Hackney born Courtney Lawes is a professional Rugby Union player who plays as a second or back row for Northampton Saints and captains the England national team.
Early Life and Education
Courtney Linford Lawes was born in Hackney on February 23rd, 1989 but moved to his mother’s hometown Northampton when he was four years old.
In 2002, Lawes attended Grammar School Northampton School for Boys which have an embedded history of producing rugby union players, such as former England Hooker Steve Thompson and current Northampton Fly-Half James Grayson.
However, Rugby was not Lawes’ first sport as he used to play football for a local youth football team which he was taken to by his dad to build his confidence and he also took part in athletics and basketball.
At the age of 13 Lawes was introduced to Rugby when attending trials for his school. In his first season playing rugby one of the coaches said to him that he will play for England one day and it eventually came true.
Potential
Norman Barker, former teacher of Lawes when spoke to the Telegraph saying:
“Courtney was a good athlete. He did athletics and basketball. He was tall, he was rangy, and he was skilful. I didn’t know whether he was going to play for England or not, but I knew he had the potential to do so. So I made him say it. If my words had some impact, I’m really, really pleased, because he’s a world-class player. There’s no doubt about that.”
The England International then went on to join Northampton Old Scouts, this is where his skills advanced and he truly believed he could make a career out of playing rugby.
Chris Parr, Old Scouts Coach, when speaking to the Telegraph he said:
“Courtney had not played any rugby until he was 13 and came to Old Scouts because his mates from school were already here. He was naturally very athletic with great instinctive ball skills but because he was so new to the sport, his skills needed attention. Being so tall, the tendency was to tackle and ruck too high.”
Northampton Saints
Lawes was brought to the Saints’ academy in 2007 and at the age of 18 he made his professional debut against Esher in the 2007-08 season which ended in promotion for the Saints.
Courtney Lawes’ gained a reputation for being a tough tackler and his trademark disguised hit from when running behind the ruck put the fear into fly-half’s all over the world.
Over the last 15 years, Lawes has 251 appearances for Northampton Saints and in 2014 he played a key part in the Saints’ Premiership title and European Challenge Cup win.
England Career
Lawes had an illustrious youth career with England which he was part of the under 18 side which toured Australia in 2007 and the Under 20 team that finished as runners up to New Zealand in in the final of the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Tokyo.
The Hackney born back row received his first call up by England coach Martin Johnson, and made his England debut in 7th November 2009 as he replaced Louis Deacon for the last twelve minutes of England’s 18-9 defeat to Australia at Twickenham Stadium.
In Lawes’ 96 appearances for England, he has won the six nations championship three times in 2016, 2017 and 2020 and Runner up for the Rugby World Cup in 2019. Eddie Jones, England manager, made Lawes captain in June 2022 replacing Saracens Fly Half Owen Farrell.
British and Irish Lions
Warren Gatland, British and Irish Lions Coach, selected Lawes to be part of the squad to tour New Zealand in 2017. The Northampton Lock was handed his first appearances for the Lions against the Blues and went on to play his first test games coming off the bench in the second and third games as the series finished level.
Lawes went on to play a key part for Gatland’s side four years later starting all three tests at flanker as the Lions lost the series 2-1.
Player Profile
Club: Northampton Saints
Position: Flanker, Second Row
Height : 6 ft 7in
Weight: 115kg
International Caps: 96
British and Irish Lions Caps: 5
Edited By: Joshkun Salih
