Steve Thompson (rugby player)
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| Steve Thompson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Steve Geoffrey Thompson | ||
| Date of birth | 1978-07-15 | ||
| Place of birth | Hemel Hempstead, England | ||
| Height | 1.87 m | ||
| Weight | 115 kg | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Position | Hooker | ||
| Professional clubs | Caps | (points) | |
| 1998- | Northampton Saints | 107 | (80) |
| correct as of 13 Sept 2006. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| 2002-2006 2005 |
England British and Irish Lions |
47 2 |
(15) (0) |
| correct as of 13 Sept 2006. | |||
Steve Thompson MBE (formerly Steve Walters; born 15 July 1978 in Hemel Hempstead) is a rugby union player who plays at hooker for Northampton Saints.
Steve Thompson is regarded by few as England’s finest ever hooker and certainly England’s biggest. At 6'3" and 18 stone he is larger than the average hooker but he is also very fast and an excellent ball carrier. He is, however, perceived to be weak at throwing the ball in at line-outs.
Steve started playing rugby at 15 at the Northampton School for Boys and went on to play for Northampton Old Scouts RFC. He also trained with the youth section of Saints and, at 18, was selected for the apprentice scheme at the club's academy as a back row forward. Former Saints coach Ian McGeechan persuaded him to convert to being a hooker. Despite competing against the Argentinian Federico Mendez in the 1999-2000 season for his club place, he still managed to force his way into the England A squad.
He made his debut for England against his former mentor’s side Scotland and the men in white came out on top. Steve was selected for England’s summer tour to North America in 2001 where he was one of the many success stories. He scored his maiden test try against Italy in 2003 and made a significant contribution to England's southern hemisphere tour in June 2003, playing in both tests against New Zealand and Australia.
He was a member of the 2003 England team that won the Rugby World Cup. He played a part in all but one of England’s World Cup performances in Australia in 2003 and scored his second test try in England’s opening World Cup match against Georgia in Perth.
He continued as an England regular in the Autumn games of 2004. He was selected for the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand. On the tour he seemed to have regained some of his form after a poor 2005 Six Nations.
Steve has continued to develop as a player and is now Co-captain of Northampton Saints. His reliable form for both club and country means that he continues as the first choice hooker for England. His solid performances in both the autumn and Six Nations tests have demonstrated his international consistency.
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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 | |
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| Forwards: | Back • Bulloch • Byrne • Cockbain • Corry • Dallaglio • Easterby • Grewcock • Hayes • Hill • Jenkins • Jones, R. • Kay • Moody • O'Callaghan • O'Connell • O'Kelly • Owen • Rowntree • Shaw • Sheridan • Stevens • Taylor • Thompson • Titterrell • White, Jason • White, Julian • Williams, M. |  |
| Backs: | Cooper • Cueto • Cusiter • D'Arcy • Dawson • Greenwood • Henson • Hickie • Hodgson • Jones, S. • Horgan • Lewsey • Murphy • O'Driscoll (c) • O'Gara • Peel • Robinson • Shanklin • Smith • Thomas • Wilkinson • Williams, S. • | |
| Coach: | Woodward | |
