Guy Pepper
| Date of birth | 21 April 2003[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Harrogate, England[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Barnard Castle School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Durham University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Guy Pepper (born 21 April 2003) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Premiership Rugby club Bath.
Early life
[edit]From Eggleston, in Teesdale, Pepper attended Barnard Castle School. He was offered a place at Durham University in the same week in May 2021 that he signed his first professional contract with the Newcastle Falcons.[4] This came despite the fact he had to stop playing rugby for a time as a youngster due to arthritis.[5]
Club career
[edit]Pepper trained with the academy at Newcastle Falcons during the COVID-19 pandemic when matches were limited.[6] He continued to train with Newcastle whilst also completing a degree at Durham University.[7]
Pepper scored three tries in his first seven appearances for Newcastle prior to signing a new two-year contract with the club in April 2023.[8] In May 2024, he was nominated for Premiership Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Season.[9]
In April 2024, Pepper agreed to join Bath Rugby from the 2024-25 season, on a three-year contract.[10] He made a try-scoring league debut for Bath on 29 September 2024, in their opening Premiership Rugby fixture of the season, an away win at Leicester Tigers.[11]
International career
[edit]Pepper has represented England at U18 level.[12] In January 2023 he was named in the England U20 squad for the first time.[13] In February 2024 he started for the England A team in a victory over Portugal.[14]
On 10 March 2024, Pepper was called up to train with the senior England squad by coach Steve Borthwick for the conclusion of their 2024 Six Nations campaign.[15]
Personal life
[edit]His father, Martin Pepper, played in the back row for Harlequins and represented England B. He is also the director of sport and second master at Barnard Castle School where he coached in his later years as a student at a school. Guy’s brother Max Pepper has played rugby for the Great Britain national rugby sevens team.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Guy Pepper". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Guy Pepper". Newcastle Falcons. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Guy Pepper". All.Rugby. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (5 May 2021). "Guy Pepper signs contract with Newcastle Falcons". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ Savage, Angus (16 September 2020). "Video: Future Focus – Guy Pepper, Barnard Castle School". Next Gen XV. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Falcons swoop for teenage star Guy". Teesdale Mercury. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ Nickson, Frank (25 April 2023). "Guy Pepper signs new two-year contract with Newcastle Falcons". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Guy Pepper: Newcastle Falcons flanker signs new two-year deal". BBC Sport. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "Lawes, Smith, Russell & Slade on awards shortlist". BBC Sport. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ "Bath sign Newcastle back-row Pepper until 2027". BBC Sport. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Winger suffers 'nasty' injury as Bath count cost of win". Rugby Pass. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "ROMAN REVEAL NEWCASTLE FALCONS PLAYER SPONSORSHIP". Newton News. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "England U20 men squad announced for 2023". England Rugby. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
- ^ "England A vs Portugal: Charlie Ewels to captain England A's first match since 2016". BBC Sport. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
- ^ "Six Nations: Guy Pepper called up to replace injured Chandler Cunningham-South as squad named for France finale". Sky Sports. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ "Guy Pepper". The Rugby Paper. 7 November 2021.