Michael Wade (rugby union)

Michael Richard Wade, commonly known as Mike Wade (born 13 September 1937, in Leicester)[1] was a rugby union centre who played 166 games for Leicester Tigers between 1955 and 1967; he represented England 3 times in 1962. He was a Cambridge University blue captaining the side to victory in 1961.

Mike Wade
Birth nameMichael Richard Wade
Date of birth (1937-09-13) 13 September 1937
Place of birthLeicester, England
SchoolWyggeston Grammar School for Boys
UniversityEmmanuel College, Cambridge
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1955–67 Leicester Tigers 166 (87)
Correct as of July 2016
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1962 England 3 (3)

Wade made his Tigers debut against Bedford on Christmas Eve 1955 as an 18-year-old whilst still at school, playing 3 games in four days during the club's Christmas festival also featuring against Birkenhead Park and the Barbarians.[2] He then dropped out of the side until the end of the season where he played 3 of the final four games.

He was captain of the Cambridge University rugby team in their undefeated 1961 season winning 14 games including the Varsity Match.[3] Wade was then capped three times for England in the 1962 Five Nations, making his debut against Wales he also featured against Ireland and France but was dropped for the Calcutta Cup match against Scotland, his clubmate at Leicester Horrocks-Taylor taking his place.[4]

Wade was Tigers captain in 1963/64 and again in 1964/65 however he suffered an injury to his knee cartilage in a game against Richmond in November 1965. Effectively forcing him to retire he played only 3 more games for the club in January and February in 1967.

References
  1. "Mike Wade". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  2. Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.
  3. Frank Keating (6 December 2011). "University match greybeards gather to relive timeless battle of '61". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
  4. Farmer, Stuart; Hands, David. Tigers - Official history of Leicester Football Club. The Rugby DevelopmentFoundation. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-9930213-0-5.


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