Matt Poole

Matthew David Poole (born 6 February 1969)[1] is a former rugby union lock who played 223 games for Leicester Tigers from 1988 to 1998, he also toured twice with England but did not play in a test match.

Matt Poole
Birth nameMatthew David Poole
Date of birth (1969-02-06) 6 February 1969
Place of birthLeicester, England
Height6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight272 lb (123 kg)
SchoolRoundhill College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1988–1998 Leicester Tigers 223 (95)
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1990;1994 England 0 (0)

Career

Beginnings

Born in Leicester,[1] Poole was a product of the Leicester youth team and played for England Colts and the inaugural England under 21s team.[2] He made his Tigers debut on 18 October 1988 against Oxford University and featured in 5 games that season including making his Courage League debut against Moseley from the bench.

Leicester and England

Poole established himself in the side the 1989/90 with 24 appearances and was selected that summer to tour Argentina. He played in 3 of the 7 matches on tour but did not feature in either international to gain his cap. Despite making his Leicester debut in the same season, 1988/89, as fellow lock Martin Johnson the pair did not start a game together until 5 November 1991 against Cambridge University. They went on to play together 129 times, a club record for a second row partnership.[3]

On 1 September 1992 against Sheffield Poole scored Leicester's first 5-point try, following the increase in its value.[4]

Poole played in the Pilkington Cup Finals of 1993, 1994, 1996, where he scored a try, and 1997 winning 2 and losing 2 of the games. Poole was also part of the Leicester side which won the league in 1995. He played in 1997 Heineken Cup Final which Leicester lost to Brive.

Poole toured with England again in 1994 when they traveled to South Africa.[5] But again was not selected for either test match.

Retirement

Poole's career ended in 1998 because of ankle and pelvic injuries. His final appearance was on 7 November 1998 against Bath at Welford Road. Poole played more matches in the letter "E" shirt than any other player in the club's history. He wore the jersey 192 times.[2]

In February 2009 Poole was voted by readers of the Leicester Mercury into Leicester Tigers's Walk of Legends alongside his long term playing partner Martin Johnson.[6]

Sources

Farmer,Stuart & Hands, David Tigers-Official History of Leicester Football Club (The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5)

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References
  1. "Matt Poole". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  2. Farmer & Hands 2014, p. 395.
  3. Farmer & Hands 2014, p. 493.
  4. Farmer & Hands 2014, p. 501.
  5. "Rugby Union: England's telling tour of enlightenment: Rowell's squad to discover a changed South Africa on and off the playing field". 10 May 1994. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  6. "Tigers Legends: It's Poole next to Johnno in second row!". Leicester Mercury. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
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