Paul Hodgson
Encyclopedia
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
, for whom he captained the rugby 'A' team all through his academic career, and was Head Boy
in his final year (2000). Hodgson played for his local rugby club Sutton & Epsom RFC
from 1989–2001, he represented every age group at the club. Hodgson is a former England Captain at Junior level. He has also represented England at U18s and U21s level as well as playing for England 7s in the IRB World Sevens series.
. Hodgson joined the Bristol Shoguns Academy in the summer of 2001 and made the scrum-half berth his own.
Made the step up to first team level when Agustin Pichot picked up an injury in the early part of 2002 and Hodgson had a number of games on the bench in the Premiership.
After a good U21 World Cup Hodgson pledged his future to the Shoguns in Division one.
Superb against Bedford in the Cup and rightly named Man of the Match and then did not look out of place against Wasps in the Cup.
in July 2004 from Bristol Shoguns
.
Hodgson was voted London Irish' Most Improved Player of the Season 2005/2006.
international. He is also an age group international captain and has been tipped to make the full England
side in the future.
Hodgson was named in the England 2008 Six Nations Championship squad but has not been considered for the opening game due to a shoulder injury.
He has been called into the England Saxons
squad to face Italy A
in Ragusa
, Sicily
on 9 February 2008.
Hodgson has been tipped by Sky Sports pundit Stuart Barnes
and London Irish
coach Brian Smith to play in the 2008 RBS Six Nations Championship
match against France
in Paris.
Having been named in this season's England Saxons
2008 RBS Six Nations Championship
training squad, Hodgson was called into the senior England
squad for the game against France
and was an unused replacement both in Paris and Edinburgh, before finally making his debut against Ireland in England's 33–10 victory at Twickenham.
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
, 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...
is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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...
player.
Hodgson plays 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...
in the Aviva Premiership, as a Scrum-half
Early career
Hodgson attended Glyn Technology SchoolGlyn Technology School
Glyn School is a boys' comprehensive secondary school – with a partially co-educational sixth form – situated in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in the English county of Surrey....
, for whom he captained the rugby 'A' team all through his academic career, and was Head Boy
Head boy
Head Boy and Head Girl are terms commonly used in the British education system, and in private schools throughout the Commonwealth.-United Kingdom:...
in his final year (2000). Hodgson played for his local rugby club Sutton & Epsom RFC
Sutton & Epsom RFC
Sutton & Epsom Rugby Football Club is one of the oldest active rugby clubs in England, having been formed in 1881. The club first played against Saracens in the 1883–84 season as one of their very early opponents and in 1901 beat Stade Francais on their home turf.The club is today one of the...
from 1989–2001, he represented every age group at the club. Hodgson is a former England Captain at Junior level. He has also represented England at U18s and U21s level as well as playing for England 7s in the IRB World Sevens series.
Bristol Shoguns
Hodgson has previously played for Bristol ShogunsBristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
. Hodgson joined the Bristol Shoguns Academy in the summer of 2001 and made the scrum-half berth his own.
Made the step up to first team level when Agustin Pichot picked up an injury in the early part of 2002 and Hodgson had a number of games on the bench in the Premiership.
After a good U21 World Cup Hodgson pledged his future to the Shoguns in Division one.
Superb against Bedford in the Cup and rightly named Man of the Match and then did not look out of place against Wasps in the Cup.
London Irish
Hodgson joined London IrishLondon 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 July 2004 from Bristol Shoguns
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
.
Hodgson was voted London Irish' Most Improved Player of the Season 2005/2006.
International Rugby
Hodgson is an England SevensEngland 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*...
international. He is also an age group international captain and has been tipped to make the full England
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...
side in the future.
Hodgson was named in the England 2008 Six Nations Championship squad but has not been considered for the opening game due to a shoulder injury.
He has been called into the 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...
squad to face Italy A
Italy A national rugby union team
The Italy A national rugby union team are the second national rugby union team in Italy after the national side. They compete every year in the IRB Nations Cup.-Fixtures:IRB Nations Cup 2010...
in Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
on 9 February 2008.
Hodgson has been tipped by Sky Sports pundit Stuart Barnes
Stuart Barnes
Stuart Barnes is a former English rugby union footballer, and now rugby commentator for Sky Sports. Barnes played fly-half for Newport RFC, Bristol, Bath; and represented England and the British Lions at international level.-Biography:Born in Essex, Barnes was educated at Rougemont and Bassaleg...
and 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...
coach Brian Smith to play in the 2008 RBS 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...
match 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...
in Paris.
Having been named in this season's 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...
2008 RBS 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...
training squad, Hodgson was called into the senior England
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...
squad for the game 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...
and was an unused replacement both in Paris and Edinburgh, before finally making his debut against Ireland in England's 33–10 victory at Twickenham.