Key Facts
| Squad | Bath Rugby |
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| Position | Hooker |
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| Age | 34 |
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| Height | 1.73m (5'8") |
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| Weight | 96kg (15st 1lb) |
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| Caps | 35 Test appearances |
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Representing the British & Irish Lions in the first Test against South Africa in Durban in June 2009 embellished the burgeoning career of Lee Mears, whose efforts continue to serve his club and country productively. Lee’s most recent representative appearances were for England Saxons against Italy A and Ireland Wolfhounds in January and February this year.
His rugby fortunes developed from formative years with home town club Torquay Athletic minis and he has spent his entire senior playing career, dating back to 1998, in the colours of Bath Rugby, with whom he has completed a testimonial year. His chosen charities included the Wooden Spoon Society.
Lee was educated at Paignton College and Colston’s, Bristol, has been with Bath for 13 years overall and spent a long apprenticeship in the hooking role under club captain Jonathan Humphreys before emerging as one of the pre-eminent hookers in the Premiership.
Overall, he made his 200th appearance for Bath against Sale Sharks in April 2010, having captained his club in the 2006 Middlesex Sevens. He also relishes an England career that featured his maiden Test try in the 39-13 victory over the Pacific Islanders at Twickenham in the autumn of 2008 when winning his 26th cap.
Lee also crossed the line when the England XV shared a 28-28 draw with the Australian Barbarians at Perth in last June.
He had figured in the Churchill Cup tournaments of 2004 and 2005 for England Saxons. His other national honours were at schools’ 16 and 18 Group levels when he shared in the unbeaten tour to Australia in 1997, together with the under 19s and 21s, for whom he played in three World Cup games in New Zealand.
Since then, he has developed into a sound line out thrower and scrummager and his attacking play around the field has become an emerging force.
He shared in Bath’s 24-16 European Challenge Cup triumph over Worcester Warriors at Kingsholm in May 2008, casting aside the disappointment of a 22-16 defeat by Clermont Auvergne in the previous year’s final at Twickenham Stoop.
