Mike Catt facts for kids
.jpg)
Mike Catt
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Michael John Catt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 September 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 13 st 8 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Grey High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michael John Catt (born 17 September 1971) is a famous former rugby union player from South Africa. He played for the England team and for clubs like London Irish and Bath.
Catt played 75 international games for England. He was part of two Rugby World Cup finals. England won the World Cup in 2003. He also played in the 2007 final. At 36 years old, he became the oldest player ever in a Rugby World Cup final. After retiring from playing, Catt became a rugby coach in 2008. He was an assistant coach for the Ireland team from 2019 to 2024. He is now the Attack Coach for the NSW Waratahs.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Beginnings
Mike Catt was born on 17 September 1971 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He went to Grey High School there until 1989. He played rugby for Eastern Province as a young player.
His mother was English, which meant he could play for England later. When he was a student, he visited England. At that time, the South Africa team was not allowed to play internationally because of the country's policies. After finishing school, Catt moved to England.
Club Career Highlights
Catt joined Bath in 1992. He played his first game for Bath when he was 21 years old. This was against Nottingham R.F.C. later that year.
He helped Bath win the 1998 Heineken Cup Final against Brive. In 2004, after many years with Bath, he moved to London Irish.
At London Irish, Catt continued to play well. In May 2006, he was named the Guinness Premiership Player of the Season. He also became a player-coach for London Irish in the 2007–08 season.
In May 2009, at 37 years old, he became the oldest player to play in an English Premiership final. He played his last professional club game on 8 May 2010. For his great work in rugby, he was given the OBE award in 2011.
International Rugby Journey
Mike Catt was a very flexible player, known as a "utility back." This means he could play in many different positions. He played for England as a fullback, fly-half, inside centre, and even wing.
Early England Appearances
His first game for England was against Wales. His big moment came in the next game against Canada. He came on as a substitute and helped England win. This made him a popular player in English rugby.
Catt was part of the England team that won the Grand Slam in 1995. He also played in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. In that tournament, a famous moment happened when Jonah Lomu of New Zealand ran past him to score a try.
In 1997, Catt was called up to the British & Irish Lions tour as an injury replacement. He played in the final test match.
World Cup Success and Later Career
In 2000, Catt's international career got a boost. He started playing as an inside centre. His passing and kicking helped England score many tries that year.
Catt was chosen for the 2003 Rugby World Cup squad. Many people were surprised by this choice. He played in pool games against Samoa and Uruguay.
In the quarter-final against Wales, England was losing. Catt came on at half-time. His performance helped England turn the game around and win. He then started in the semi-final against France.
In the World Cup final, Catt came on as a substitute in extra time. He made some important runs and kicked the ball out of play to end the game. This confirmed England as world champions!
In 2006, Catt was called back to the England team after two years. He became one of England's top ten most capped players. He even captained England in some games in the 2007 Six Nations.
Catt was also in the England squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. He helped England reach the final for the second time in a row. After the World Cup, he wrote a book about his life called "Landing on My Feet: My Story."
He announced his retirement from international rugby on 27 October 2007. This was the week after England lost to South Africa in the World Cup final.
Coaching Career
Mike Catt started his coaching career in 2008. He became the attack coach for London Irish. He was a player-coach for two seasons.
In 2012, Catt joined the England coaching staff. He was the backs/attack coach. However, in 2015, the new head coach changed the whole coaching team.
In 2016, Catt became part of the coaching staff for the Italy team.
In 2019, it was announced that Catt would join the Ireland team as a coach after the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He worked with former England player and coach Andy Farrell. Catt left Ireland after their 2024 Summer Tour to South Africa.
On 5 August 2024, it was announced that Catt was joining the NSW Waratahs as their Attack Coach.
Honours
- Premiership: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96
- Anglo-Welsh Cup: 1994, 1995, 1996
- European Rugby Champions Cup: 1998
- Six Nations: 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001
- World Cup: 2003
- South Africa Tour: 1997 Winner
- Australia Tour: 2001 Tourist
- Ireland
- Six Nations: 2023 (Grand Slam)
See also
In Spanish: Mike Catt para niños
