Courtney Lawes facts for kids
Lawes representing Northampton Saints during the Aviva Premiership
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| Full name | Courtney Linford Lawes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 23 February 1989 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Hackney, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 119 kg (262 lb; 18 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Kingsthorpe College Northampton School for Boys< Moulton College |
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| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Courtney Linford Lawes (born February 23, 1989) is a famous English rugby player. He plays as a flanker, which is a special position in rugby. He currently plays for the Pro D2 club Brive in France. Before that, he played for the England national team for many years.
Contents
Courtney Lawes' Early Life
Courtney Lawes was born in Hackney, London, on February 23, 1989. His father was from Jamaica and his mother was English. When he was four, his family moved to Northampton, his mother's hometown.
Courtney went to Northampton School for Boys. He started playing rugby at Northampton Old Scouts club. This club has helped many great players, like Ben Cohen and Steve Thompson.
Playing for Clubs
Starting with Northampton Saints
In October 2007, Courtney Lawes played his first game for Northampton Saints. This was during the 2007–08 season, when the team won promotion to a higher league. The next season, he became known for his strong tackles. One famous tackle was in the 2009 European Challenge Cup final.
In March 2010, Lawes helped his team win the Anglo-Welsh Cup against Gloucester. The next year, he played in the 2011 Heineken Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium. Northampton Saints finished as runners-up in that big game.
Winning Championships
In May 2013, Northampton Saints lost to Leicester Tigers in the Premiership final. However, the next season was amazing for Lawes and his team. In 2014, they won both the Premiership and the European Rugby Challenge Cup.
They beat Bath to win the Challenge Cup. The very next weekend, they defeated Saracens to win their first ever Premiership title. Lawes was a very important part of these victories.
Later Years and Leaving Saints
In the 2016-17 season, Lawes was a top player for the Saints. He was nominated for the Supporters' Player of the Season award.
After playing for Northampton Saints for 17 years, Lawes announced he would leave the club. On February 23, 2024, he shared that he would join the French club Brive at the end of the 2023-24 season.
On April 29, 2024, Courtney Lawes was honored by being added to the Rugby Players' Association Hall of Fame. He was also named in the English Premiership Team of the Season for 2023-24.
In his final game for Northampton Saints on June 8, 2024, Courtney Lawes was the team captain. He led them to win their second English Premiership title, beating Bath in the final. This win made him a true legend for his club and country.
Playing for England
Early International Games
Courtney Lawes played for England's Under 18 team and toured Australia in 2007. He also played in the IRB Junior World Championship in 2008. In 2009, he helped the England Under 20 team reach the final of the 2009 IRB Junior World Championship in Tokyo. They finished as runners-up to New Zealand.
In July 2009, Lawes was chosen for the England Saxons squad. On October 26, 2009, he was called up to the senior England team for the first time. He made his debut for England on November 7, 2009, against Australia at Twickenham.
He was part of the squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He started in the quarter-final game where England was knocked out by France.
World Cups and Six Nations
After the 2011 World Cup, new coach Stuart Lancaster continued to pick Lawes for the team. In December 2012, he played in a win against New Zealand. He was also selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He played in two pool games, but England, as the host nation, did not make it to the knockout stage.
Lawes played in the 2016 Six Nations Championship, where England won their first Grand Slam in over ten years. He also helped England win all three games during their 2016 tour of Australia. Later that year, he scored his first international try against South Africa. This was also his 50th game for England.
In 2017, Lawes started in the final match of the 2017 Six Nations Championship. England lost to Ireland, which stopped them from winning back-to-back Grand Slams. This loss also ended their record of eighteen straight Test victories.
Lawes was part of the squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He started in all three knockout games. England beat Australia in the quarter-final and New Zealand in the semi-final. However, they lost to South Africa in the final, finishing as runners-up.
Lawes was also a member of the team that won the 2020 Six Nations Championship. On November 6, 2021, Lawes captained England for the first time in a game against Tonga. He retired from playing for England after the 2023 World Cup.
Playing for the British & Irish Lions
On April 19, 2017, it was announced that Lawes would join the British & Irish Lions for their tour to New Zealand. He played his first Lions starting game against the Blues. He came off the bench in the second and third Test matches, and the series ended in a draw.
Lawes was also chosen by coach Warren Gatland for the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa. He started all three Test matches as a flanker. The Lions lost that series 2–1.
Personal Life
As of 2017, Courtney Lawes and his wife Jessica have four children.
Career Statistics
International Tries
| Try | Opposing team | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South Africa |
London, England | Twickenham Stadium | 2016 Autumn Internationals | 12 November 2016 | Win | 37 – 21 |
| 2 |  Japan |
Nice, France | Stade de Nice | 2023 Rugby World Cup | 17 September 2023 | Win | 34 – 12 |
Honours and Achievements
With England
- 3× Six Nations Championship: 2016, 2017, 2020
- 1× Rugby World Cup runner-up: 2019
With Northampton Saints
- 2× Premiership Rugby: 2014, 2024
- 1× Anglo-Welsh Cup: 2010
- 2× EPCR Challenge Cup: 2009, 2014
- 1× RFU Championship: 2008
- 1× European Rugby Champions Cup runner up: 2011
- 1× Premiership Rugby runner-up: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Courtney Lawes para niños
