England Player Profiles

Alex Goode

Key Facts

Squad	Saracens
Position	Full back/Fly half
Age	25
Height	1.81m (5'11")
Weight	85kg (13st 5lb)
Caps	11

Creative skills and calm authority brought Alex Goode the QBE Man of the Match award on his first appearance in a Twickenham Test when England opened their autumn series with a 54-12 victory over Fiji last November.

Alex backed up that with sound performances in the other three games and produced one of his finest displays for his country in the 12-6 win over Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in February. In the next match against France at Twickenham, he made 46 metres, the second highest of any England player, behind Manu Tuilagi (57). He also appeared against Italy and made 131 metres against Wales, the most by anyone on either side in the game.

He had won an initial cap off the bench for Jonathan Joseph in the second Test against South Africa at Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg last June and made his first start at that level the following week at Port Elizabeth.

Originally a fly half, he has moved to full back since being educated at The Leys School in Cambridge, Oakham School and the University of Hertfordshire. Status as an all rounder applies not only to Alex on the rugby field but also to his sporting background.

It includes appearing in the National Schools athletics finals, playing county tennis and being part of the Ipswich Town FC Academy before the lure of the oval ball grabbed his attention.

With a sense of occasion and perfect timing, Alex had made his Saracens’ debut a few days after his 20th birthday, landing two penalty goals and two conversions in the 25-20 win over Bristol at Vicarage Road. By mid March 2013, he had appeared in 85 Premiership matches and accumulated 239 points comprising seven tries, 18 conversions, 55 penalty goals and a dropped goal. In two matches during February 2011 he aggregated 30 points against Northampton Saints and Leeds Carnegie.

His range of England honours feature the U16 A team and U19 and U20, alongside Sevens and Saxons, for whom he contributed four conversions off the bench in the 66-0 defeat of Portugal at Edgeley Park, Stockport in January 2009. Alex also played off the bench for Ben Foden in the 57-26 win over the Barbarians at Twickenham last May as a forerunner to touring South Africa with the full squad.

Other exploits for the Saxons include a try and three conversions against Italy A at Treviso in February 2010 when playing off the bench and was also a try-scorer when Canada were beaten 38-18 in the Churchill Cup final at Harrison, New Jersey three years ago. Before joining Saracens in July 2006, Alex had appeared for Bath and Cambridge, his home city club.

When playing for England U19, he contributed 48 points, delivered performances of ongoing maturity and went on to score 44 in the U20 Grand Slam. Powerful broken field running is among his shining assets.

He shares the same name as former Leicester Tigers and Saracens fly half Andy Goode but is no relation. He does have kin in the highest sporting echelons, being the nephew of Olympic badminton couple Andy and Jo Goode.