Lewis Ludlam

Ludlam was born in Ipswich, into a family who followed boxing and football.[2] He attended Kesgrave High School before being recruited on a sports scholarship to renowned local rugby school, St Joseph's College, Ipswich,[3] He played at Ipswich Rugby Club before joining Colchester RFC.[4]

Ludlam featured on three occasions in the St Josephs College national school festival first appearing in the U-18 competition as a 15-year-old in 2011 and was also a key member of the side that reached the Daily Mail Cup semi final in the same year. Ludlam captained the school to its third victory in the national schools festival in 2013 in front of a raucous home crowd and also captained the school at U16 level to its first win at the Rosslyn Park national schools 7's competition in 2012.

Despite being released by Saints' EPDG Academy, Ludlam regained a place in the Saints' Under-18s and he moved up to the Saints' Senior Academy full time a few years later.[4]

Ludlam then earned the call to the England U18s where he featured in their unbeaten 2014 tour of South Africa.[5] Following that, the back row earned the call to the England U20s where he featured in four games during the World Rugby U20 Championship.[6] In that competition, England reached the final, Ludlam featuring and being voted his country's Player of the Tournament as they were just edged to the title by the Baby Blacks.[7][8]

During his time at Saints, Ludlam has spent short periods of his senior career on dual registration with Coventry, Moseley and Rotherham Titans.

Breaking into Saints' first-team squad in the 2016/17 season, Ludlam made his first-team debut in the Anglo-Welsh Cup opener that year and featured in a further 6 games for the club.[9]

Ludlam helped Saints' second team, the Wanderers, lift the Aviva 'A' League trophy in 2016/2017, defeating Gloucester United in the final for the title [10] and again in 2017/2018 winning the final against a very strong Exeter Braves side.

Ludlam made his full Premiership debut in the first game of the 2017/2018 season against Saracens in the London Double Header at Twickenham, scoring his first senior try for the club in the heavy 24-55 defeat to the European Champions.[11]

Ludlam’s real break out season for Saints came in the 2018/2019 season where he made 27 appearances for the club, scoring 4 tries and being one of the clubs most consistent performers in new director of rugby, Chris Boyd’s first year in charge. From a disappointing previous season, Saints exceeded expectations reaching a play off semi-final and qualifying for the 2019/2020 European Champions Cup. Ludlam was one of a number of youngsters that Boyd put his faith in, playing an expansive entertaining brand of rugby that delighted Saints fans.

In June 2019 he was one of four uncapped players named in England's preliminary World Cup training squad. He went on to make his debut for England against Wales in the first Rugby World Cup 2019 warm up match, before being selected to England's 31 man Rugby World Cup 2019 squad.[12]

Ludlam featured in 4 out of 6 of England's game in the World Cup in Japan - including scoring his first international try in the game against the USA.