Roger Wilson (rugby union)

Roger Wilson
Date of birth (1981-09-21) 21 September 1981
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight 108 kg (17 st 0 lb)[2]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2000–2002
2002–2003
2017-		 Dublin University
Belfast Harlequins
Instonians		 ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–08
2008–12
2012–2017		 Ulster
Northampton
Ulster		 116
117
84		 (55)
(25)
(10)
Correct as of 18 Feb 2018
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2005–08
2005–
2014
2014		 Ireland A
Ireland
Barbarians
World XV		 12
1
1
1		 (5)
(0)
Correct as of 09 Feb 2015

Roger Wilson (born 21 September 1981) is an Irish rugby union footballer. He played for Ulster, having previously returned to the province from the Northampton Saints at the start of the 2012–13 season. He initially left Ulster for Northampton in 2008.

Career

Despite a one-time interest in a football career, Wilson played school rugby at RBAI and was a member of the 1998 and 2000 schools cup winning teams. After being spotted during his time at Trinity College, following a third division game, Wilson signed his first professional contract with Ulster.[3] He held down a regular starting spot in the Ulster XV after his debut in September 2003 against the Ospreys, aged 21, and claimed the Ulster Player of the Year Award at the end of 2004–05.

Wilson won his first Ireland cap in June 2005 during the tour to Japan. He was also part of the Ireland A squad that participated in the Churchill Cup in the USA and Canada in June 2006. Wilson played every game for Ulster in the 2006–07 season and accumulated the most minutes on the pitch (1,591 minutes and 26 caps). He was again selected for the Ireland A Churchill Cup Tour in June 2007. Wilson was named Bank of Ireland Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season.

On 25 January 2008, Northampton Saints announced that he has signed to the club for the 2008–09 season. He became a regular starter and earned over 100 caps for the Saints.[4] On 18 January 2012, Ulster confirmed that Wilson was to return to the province for the start of next season. He joined Ulster on a three-year deal.[5]

In May 2014 he was called up to play for the Barbarians against an England XV[6] and in the same month he was Ireland's only representative in a World XV which played in an exhibition game against South Africa.[7]

Wilson has commented that he has been frustrated at not being able to play more for Ireland, however he is happy that he has been able to sustain a long career at the highest level of professional rugby. Wilson has now played nearly 200 games for Ulster and is currently the oldest member of the team.[8]

Wilson was called up to the senior Ireland squad for the 2015 Six Nations Championship.[9]

Honours

Ulster Rugby

Northampton Saints

Personal life

Wilson's grandfather, Harry McKibbin and his two uncles, Harry Jnr and Alastair, have also represented Ireland at rugby union.[10] Wilson married his Brazilian girlfriend Nathalia Melo[11].

References

  1. ↑ http://www.ulsterrugby.com/team/player.php?PlayId=4887#.V8jGQj595o4
  2. ↑ "Aviva Premiership Rugby – Northampton Saints". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "'Jesus, I've got slow': the pain of approaching the end of a rugby career". The Guardian.
  4. ↑ "Double signing strengthens Saints squad". Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  5. ↑ "A Saint no more: Wilson set to leave Northampton and re-join Ulster".
  6. ↑ "Barbarians call up O'Callaghan and Wilson".
  7. ↑ "Wilson sole Irish representative in World XV to face Springboks".
  8. ↑ "'Jesus, I've got slow': the pain of approaching the end of a rugby career". The Guardian.
  9. ↑ "Six Nations: Ireland call up Wilson & Holland for England game". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Making a big push for Ireland call-up European Cup Interview with Roger Wilson". Irish Times.
  11. ↑ "Three for the Luck". In! magazine. Archived from the original on 2015-07-25.
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