Key Facts
| Squad | Northampton Saints |
|---|
| Position | Flanker |
|---|
| Age | 23 |
|---|
| Height | 1.93m (6'4") |
|---|
| Weight | 110kg (17st 4lb) |
|---|
| Caps | 0 Test appearances |
|---|
After being part of the Leeds Carnegie Academy system from the age of 14, Calum Clark was clearly destined for international honours. Five years later, he duly became the youngest forward to appear in the Premiership when playing through the full 80 minutes against Saracens on September 30, 2007.
He made 23 appearances in his Carnegie debut season and by the end of the campaign won a call for England U20 and helped the side to reach the IRB Junior World Championship final against New Zealand after his team had beaten South Africa in the semi final. Calum was also the Carnegie’s young player of the year in two successive seasons with his physical potential and mental toughness to the fore.
His progressive series of honours that already included England U16 and U18 gathered momentum when he captained England U20 in the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship final in Japan. After signing for Northampton in the summer of 2010, he led the Saints, at the age of 21, in an LV=Cup match against Saracens.
Calum became the Northampton Young Player of the Season for 2010-11, having started both the Heineken Cup final that the Saints lost 33-22 to Leinster, and the Premiership semi final. That season he made 35 appearances – more than any other Saints player – and was rewarded with a new contract.
Backtracking, he had attended Richmond School before moving to Barnard Castle Sixth Form to take A levels and appeared in the 2007 Daily Mail Schools Cup final at Twickenham. His presence in the 2012 England Elite squad and that of Lee Dickson, another new selection, added more distinction to Barnard Castle, whose previous products include Rob Andrew, the Underwood brothers, Rory and Tony and Mathew Tait.
Calum, born in Stockton-on-Tees, played for Darlington RFC in his formative days, trained under the influence of Brian Ashton as a member of the National Junior Academy in 2005-06 and by mid March this year, his burgeoning total of Premiership appearances had reached 74, comprising 40 for Northampton and 34 for Leeds.
Last updated: March 11, 2013
