Lee Mears England Profile
Updated December 1, 2008
LEE MEARS
Club: Bath Rugby
Position: Hooker
Born: 05.03.79 | Torquay
Height: 1.73m (5’ 8“)
Weight: 96kg (15st 2lb)
Representative Honours: England 16 Group, 18 Group, U19 Colts, U21s, England A
Caps: 29
Points: 5 – 1T
International Record: 2005 Sam(R) 2006 W(R), It(R), F(R), I, A(1,2R) NZ(1R), Arg(1R), SA(1R,2) 2007 S(R), It(R), I(R), W(R), F(1R,2R), World Cup - Tg(R) 2008 W(R), It(R), F(R), S, I, NZ(1,2), PI, A, SA, NZ
Lee Andrew Mears has started England's last eight games, most recently against New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Pacific Islanders in the Investec Challenge series.
He started his rugby with Torquay Athletic minis and, via Paignton College, eventually came under the direction of Alan Martinovic while at Colston’s Collegiate School in Bristol and then former England head coach Andy Robinson, both in the classroom and on the training field at Bath. He has spent all his professional career at the Rec and has jut renewed his contract for four more years.
He represented England 16 and 18 Groups, together with England Under 19 Colts and 21s, for whom he played in three World Championship matches in New Zealand. Lee also appeared for England A in two Churchill Cup tournaments (2004 & 2005) and captained Bath in the Middlesex Sevens (2006).
Before the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Lee played in 18 of England’s 22 tests dating back to his debut as a replacement for Steve Thompson against Samoa at Twickenham in 2005.
Did you know?
Lee would have joined the RAF had he not opted for rugby – he is currently learning to fly – but if he didn’t play professionally he would like to work in the Stock Market.
An Aston Villa fan, his rugby hero as a youngster was former Bath hooker Graham Dawe.
His pre-match superstition is to put his left sock on before his right and his most embarrassing rugby moment is having to change his shorts in front of 60,000 spectators.
Lee loves to cook for himself and his wife Danielle and has even taken culinary courses to develop his repertoire and skills.
In 1997 he was a member of the unbeaten England U18 Schools party that toured Australia with fellow World Cup squad members Jonny Wilkinson, Andrew Sheridan and Steve Borthwick. They had won a Grand Slam that year, then dished out hidings the length and breadth of Australia in an eight match tour during which they scored almost 550 points and conceded just 62.
