England Saxons

Matt Kvesic

Key Facts

Squad	Worcester Warriors
Position	Flanker
Age	21
Height	1.86m (6'1")
Weight	104kg (16st 5lb)
Caps	U20:14

Fourteen starts in 15 England U20 games in 13 months, dating back to the Wales match in February 2011 illustrate how Matt Kvesic, the England U18 captain against Scotland in April 2010 and against the same opponents in the 2011 IRB U20 World Championship, has made a back row spot his own property. Unluckily, he missed the 2012 tournament in South Africa after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Matt pays tribute to Worcester Warriors’ Kai Hortsmann, who has helped him with his game in practical terms and with video analysis, and to fellow Warriors’ back row Neil Best. Matt added: “They made my progression into the first team at Sixways very smooth.” By the end of last season, he had appeared in 37 senior games, including 23 this season, and scored five tries for the Warriors.

When graduating to the England U20 side against Wales, he made an instant impression, scoring two of his side’s four tries in a 26-20 win at Parc y Scarlets and started the subsequent matches against Italy, France, Scotland and Ireland against whom he bagged a try.

A former South West and England U16 player, he was born to English parents in Iserlohn, Germany where his father Mark, an Army rugby player, had been posted. He took up the game at Swanage & Wareham RFC, then played at schools level for Blundell’s in Tiverton, Devon, attended a Year 8 camp and was spotted by Worcester Warriors.

Matt’s first team debut was three seasons ago against the Scarlets in the LV=Cup and initially he combined rugby with A levels in Physical Education, Biology and Business Studies at Worcester Sixth Form College. He captained Blundell’s and is currently relishing the atmosphere of Sixways, the home of the Warriors. He was on a dual registration two seasons ago with National One club Stourbridge, for whom he played three times.

He said: "The crowd at Sixways is always amazing. It was also incredible playing at Toulon for England against France in the final of the AER tournament.

"I admire Worcester products Matt Mullen and Tom Wood, now with Northampton, who have come through our academy. What they have achieved shows it’s to make the grade as a professional rugby player. Italy’s Sergio Parisse, Richie McCaw and David Pocock are others I respect hugely. Worcester Academy managers Andrew Stanley and Gary Meechan are my mentors."

Matt won the young personality of the year for Worcestershire Sport and two seasons ago was named as the Warriors Young Player of the Year. He continued: “Beating Australia U18 by 30-28 at Sale two years ago was a fantastic feeling as was playing in the IRB Junior World Championship final against New Zealand at Padova last November.”

While at Blundell’s, Matt toured India with the school cricket team and enjoys the golf driving range when his studies permit. He missed the England U18 tour to South Africa in July 2010 because of training commitments with his club.