crowd for a London Irish match was for a game against London Wasps
on 15 March 2008 during the 2007-08 Guinness Premiership
. The crowd of 23,790 was also the highest attendance for a regular season Guinness Premiership match until December 2008.
Jebb Sinclair
Delon Armitage
Alex Corbisiero
Paul Hodgson
Nick Kennedy
Topsy Ojo
David Paice
Bob Casey
Clarke Dermody
Paulică Ion
Sailosi Tagicakibau
Ofisa Treviranus Joe Ansbro
Faan Rautenbach
Chris Hala'ufia
William Johnson Jonathan Spratt
(from
The Rock
) Shontayne Hape
(from
Bath
) Adrian Jarvis
(from Leeds Carnegie) James Sandford (from Rotherham Titans
) Bryn Evans (from
Hawke's Bay
) Joe Ansbro
(from Northampton Saints
) Ross Samson
(from
Edinburgh) Leo Halavatau (from Birmingham & Solihull
) Edward Siggery
(from
Pontypridd RFC
) Steven Shingler
(from Scarlets) Jonathan Spratt
(from Ospreys) Ofisa Terviranus (from 
Malie)
(to London Scottish
Chris Malone
- Retiring, Coaching at
Sydney University Steffon Armitage
(to
Toulon
) Jon Fisher
(to Bedford Blues
) Ryan Lamb
(to Northampton Saints
) Jamie Lennard (to Bedford Blues
) Dan Murphy (to Gloucester) Ben Stevenson James Tideswell (to London Welsh) Seilala Mapusua
(to
Kubota Spears
) Elvis Seveali'i
(to Bourgoin
) George Stowers
(to Ospreys) William Johnson
Tom Wardle Phil Murphy
James Cantion
Mike Catt
Riki Flutey
Paul Sackey
Olivier Magne
Jarrod Cunningham
Danie Coetzee
Brendan Venter
Brent Cockbain
in Sunbury. Some players such as Justin Bishop
and Kieran Campbell
have come through the ranks to play for London Irish.
of London Irish. He has an extremely important job of providing support to the Club.
raising money for Spinal Research. Digger finished the marathon
in a time of 6 hours 39 minutes 31 seconds.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
club based in Sunbury
Sunbury-on-Thames
Sunbury-on-Thames, also known as Sunbury, is a town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne, England, and part of the London commuter belt. It is located 16 miles southwest of central London and bordered by Feltham and Hampton, flanked on the south by the River Thames.-History:The earliest evidence of...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, 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
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
and compete in the top division of English rugby union, the Aviva Premiership. The club also compete in the Anglo-Welsh Cup as well as one of the two Europe-wide club competitions—the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
or European Challenge Cup
European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
, depending on their performance in the previous season. The club play at the Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
until 2026.
The team plays in green and white colours, with a reversed away strip. London Irish won its first major trophy in 2002, claiming the Powergen Cup (the competition that later became the Anglo-Welsh Cup). Irish have also reached the final of the 2009 Guinness Premiership, losing 10-9 to Leicester at Twickenham. In the 2007/08 the team came close to a place in the Heineken Cup
2007-08 Heineken Cup
The 2007–08 Heineken Cup was the 13th edition of the Heineken Cup, the annual rugby union European club competition for clubs from the top six nations in European rugby.The start of the tournament was delayed because of the 2007 Rugby World Cup...
Final losing out to Toulouse
Stade Toulousain
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a French rugby union club from Toulouse in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is one of the finest rugby clubs in Europe, having won the Heineken Cup four times – in 1996, 2003, 2005 and 2010. They were also runners-up in 2004 and 2008 against London Wasps...
15-21 in a tense encounter at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
The club's mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is an Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhound
The Irish wolfhound is a breed of domestic dog , specifically a sighthound. The name originates from its purpose rather than from its appearance...
called Digger.
History
Also known as The Exiles, London Irish RFC was founded in 1898 for the young IrishmenIrish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; it was modelled on the already established London Welsh and London Scottish
London Scottish F.C.
London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
teams. London Irish suffered during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. It was not until 1923 when the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
was established and peace returned that the club was able to welcome players from across the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
on a regular basis.
By the late 1920s the club boasted its first "home grown" Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
international in S J 'Cags' Cagney who won 13 caps between 1925 and 1929. The club developed a home of its own in 1931 at The Avenue
The Avenue
The Avenue is a Rugby Union stadium at Sunbury-on-Thames that has belonged to the English club London Irish since 1931 when the team purchased eleven acres to establish a club there. While the team moved to Madjeski Stadium in 1999, the stadium survived the team's 2009 proposed redevelopment plan,...
in Sunbury
Sunbury-on-Thames
Sunbury-on-Thames, also known as Sunbury, is a town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne, England, and part of the London commuter belt. It is located 16 miles southwest of central London and bordered by Feltham and Hampton, flanked on the south by the River Thames.-History:The earliest evidence of...
, the first game was played on 5 December against London Welsh; the result was an honourable 8–8 draw. Although the club now play their games as tenants of Reading FC
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
at the Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, the ground at Sunbury is still its spiritual home.
The 1950s was a period of mixed fortunes for London Irish. In 1959–1960 season London Irish only lost 2 games all season, featuring Ireland International players such as Andy Mulligan
Andy Mulligan
Andrew Armstrong Mulligan, was born on 4 February 1936 et Kasauli, a small cantonment town in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, and died on 24 February 2001...
& Sean McDermott, Mike (C.M.H.) Gibson (played 1 game in the late 1960s), Tony O'Reilly
Tony O'Reilly
Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly is an Irish businessman and former international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as former CEO and Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of...
(who played a handful of games in 1970) and Ollie Waldron (who played in the late 1960s-early 70s), all graced the Sunbury pitch.
The improving quality of fixtures demanded a change in attitude to training and playing as the sixties became the seventies. Under the leadership of the great hooker Ken Kennedy, with the assistance of exceptional players like Nick Hegarty, Mick Molloy and Barry Bresnihan, London Irish became a force to be reckoned with once more. In 1976–77 the Rugby Football Union
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
introduced proper club merit tables and in that season London Irish finished first in the London Division with six wins out of seven. The Irish made visits to France and famously to South Africa in 1977 where the club became the first touring side to play so many mixed race teams.
In playing terms the eighties were another period of inconsistency. The first team struggled to find reliable form as work pressures made more demands on players' time making them unavailable for regular training and matches. Happily, at the lower levels and socially London Irish continued to thrive. In 1990–91 London Irish were promoted to the first division with a side containing four new Ireland internationals: Simon Geoghegan
Simon Geoghegan
Simon Patrick Geoghegan is a former Irish rugby union footballer who played at wing in England for London Irish and Bath and in the Irish Inter-provincial Championships for Connacht Rugby and the Exiles...
, Jim Staples, David Curtis
David Curtis
David Michael Curtis is a former Irish rugby union international. He also played some first-class cricket while at Oxford University....
and Rob Saunders, the youngest ever captain of his country at 22 years of age.
The harsh financial realities of playing at the top end of the game in England gradually became clear to all the country's senior clubs including London Irish in the early years of the decade. Operating losses mounted and but for the generosity of key benefactors at the time, the club would have struggled to survive. The financial struggles were reflected on the pitch where London Irish failed to make any impact in the leagues despite employing the services of a number of high profile coaches.
In 1999 London Irish merged with London Scottish
London Scottish F.C.
London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
and Richmond
Richmond F.C.
Richmond Football Club is a rugby union club from Richmond, London. It is a founding member of the Rugby Football Union, and is one of the oldest football clubs...
to form a new umbrella company to support the professional team which now competes in the Aviva Premiership in England. An amateur club was also formed at this time, London Irish Amateur RFC, which remains in Sunbury. The club won its first piece of silverware in 2002 by beating Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
in the Powergen Cup final at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
Academy
London Irish have a thriving academy set up, with players such as Nick KennedyNick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy is a rugby union footballer who plays Lock for London Irish and England.His uncle Duncan Kennedy is a BBC news correspondent.Kennedy represented England Saxons at the 2006 Churchill Cup and 2007 Churchill Cup....
, Topsy Ojo
Topsy Ojo
Temitope "Topsy" Ojo is an English rugby union player for the London Irish club, and has represented England at International level.He became a full member of the London Irish squad in April 2006, and now plays wing.-London Irish:...
and Delon Armitage
Delon Armitage
Delon Anthony Armitage is a rugby union footballer who plays at wing or fullback for London Irish and England. He also occasionally plays centre and often does place kicking, mainly from a distance or if the regular kicker is unable to take it.From 1996 to 2002, Armitage lived in...
having gone on to play for the senior side and be internationally capped.
Stadium
London Irish play at the Madejski StadiumMadejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
, in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. Madejski is the home of Reading FC
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
and was opened in August 1998. The ground is a 24,161 all-seater capacity.
All London Irish home matches are played at the Madejski. The largest crowd for a London Irish match was for a game against London 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...
on 15 March 2008 during the 2007-08 Guinness Premiership
2007-08 Guinness Premiership
The 2007–08 Guinness Premiership was the 21st season of the top flight of the English domestic rugby union competitions, played between September 2007 and May 2008. Due to the 2007 Rugby World Cup the season started slightly later than normal, as England were trying to defend their title...
. The crowd of 23,790 was also the highest attendance for a regular season Guinness Premiership match until December 2008.
Current squad
Current internationally capped players
Alfredo LalanneAlfredo Lalanne
Alfredo Lalanne is an Argentine scrum-half who plays for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership.Lalanne was born in Buenos Aires, where he attended the Los Molinos School. The San Isidro Club was his rugby 'home' through his teens and early twenties...
Jebb Sinclair
Jebb Sinclair
Jebb Sinclair is a Canadian rugby union player. Sinclair plays as a flanker but can also provide cover in the second row. Jebb made his debut for the Canadian national rugby team against Portugal while on Canada's 2008 tour of Europe....
Delon Armitage
Delon Armitage
Delon Anthony Armitage is a rugby union footballer who plays at wing or fullback for London Irish and England. He also occasionally plays centre and often does place kicking, mainly from a distance or if the regular kicker is unable to take it.From 1996 to 2002, Armitage lived in...
Alex Corbisiero
Alex Corbisiero
Alex Corbisiero is a rugby union player who plays at prop for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership.-Biography:...
Paul Hodgson
Paul Hodgson
Paul Hodgson, born 25 April 1982 in Epsom, Surrey is an English rugby union player.Hodgson plays for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership, as a Scrum-half-Early career:...
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy
Nick Kennedy is a rugby union footballer who plays Lock for London Irish and England.His uncle Duncan Kennedy is a BBC news correspondent.Kennedy represented England Saxons at the 2006 Churchill Cup and 2007 Churchill Cup....
Topsy Ojo
Topsy Ojo
Temitope "Topsy" Ojo is an English rugby union player for the London Irish club, and has represented England at International level.He became a full member of the London Irish squad in April 2006, and now plays wing.-London Irish:...
David Paice
David Paice
David Paice is a rugby union footballer who plays at hooker or prop for London Irish.Paice participated in the 2007 Churchill Cup.He was later called into the England Saxons side that defeated Ireland A on 1 February 2008....
Bob Casey
Bob Casey (rugby player)
Bob Casey is an Irish rugby union footballer who plays at lock for London Irish. Casey is originally from Maynooth, County Kildare, and was educated at Blackrock College, a Dublin secondary school renowned for producing international rugby players.-Club career:Casey joined Leinster in 1999 and...
Clarke Dermody
Clarke Dermody
Clarke Dermody is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays as a prop. He was first selected for the All Blacks in 2006 for the test series against Ireland and Argentina ....
Paulică Ion
Paulica Ion
Paulică Ion is a Romanian rugby union footballer. A tighthead prop, He started his career with CSA Steaua Bucureşti, before moving to Bath in 2007 and currently plays for London Irish. As of 2008, he has played 22 games for the Romanian national team, scoring a try...
Sailosi Tagicakibau
Sailosi Tagicakibau
Sailosi Tagicakibau is a rugby union footballer who plays at Wing for London Irish.-Early years:Prior to competing in professional rugby, he attended Papakura High and Wesley College....
Ofisa Treviranus Joe Ansbro
Joe Ansbro
Joe Ansbro is a Scottish international professional rugby union player. He is the first player of Afro-Caribbean origin to represent Scotland at test level in history. His favoured position is centre. He is currently playing for London Irish. -Early years:Ansbro was born in Glasgow and raised near...
Faan Rautenbach
Faan Rautenbach
Faan Rautenbach is a rugby union footballer who plays at prop for London Irish.Rautenbach played 14 Tests for the Springboks including a try on debut against Wales in 2002, ending with his last Test against New Zealand in Christchurch in 2004. Rautenbach is known as a powerful scrummager.-External...
Chris Hala'ufia
Chris Hala'ufia
Chris Hala'ufia is a back row forward who plays rugby union football for English club London Irish in the Aviva Premiership and Tonga. He is well known for his ability to break tackles. Hala'ufia originally made a name for himself with Bradford and Bingley RFC, when he made his début in the...
William Johnson Jonathan Spratt
Jonathan Spratt
Jonathan Spratt is a Welsh international rugby union player. A centre, he made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team 30 May 2009 versus Canada as a second-half substitute...
Players In
Jebb SinclairJebb Sinclair
Jebb Sinclair is a Canadian rugby union player. Sinclair plays as a flanker but can also provide cover in the second row. Jebb made his debut for the Canadian national rugby team against Portugal while on Canada's 2008 tour of Europe....
(from
The RockThe Rock (rugby team)
The Rock, also known as the Atlantic Rock, are a Canadian rugby union team based in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador. The team plays in the Canadian Rugby Championship and is intended to draw most of its players from the rugby unions of Canada's five Eastern provinces: Quebec, New Brunswick,...
) Shontayne Hape
Shontayne Hape
Shontayne Hape is a New Zealand-born rugby footballer, a dual-code rugby international. He plays rugby union at centre for London Irish and England. He has also previously played rugby league for the Bradford Bulls in Super League and New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League...
(from
BathBath 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...
) Adrian Jarvis
Adrian Jarvis
Adrian Jarvis is an English born rugby union footballer who plays fly half for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership.In 2007/08 he was called into the England Saxons squad to face Italy A in Ragusa, Sicily on 9 February 2008....
(from
Leeds Carnegie) James Sandford (from Rotherham TitansRotherham R.U.F.C.
Rotherham Rugby Union Football Club, or Rotherham Titans are a professional rugby union team from Rotherham, Yorkshire, currently playing in the English RFU Championship-History:...
) Bryn Evans (from
Hawke's BayHawke's Bay Rugby Union
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. The union is based in Napier.-Representative rugby:...
) Joe Ansbro
Joe Ansbro
Joe Ansbro is a Scottish international professional rugby union player. He is the first player of Afro-Caribbean origin to represent Scotland at test level in history. His favoured position is centre. He is currently playing for London Irish. -Early years:Ansbro was born in Glasgow and raised near...
(from
Northampton SaintsNorthampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
) Ross Samson
Ross Samson
Ross Gordon Samson is a Scottish rugby union player and a former player for Edinburgh Rugby, he currently plays for London Irish....
(from
Edinburgh) Leo Halavatau (from Birmingham & SolihullBirmingham & Solihull R.F.C.
Birmingham and Solihull Rugby Football Club are a rugby union club representing Birmingham and Solihull. It was formed in 1989 by a merger of the original Birmingham and Solihull rugby clubs, which were both established over 60 years ago....
) Edward Siggery
Edward Siggery
Edward "Ed" David Siggery is a rugby union player at London Irish RFC in the English Premiership, where he plays at flanker....
(from
Pontypridd RFCPontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
) Steven Shingler
Steven Shingler
Steven Shingler is a Welsh professional rugby union player. His favoured position is Fly-half but he also plays centre. Llanelli director of rugby Anthony Buchanan has called Shingler a kicker of "international standard"...
(from
Scarlets) Jonathan SprattJonathan Spratt
Jonathan Spratt is a Welsh international rugby union player. A centre, he made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team 30 May 2009 versus Canada as a second-half substitute...
(from
Ospreys) Ofisa Terviranus (from Malie) Players Out
Alfredo LalanneAlfredo Lalanne
Alfredo Lalanne is an Argentine scrum-half who plays for London Irish in the Aviva Premiership.Lalanne was born in Buenos Aires, where he attended the Los Molinos School. The San Isidro Club was his rugby 'home' through his teens and early twenties...
(to
London ScottishLondon Scottish F.C.
London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
Chris Malone
Chris Malone
Christopher "Chris" Malone is an Australian rugby union footballer. A fly-half, he is currently playing for London Irish in England's Guinness Premiership. Before signing for London Irish from Harlequins, Malone played for Bath Rugby, Bristol Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Sydney University and Manly...
- Retiring, Coaching at
Sydney University Steffon ArmitageSteffon Armitage
Steffon Armitage is a rugby union player for RC Toulon in the Top 14.- Career :Armitage plays as a flanker. He is of heavy build but of comparatively slight stature for a modern day flanker. A comparison with Neil Back has been made and like Back he is quick and particularly effective in ruck...
(to
ToulonRC Toulonnais
RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
) Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher (rugby union)
Jonathan Fisher is a rugby union player for Bedford Blues. He plays as a No 8.#He was a member of the England Under 20 team that reached the final of the 2008 JWC...
(to
Bedford BluesBedford Blues
Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The...
) Ryan Lamb
Ryan Lamb
Ryan Lamb is a rugby union player who plays at fly-half for Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership.-Club career:...
(to
Northampton SaintsNorthampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
) Jamie Lennard (to
Bedford BluesBedford Blues
Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The...
) Dan Murphy (to
Gloucester) Ben Stevenson James Tideswell (to London Welsh) Seilala MapusuaSeilala Mapusua
Seilala Mapusua is a Samoan rugby player currently playing with the Kubota Spears of the Japanese Top League...
(to
Kubota SpearsKubota Spears
Kubota Spears is a Japanese rugby union team which is based in Funabashi, Chiba and they play in the Top League.Their slogan for the 2006 season was FIGHT ON.-2011-12 Squad:...
) Elvis Seveali'i
Elvis Seveali'i
Elvis Seveali'i is a Samoan rugby union footballer. He plays centre and wing for Premiership side London Irish and Manu Samoa internationally. He has previously represented Wellington in the under-19s and under-21s as well as the National Provincial Championship team...
(to
BourgoinCS Bourgoin-Jallieu
CS Bourgoin-Jallieu is a French rugby union club currently competing in the second level of the French league system in the Pro D2. The club have been runners-up in the French championship and the Challenge Yves du Manoir competitions, and have won the Challenge Cup.Founded in 1906 as "Club...
) George Stowers
George Stowers
George Stowers is a Samoan international rugby union player. He currently plays for the Ospreys in the RaboDirect Pro12. He plays as a Flanker or a No.8.-Club career:...
(to
Ospreys) William Johnson Notable Irish players
- Justin BishopJustin Bishop (rugby player)Justin Patrick Bishop, is a rugby union footballer who played at wing and full-back for London Irish until the end of the 2006/2007 season. He made 279 appearances for the London Irish first XV scoring 58 tries, registering 290 points in the process. He also made 25 appearances for Ireland scoring...
(wing, 25 caps between 1998 and 2003) - Barry BresnihanBarry BresnihanFinbarr Patrick Bresnihan was an international rugby union player. He was educated at Gonzaga College, Dublin.He was capped twenty-five times as a centre for Ireland between 1966 and 1971. He scored six tries for Ireland....
(centre, 25 caps 1966–71) - Niall Brophy (wing, 20 caps 1957–67)
- Paul BurkePaul Burke (rugby player)Paul Burke , educated at Epsom College in Surrey, is an Irish rugby union footballer who played at Fly Half. He has formerly played for Cork Constitution, London Irish, Munster, Bristol, Cardiff and Harlequins. He signed for English club Leicester Tigers for the 2006–7 season and helped take the...
(out-half, 13 caps 1998–2003) - Kieran CampbellKieran CampbellKieran Campbell is a former Irish scrumhalf who currently plays for Connacht in the Magners League. Born in Hillingdon to an Irish father and Sri Lankan mother he was a key player for Gunnersbury Catholic School and helped them reach the last eight of the Daily Mail school's cup and to win the...
(scrum-half, 3 caps 2005) - Bob CaseyBob Casey (rugby player)Bob Casey is an Irish rugby union footballer who plays at lock for London Irish. Casey is originally from Maynooth, County Kildare, and was educated at Blackrock College, a Dublin secondary school renowned for producing international rugby players.-Club career:Casey joined Leinster in 1999 and...
(second-row, 7 caps 1999–2009) - Paul Collins (wing-forward, 2 caps 1987–90)
- Hugh Condon (centre, 1 cap 1984)
- Victor CostelloVictor CostelloVictor Costello is a retired Irish rugby player and Olympic shot-putter. Playing senior rugby throughout the 1990s until his retirement in 2005, his rugby career with Leinster and Ireland straddled the amateur and professional eras...
(number 8, 39 caps 1996–2004) - David CurtisDavid CurtisDavid Michael Curtis is a former Irish rugby union international. He also played some first-class cricket while at Oxford University....
(centre, 13 caps 1991–92) - Jeremy DavidsonJeremy DavidsonJeremy Davidson is a rugby union lock who played club rugby for Dungannon RFC, Ulster, London Irish and Castres Olympique. At international level he represented Ireland with 32 caps and also represented the British and Irish Lions...
(second-row, 32 caps 1995–2001) - Kieron DawsonKieron DawsonKieron Dawson is an Irish rugby union footballer who is flanker for Ulster and Ireland....
(wing-forward, 21 caps 1997–2003) - Justin FitzpatrickJustin FitzpatrickJustin Fitzpatrick is an Irish rugby union footballer. He plays for Ulster. He made his debut for the senior Ireland team in a 13–37 defeat against South Africa on June 13, 1998 going on to win 26 caps.-External links:*...
(prop-forward, 26 caps 1998–2003) - Neil Francis (second-row, 36 caps 1987–96)
- Gabriel Fulcher (second-row, 20 caps 1994–98)
- Simon GeogheganSimon GeogheganSimon Patrick Geoghegan is a former Irish rugby union footballer who played at wing in England for London Irish and Bath and in the Irish Inter-provincial Championships for Connacht Rugby and the Exiles...
(wing, 37 caps, 1991–96) - Michael Gibson (number 8, 10 caps 1979–88)
- Mike Gibson (centre, 69 caps 1964–79)
- Gary Halpin (prop-forward, 11 caps 1990–95)
- Rob HendersonRob HendersonRobert Alexander James Henderson is a rugby union footballer who plays at centre for Esher RFC. He has represented Ireland with 32 caps and toured with the 2001 British and Irish Lions....
(centre, 29 caps 1996–2003) - Niall Hogan (scrum-half, 13 caps 1995–97)
- Kenneth Houston (wing, 6 caps 1961–65)
- Tyrone HoweTyrone HoweTyrone Gyle Howe is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for University of St Andrews RFC, Ulster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions....
(wing, 14 caps 2000–04) - David Humphreys (out-half, 72 caps 1996–2006)
- Ken KennedyKen Kennedy (rugby player)Kenneth William Kennedy is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1974 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for London Irish.He was a consultant geriatrician at St Stephens Hospital in London.-References:...
(hooker, 45 caps 1965–75) - Paul Kennedy (prop-forward, 2 caps 1986)
- Patrick Lavery (centre, 2 caps 1974–76)
- Brian McCall (second-row, 3 caps 1985–86)
- Mark McCallMark McCallMark McCall is an Irish former rugby union player and former coach of Ulster. He played 13 times for the Ireland national rugby union team, making his debut against New Zealand on 30 May 1992 as a substitute...
(centre, 13 caps 1992–98) - Ronald McCarten (wing, 3 caps 1961)
- Aidan McCullenAidan McCullenAidan McCullen is a retired Ireland national rugby union team player who plays as a back rower, who can play 6, 7 or 8 and has also played for Leinster at second row. He has played for the Ireland sevens side on many competitions including Hong Kong Sevens and the Rugby World Cup Sevens...
(wing-forward, 1 cap 2003) - Alistair McKibbin (centre, 14 caps 1977–80)
- Mick Molloy (second-row, 27 caps 1966–76)
- Andy MulliganAndy MulliganAndrew Armstrong Mulligan, was born on 4 February 1936 et Kasauli, a small cantonment town in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, and died on 24 February 2001...
(scrum-half, 22 caps 1956–61) - Brendan MullinBrendan MullinBrendan John Mullin is a former Ireland international rugby union footballer. He played as a centre.-Profile:Mullin was educated at one of the leading Irish schools rugby nurseries Blackrock College, Dublin...
(centre, 55 caps 1984–95) - John Murphy (full-back, 6 caps 1951–58)
- Des O'Brien (number 8, 20 caps 1948–52)
- John O'Driscoll (wing-forward, 26 caps 1978–84)
- Kevin O'FlanaganKevin O'FlanaganKevin Patrick O'Flanagan , also referred to as Dr. Kevin O'Flanagan, is a former Irish sportsman, physician and sports administrator. An outstanding all-rounder, he represented his country at both soccer and rugby union...
(wing, 1 cap 1947) - Malcolm O'KellyMalcolm O'KellyMalcolm O'Kelly is a retired Irish rugby union player who played as a lock for Ireland and Leinster....
(second-row, 92 caps 1997–2009) - Tony O'ReillyTony O'ReillySir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly is an Irish businessman and former international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as former CEO and Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of...
(wing, 29 caps 1955–70) - Conor O'SheaConor O'SheaConor Michael Patrick O'Shea is a former rugby union player who played at full back for Ireland, Lansdowne R.F.C. and London Irish. He is Director of Rugby at Harlequins F.C..-Early life and education:...
(full-back, 35 caps 1993–2000) - Patrick ParfreyPatrick ParfreyPatrick Parfrey, OC is a Canadian physician, specialized as nephrologist and epidemiologist. Parfrey is an internationally known scientist and clinical epidemiologist...
(wing, 1 cap 1974) - Brian Robinson (number 8, 25 caps 1991–94)
- Robin RoeRobin RoeReverend Robin Roe CBE MC was an Irish clergyman known for his work as an army chaplain, and a rugby union player.- Early life and education :...
(hooker, 21 caps 1952–57) - Rob Saunders (scrum-half, 12 caps 1991–94)
- John Smith (prop-forward, 12 caps 1951–54)
- Dick SpringDick SpringRichard "Dick" Spring is an Irish businessman and former politician. He was first elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála in 1981 and retained his seat until 2002. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1982, and held this position until 1997...
(full-back, 3 caps 1979) - Jim StaplesJim Staples (rugby player)James Edward Staples is a former Irish rugby union footballer. He played as a fullback.He had 26 caps for Ireland, scoring 5 tries and 2 conversions, 25 points in aggregate. He played club rugby for London Irish and Harlequins...
(full-back, 26 caps 1991–97) - Jeremy StauntonJeremy StauntonJeremy Staunton is an Irish rugby union fly-half, currently playing for English club Leicester Tigers in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. He has also played for Ireland.He was educated at St Munchin's College Limerick....
(out-half, 5 caps 2001–07) - Robin ThompsonRobin ThompsonRobin Thompson was a rugby union international for Ireland and a former British and Irish Lions captain.Robin Thompson won two Ulster Schools Senior Cup medals with RBAI and played for Ulster Schools...
(second-row, 11 caps 1951–56) - Oliver Waldron (second-row, 3 caps 1966–68)
- Niall WoodsNiall WoodsNiall Woods is a retired Irish rugby footballer. He retired in 2001 having earned 8 caps on the wing for the Irish national team between 1994 and 1999 as well as playing for Blackrock Coll, Dublin University, Leinster, London Irish, Harlequins and Northern Suburbs.-References:...
(wing, 8 caps 1994–99)
Other notable players
Juan Manuel LeguizamónJuan Manuel Leguizamón
Juan Manuel Leguizamón is an Argentine rugby union footballer. He used to play for the London Irish club in the English league Guinness Premiership. In the summer of 2008 he signed for Stade Français due to a perceived lack of game time. He has also played for the Argentina national team, Los Pumas...
Tom Wardle Phil Murphy
Phil Murphy
Phil Murphy is an Irish Canadian rugby union footballer who plays at No 8.He previously played for London Irish and French side Perpignan....
James Cantion
James Cantion
-Olympics:In 1900 he was a member of the Moseley Wanderers RFC who represented Great Britain & Ireland in the 1900 Olympic Games.Britain was one of three teams to compete in the first Olympic rugby games. Britain lost its only game, against France. The game against Germany was cancelled due to...
Mike Catt
Mike Catt
Michael John "Mike" Catt OBE is a South African-born former English rugby union footballer who played for London Irish and Bath. He earned 75 international caps for England and played in three World Cup Finals, in 1995, 2003 and 2007...
Riki Flutey
Riki Flutey
Riki John Flutey is a New Zealand born rugby union footballer who plays at centre or fly-half for London Wasps in the Aviva Premiership....
Paul Sackey
Paul Sackey
Paul Henry Sackey is an English rugby union footballer who currently plays at wing for Stade Français in the Top 14.As of 28 February 2009 he has 22 full England caps...
Olivier Magne
Olivier Magne
Olivier Claude C. Magne is a French former rugby union footballer and a current coach.Magne was a rugby god and back row forward, known especially for his speed and handling in open field play. He represented 89 times, scoring 14 tries.He joined his hometown team, Stade Aurillacois, as a boy in...
Jarrod Cunningham
Jarrod Cunningham
Jarrod Cunningham was a New Zealand rugby union fullback, who died from Motor Neurone Disease.Born in Hawke's Bay, Cunningham played for his home town rugby club from 1990 to 1997, during which time he was trialed for the All Blacks in 1993, but was kept out of the side by Andrew Mehrtens...
Danie Coetzee
Danie Coetzee
Danie Coetzee is a South African rugby union footballer. His usual position is at hooker, and he has played for the Springboks...
Brendan Venter
Brendan Venter
Brendan Venter is a former rugby union player who played at centre and also coached for London Irish. He is currently director of rugby at Saracens...
Brent Cockbain
Brent Cockbain
Brent John Cockbain is a rugby union player who played lock for Sale Sharks in the English Guinness Premiership, and has won 20 caps for Wales.-Club career:...
Honours
- English Premiership:
- Runners-up: 2008–09
- European Challenge CupEuropean Challenge CupThe European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
:- Runners-up: 2005–062005-06 European Challenge CupThe 2005–06 European Challenge Cup was the tenth year of the European Challenge Cup, the second tier rugby union cup competition below the Heineken Cup...
- Runners-up: 2005–06
- John Player Cup/Powergen/EDF Energy/LV= Cup:
- Champions: 2002
- Runners-up: 1980
- Middlesex Sevens:
- Champions: 2009
London Irish Amateur
London Irish also run London Irish Amateur for non-professionals to allow them to improve in Rugby. The team play at the location of London Irish's training ground and offices, The AvenueThe Avenue
The Avenue is a Rugby Union stadium at Sunbury-on-Thames that has belonged to the English club London Irish since 1931 when the team purchased eleven acres to establish a club there. While the team moved to Madjeski Stadium in 1999, the stadium survived the team's 2009 proposed redevelopment plan,...
in Sunbury. Some players such as Justin Bishop
Justin Bishop (rugby player)
Justin Patrick Bishop, is a rugby union footballer who played at wing and full-back for London Irish until the end of the 2006/2007 season. He made 279 appearances for the London Irish first XV scoring 58 tries, registering 290 points in the process. He also made 25 appearances for Ireland scoring...
and Kieran Campbell
Kieran Campbell
Kieran Campbell is a former Irish scrumhalf who currently plays for Connacht in the Magners League. Born in Hillingdon to an Irish father and Sri Lankan mother he was a key player for Gunnersbury Catholic School and helped them reach the last eight of the Daily Mail school's cup and to win the...
have come through the ranks to play for London Irish.
Digger
Digger is an Irish Wolfhound and official mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of London Irish. He has an extremely important job of providing support to the Club.
Honours
On 30 May 2003 Digger won the "Best Mascot" award in the Zurich Premiership at the Premier Rugby Marketing Awards held at Twickenham.Charity work
On 23 April 2006, Digger ran the London MarathonLondon Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
raising money for Spinal Research. Digger finished the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
in a time of 6 hours 39 minutes 31 seconds.
Colleagues
Digger was joined by his cousin, Duggie, from the 2006/07 season. Much taller and much slower, Duggie has proved popular with younger children attending matchdays although Digger remains the Top Dog. As well as the two mascots, there is also a real Wolfhound, Mr Doyle, who also attends the home games. Before Mr Doyle there was also another Wolfhound, Jumbo, before Jumbo retired.Trivia
- The Exiles once took part in an episode of JackassJackass (TV series)jackass is an American reality series, originally shown on MTV from 2000 to 2002, featuring people performing various dangerous, crude, ridiculous, self-injuring stunts and pranks...
. They were given the job of teaching Johnny KnoxvilleJohnny KnoxvillePhilip John Clapp , better known by his stage name Johnny Knoxville, is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, stunt performer, best known for being the co-creator and principal star of the MTV reality series Jackass, with the catchphrase "I'm Johnny Knoxville, and welcome to Jackass."-Early...
and Chris PontiusChris PontiusChristopher Andrew "Chris" Pontius is an American entertainer and daredevil. Pontius is a member of Jackass, and along with Steve-O, was the co-host of Wildboyz.-Life and career:...
how to play rugby, no matter how rough it got.
See also
- Rugby union in LondonRugby union in LondonRugby union is one of the most popular sports, in terms of both participants and spectators in London. London has several of England's leading rugby union clubs, and the city is home to 13 teams playing in national leagues, and many regional amateur leagues regulated by the London and South East...
- London Cornish
- London ScottishLondon Scottish F.C.London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
- London WelshLondon Welsh R.F.C.London Welsh Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in London that currently plays in The Championship, the second level of the English rugby union league system .-Club history:...