Updated March 21, 2009
ANDREW SHERIDAN
Club: Sale Sharks
Position: Prop
Born: 01.11.79 | Bromley
Height: 1.93m (6’ 4”)
Weight: 117kg (18st 7lb)
Representative Honours: England 16 Group, 18 Group, Under 21s, A
Caps: 32
Points: 0
International Record: 2004 C(R) 2005 A, NZ, Sam 2006 W, It, S, F(R), I, NZ, SA 2007 W, F(1) World Cup - USA, SA, Sam, Tg, A, F, SA 2008 W, F, S, I, NZ(1), PI, A 2009 It, W, I, F, S
Andrew Sheridan is back in action after a neck injury and started all the RBS 6 Nations matches.
He was one of the stars of England’s 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign, in which he started all seven matches and was feted for leading the destruction of the Australian scrum in the quarter final in Marseille.
First choice loose-head for the 2008 RBS 6 Nations, he started the first Test against New Zealand last summer before a stud to his left eye caused severe bleeding and needed 12 stitches, an injury which ended his tour.
Andrew started playing at the age of nine for Old Elthamians and was with them for five years before studying at Dulwich College, where he worked his way through the Surrey age group teams.
He won caps in the second row at England 16 and 18 Group levels – including the tour of Australia that also contained fellow RBS 6 Nations squad members Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Borthwick and Lee Mears – and represented England Under 21s in the SANZAR tournament in Argentina in 1999.
Andrew toured South Africa with the full England squad in the summer of 2000 and in 2003 he was in England’s Churchill Cup squad in Canada and then Japan before coming came back to join Sale Sharks after Bristol’s relegation from the Premiership.
In December 2003 he played for the England XV that took on the Barbarians immediately following the Rugby World Cup success and he finally won his first cap for England, coming on as a replacement against Canada in November 2004.
Man-of-the-match against Australia on his first start in November 2005 he started all three internationals and then played in every RBS 6 Nations Championship match in 2006.
The 2006-7 season was disrupted by a broken left ankle and ligament damage sustained in the win over South Africa at Twickenham in the November, followed by a medial ligament injury barely a month after his comeback.
He returned to the Test arena against Wales and France in the Investec Challenge matches in August 2007 but was hospitalised needing intravenous antibiotics after suffering an insect bite ahead of the return leg against France in Marseille.
Andrew made five appearances for the midweek British and Irish Lions in New Zealand in 2005.
Did you know?
Andrew, also known as ‘Sheri’ or ‘Big Ted’, was a notable shot putter at Dulwich College, finishing fifth in the English Schools Athletics Championship and scored 22 tries in his final rugby season there, narrowly missing out on the school record. Peter Allen, rugby master at the time, said: “Never before have I seen one player inject so much fear into the opposition and dominate so many games with a combination of size, speed and strength.”
Andrew also has talents away from rugby and the gym. Like Matt Stevens, his fellow England prop, Sheridan has a musical side. He writes and plays folk and country songs in his spare time. He is also does bricklaying, in which he has a Level 2 NVQ.
Going on tour with England to South Africa in 2000 is among his career highlights while being in the Sharks side that lost to Newcastle Falcons in the 2004 Powergen Cup final was a low point.
Trevor Leota and Scott Quinnell are players he admires and his favourite food is steak and mash.
