Iain Balshaw

Rugger
name = Iain Balshaw


caption =
birthname = Iain Robert Balshaw
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|4|14|df=yes
placeofbirth = Blackburn, England
dateofdeath =
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height = height|ft=6|in=1
weight = 14 st 11 lb (94 kg)
ru_position = Fullback / Wing
ru_amateuryears =
ru_amateurclubs =
ru_youthclubs = Preston Grasshoppers
ru_amupdate =
ru_nationalteam = England
British and Irish Lions
ru_nationalyears = 2000-
2001
ru_nationalcaps = 35
3
ru_nationalpoints = (65)
(0)
ru_ntupdate = 14 Sept 2006
ru_clubyears = 1998-2004
2004-2006
2006-
ru_proclubs = Bath
Leeds
Gloucester
ru_clubcaps = 33 (55)
ru_clubpoints =
ru_clubupdate = 14 Sept 2006
ru_currentclub =
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ru_sevensnationalyears =
ru_sevensnationalteam =
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other =
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family =
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relatives =
school = Stonyhurst College
university =

Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE (born April 14, 1979 in Blackburn, England) is a rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Gloucester Rugby.

Early life

Balshaw was educated at the Jesuit Stonyhurst College, at junior level he played for Preston Grasshoppers and joined Bath as a teenager in 1997. He made his senior debut in 1998, scoring thirteen tries in his first season.

International Rugby

Balshaw burst on to the international scene in 2000, when he was heralded as one of England’s most exciting young talents. He was picked on the replacements’ bench for every one of that year’s internationals. He won his first cap for England in 2000 at the inaugural Six Nations Championship match against Ireland, coming on as a substitute. In November 2000, he came on late in the England-Australia autumn International at Twickenham to give Dan Luger a last minute winning try, starting calls for his inclusion in the England starting line-up.

In the following 2001 Six Nations he finally made the starting line-up for England at full back and stunned the Welsh in the opening game at the Millennium Stadium; England winning 44-15. He toured Australia with the British and Irish Lions in June 2001, but suffered from a lack of form and did not start in the Test matches.

However, the 2002/2003 season saw him back to his best. He was a member of the England squad for the tour of New Zealand and Australia, before joining the party for Churchill Cup matches in North America. He scored two tries in a 'non-cap' international against Japan in Tokyo in June 2002, having recovered from shoulder surgery that restricted him to nine games in the previous eleven months for Bath. Problems with injury meant that his subsequent international appearances were few, despite criticism Clive Woodward retained faith in his ability and selected him to tour in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup.

Balshaw played in the warm-up match against France in Marseille and impressed in England’s World Cup game against Samoa when he caught a diagonal kick from Jonny Wilkinson to score a crucial try in the 70th minute. He was one of 19 England players who took the field during the 2003 World Cup final win over Australia in Sydney coming on as a replacement in extra time.

With his move to Leeds in July 2004, his game at club level flourished. Iain was out of action for the beginning of the season with a groin injury, but after three months of work with the Leeds medical staff he was back to fitness. He made his debut off the bench in the Tykes first home win of the season against Worcester Warriors. Iain’s first start came away against Grenoble in the European Challenge Cup and he has featured in the starting line up for the Tykes subsequent games. After a run of five impressive starts Iain was rewarded with the captaincy for the Powergen Cup semi-final game against London Irish, and this performance saw him gain a recall to the England squad.

In the 2005 Lions tour of New Zealand he was selected ahead of Kevin Morgan and Mark Cueto, but later ruled out with a torn thigh muscle.

Balshaw was selected for England in both Tests in Australia in June 2006. He played well although was criticised by the media for chipping out of his own 22.

He was also chosen in the first two Autumn Internationals in 2006. He played against New Zealand and then Argentina where he scored a wonderful individual try. However, he then pulled out of the 1st Test against South Africa injured.

He has been Englands first choice Fullback during the 2008 6 Nations but has received a lot of criticism from rugby pundits including George Hook.

Leeds Tykes

Following Leeds' relegation from the Guinness Premiership, in April 2006, Balshaw joined Gloucester Rugby, getting injured, though not seriously, in his debut against old club Bath.

Gloucester Rugby

Balshaw moved to Gloucester in 2006 after making 106 Premiership appearances for Bath and Leeds scoring 38 tries.

References

External links

* [http://www.gloucesterrugbyclub.com/323_2857.php Gloucester profile]
* [http://www.leedscarnegie.co.uk/index_EF080F5E37684F4ABCC352195C4803E1.htm Leeds profile]
* [http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=4165 England Rugby]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1853 Sporting heroes]
* [http://www.atommedia.co.uk/leedsrugby/leedstykes/Squad/squad-page.asp?ID=131 Leeds Tykes]
* [http://statistics.scrum.com/rugby_stats_05.asp?ID=KBA18 Profile at scrum.com]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7215247.stm Ashton renews Balshaw bond]