Mike Catt
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| Michael Catt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael John Catt | ||
| Date of birth | 1971-09-17 | ||
| Place of birth | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | ||
| Height | 1.77 m | ||
| Weight | 86 kg | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Position | Full back, Fly-half, Inside centre, Wing | ||
| Professional clubs | Caps | (points) | |
| 1992-2004 2004- |
Bath London Irish |
220 46 |
(43) |
| correct as of 14 Sept 2006. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| 1994- 1997 |
England British and Irish Lions |
68 1 |
(142) (0) |
| correct as of 14 Sept 2006. | |||
Michael John Catt MBE (born in 17 September 1971) is an English rugby union footballer who plays for London Irish, having previously played for Bath.
Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Catt's mother was English, and as a student he toured England. At the time, South Africa was banned from international competition because of the policy of apartheid.
[edit] Club Career
After trialling for Gloucester R.F.C., the young fly-half made his Bath debut as a 21-year-old against Nottingham R.F.C. in 1992.
At the end of the 2003-4 season, Bath decided not to renew his contract with the club and he moved to London Irish, where he has enjoyed a fruitful twilight of his career, resulting in May 2006 in one of five nominations for the Guinness Premiership Player of the Season award. Subsequent to his nomination as Player of the Season he has found himself adopted as an unlikely sex symbol by female rugby fans.
[edit] International Career
A utility back, Catt has played for England at full back, fly-half, inside centre and even wing, and was part of the England side that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup
His international debut against Wales. His break-through performance however came in England's following match against Canada at Twickenham Stadium, where he came on as an injury-replacement for the incumbent England full back Paul Hull. England's emphatic victory, Hull's untimely injury, and Catt's impact in the late stages of the game cemented Catt as the new darling of English rugby that season.
Playing at full back, Catt was part of England's 1995 Grand Slam winning side, and played in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In that event, he was memorably "posterized" by a young Jonah Lomu, who ran over him on the way to one of his four tries for the All Blacks in their semifinal win over England.
Catt was called up as an injury replacement in the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa and played in the final test. At the time the England squad, or at least what remained of it given that a substantial portion of the first XV were wearing the red shirt of the Lions, were touring Argentina, where Catt was showing excellent form.
For some of his international career, his inclusion has been questioned in some quarters. He was booed when he missed a penalty against Australia in 1998 at Twickenham that could have won the match; Australia won by 1 point. Ultimately though his natural ability as a rugby player have provided more positive career notes than negatives.
In 2000, with the retirement of centres after the 1999 World Cup, his career was revived when he stepped in to midfield. Acting as an inside centre, with Jonny Wilkinson his kicking and distribution was responsible for the high try counts of that year.
Catt was selected for the 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia but was injured and replaced by Scott Gibbs.
Catt was part of the squad that won the 2003 World Cup, playing instead of Mike Tindall at centre in the semi-final against France because of his superior kicking skills and an injury to Tindall. He kicked the ball in to touch for the final whistle seeing England become champions.
He has received an England recall, making his first Test appearances for two years on the summer tour to Australia, cementing his place in England's top ten most capped players. He had been in international exile until he was called up to captain England in the 2007 Six Nations game against France at Twickenham. England, with regular captain Phil Vickery and fly-half Jonny Wilkinson out to injury, won the match 26-18. He also captained England in the Six nations defeat to Wales at the Millenium Stadium.
[edit] External links
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| Forwards: | Archer • Back • Cockerill • Corry • Dallaglio • Garforth • Greening • Hill • Johnson (c) • Leonard • McCarthy • Grewcock • Rodber • Rowntree • Ubogu • Vickery • Worsley |  |
| Backs: | Beal • Bracken • Catt • Dawson • De Glanville • Grayson • Greenwood • Guscott • Healey • Luger • Perry • Rees • Wilkinson | |
| Coach: | Woodward | |
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| Forwards: | Back • Bulloch • Charvis • Corry • Dallaglio • Davidson • Greening • Grewcock • Hill • Johnson (c) • Leonard • McBryde • Morris • Murray • O'Kelly • Quinnell • Smith • Taylor • Wallace • West • Williams • Wood • Vickery • Young |  |
| Backs: | Balshaw • Catt • Cohen • Dawson • Gibbs • Greenwood • Healey • Henderson • Howe • Howley • James • Jenkins • Luger • Nicol • O'Driscoll • O'Gara • Perry • Robinson • Taylor • Wilkinson | |
| Coach: | Henry | |
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| Forwards: | Back • Corry • Dallaglio • Hill • Grewcock • Johnson (c) • Kay • Leonard • Regan • Moody • Thompson • Vickery • West • White • Worsley • Woodman | |
| Backs: | Abbott • Balshaw • Bracken • Catt • Cohen • Dawson • Grayson • Gomarsall • Greenwood • Lewsey • Luger • Robinson • Tindall • Wilkinson | |
| Coach: | Woodward | |
