Peter Richards England Profile
Updated November 27, 2008
PETER RICHARDS
Club: London Irish
Position: Scrum half
Born: 10.03.78 | Portsmouth
Height: 1.76m (5’ 9“)
Weight: 89kg (14st 1lb)
Representative Honours: England 16 Group, 18 Group, U19 Colts, U21s, Sevens, A
Caps: 13
International Record: 2006 A(1,2), NZ(R), Arg(R), SA(1,2) 2007 World Cup - USA(R), SA(R), Tg(R), A(R), F(R), SA(R), NZ(2R)
Peter Richards was involved in the England set-up as far back as 1998 when he went on the Tour of Hell to the Southern Hemisphere, while he also sat on the bench against Manu Samoa in November 2005 as a late deputy for the injured Matt Dawson.
He finally made his debut on the tour of Australia in 2006 and then played in all four of the 2006 Investec Challenge internationals, including starting both tests against South Africa.
Peter was on the bench for Harry Ellis for the opening 2007 RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland but was then overtaken by Shaun Perry.
Selected for the 2007 tour to South Africa, he was due to start the first Test in Bloemfontein but was hit by the virus that affected many of the squad. He was due to be on the replacements bench for the Investec Challenge match against Wales in August but had to withdraw on the eve of the Rugby World Cup warm-up match with a back injury.
He recovered to make the World Cup squad and he sat on the bench for all seven matches, coming on in six of them including the final – as a flanker for injured replacement Joe Worsley.
Peter missed the 2008 Six Nations after tearing a left bicep muscle against Benetton Treviso in January, returning to action in April and came on as a replacement in the second Test against New Zealand in June.
He has played for England at every level from Under 16s upwards and excelled for two seasons with the England Sevens squad, including winning the Hong Kong Sevens in 2004.
Twice a member of England’s Churchill Cup squad in 2004 and 2005, he is now in his second spell at London Irish, having played for NEC Harlequins, Bristol Rugby, Benetton Treviso, London Wasps and Gloucester Rugby.
Did you know?
Peter played for Havant Under 8s as a four-year-old before moving to Farnham and Lord Wandsworth College, where he played inside Jonny Wilkinson.
He rates his dad, Geoff, a talented Eastern Counties and London Division wing, as the biggest influence on his career, especially while ferrying him to England Schools matches and trials at Castlecroft, Wolverhampton.
Peter is a Tottenham Hotspur fan, and a tidy footballer himself, who at 13 appeared in midfield for Southampton Schoolboys.
