Key Facts
| Squad | England Sevens |
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| Position | Forward |
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| Age | 28 |
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| Height | 1.95m (6'5") |
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| Weight | 102kg (16st 0lb) |
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| IRB World Series | 43 events |
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Winning the Emirates Airlines London Sevens in front of a home crowd at Twickenham in May 2009 was ‘an amazing feeling’ in the words of James Rodwell, who plays Number 8 at 15-a-side but shows adaptability, mobility and handling skills in the abbreviated game.
James scored a try in all five matches in the Hong Kong tournament in March 2011. He has since taken his touchdown tally in the IRB Series to 52 with one against Portugal in the Hong Kong tournament in March this year and three in Glasgow in May. His 50th was in the 46-0 pool win over Portugal at Scotstoun Stadium.
In 2010-11, he ran in 12 with two against Portugal and Fiji at Dubai that December, one in the George final against New Zealand and a total of nine in the final five tournaments in Wellington, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Adelaide, Twickenham and Murrayfield.
A graduate in Business Commerce at Birmingham University, he began playing when seven at Tring RFC, his local club, and was at Berkhamsted Collegiate School from the age of ten, where he figured at centre and full back and coach Graham Burchnall was his mentor.
It was onward and upward for James, whose England Sevens debut was against the United States at Dubai in 2008. Along the way, John Caves, his university coach and Moseley team manager, was another guiding influence as James became the club’s U21 player of the year in 2004-05, the players’ player in 2006-07 and supporters’ player in 2008-09.
Representative honours came thick and fast on his rise with Hertfordshire Schools 18 Group, London & South East U18, captaining North Midlands U20 and representing Midlands U20 foreshadowing appearances for English Universities in 2005, England Counties (2006) and England Sevens.
As for role models, Ben Gollings (‘at his age he was still tearing up the World Series’) and Lawrence Dallaglio (‘I used to love seeing him play at Number 8’) are tops for him. James ‘came of age’ when he scored his 21st HSBC Sevens World Series try in the 36-10 pool match victory over Canada at Murrayfield at the end of May 2010.
He relishes watching and playing most sports, especially golf, his sister Sarah has added to the family album by representing England at lacrosse and his favourite ground? It’s Wellington, known as ‘The Cake Tin’.
Last updated: May 15, 2013
