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Mike Brown (rugby union)

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For other people named Michael or Mike Brown, see Michael Brown.

Mike Brown
Birth nameMichael Noel Brown
Date of birth (1985-09-04) 4 September 1985 (age 39)
Place of birthSouthampton, England
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight90 kg (14 st 2 lb; 198 lb)[1]
SchoolPeter Symonds College
Wyvern College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback / Wing
Youth career
– Salisbury
– Melksham RFC
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2005–2021 Harlequins 351 (500)
2021–2022 Newcastle Falcons 16 (10)
2023- Leicester Tigers 29 (35)
Correct as of 27 October 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2018 England 72 (65)
Correct as of 23 June 2018

Mike Brown (born 4 September 1985) is an English professional rugby union player who plays fullback or wing for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. Brown joined the Harlequins senior team in 2005, having played youth rugby at Salisbury and Melksham, and began playing for the England first team two years later. Between 2021–2022 Brown played a season for Newcastle Falcons.

During his career, he has won 3 Six Nations Championship titles with England and two Premiership Rugby titles with Harlequins.

Early life

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Born in Southampton, he was educated at Wyvern College, until aged 15 when he moved to Peter Symonds College. Having mainly played football and little rugby, he initially wanted to play fly half. Under the coaching of Mike Marchant, he changed position to fullback. This brought him to the attention of Salisbury RFC, where he moved to age 18, before a short stint at Melksham RFC.[2]

Brown played with Melksham for one season, where his dad was a coach.[3] He has cited his time at Melksham as one of his most enjoyable seasons playing rugby and as having contributed significantly to his maturing as a player. He gives significant praise to one individual mentor, Bobby Walsh, whom he credits for setting his standards on nutrition and conditioning.[4]

Club career

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Brown made his debut for Harlequins during the 2005/06 season, scoring a try on debut in a pre-season friendly against London Irish on 12 August 2005. He was part of the England Under 21 team that won the 2006 Six Nations Grand Slam and also competed in the Under 21 World Championships later that year. Brown was discovered by Welsh rugby scout Craig Presdee-Salathiel, who contacted his friend Harlequins chairman David Morgan regarding Brown.[citation needed]

In the 2006–07 season, although still in a part of Harlequins' Academy side, he established himself as first choice full back. A standout season by Brown resulted in him collecting 9 tries, earning him a place on the Sky Sports Dream Team.

Brown had a successful 2010–11 season with Quins, culminating in winning the Amlin Challenge cup, beating Munster at Thomand Park on the way to the final against Stade Francais. This form continued into the 2011/12 Aviva Premiership season, resulting in a call up to the EPS squad. He started for Harlequins in their 2011–12 Premiership final victory over Leicester Tigers.[5]

At the start of the 2019/2020 season, while still an active player, one of the bars at Harlequins’ home ground (The Stoop) was renamed in Brown’s honour.

On 4 April 2021, it was confirmed that after 16 years with the club, Brown would officially leave Harlequins and join Newcastle Falcons on a two-year deal ahead of the 2021–22 season.[6]

In January 2023 he signed a short-term contract with Leicester Tigers. He made his debut on 19 February 2023, scoring a try in a 24–18 win against Saracens.

International career

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In the 2006–07 season, although still in a part of Harlequins' Academy side, he was capped by the England Saxons in the first two matches of the year.

Brown playing for England, 2018

Brown got selected for the 2007 England rugby union tour of South Africa. Unaffected by a severe incidence of food poisoning within the England camp, Brown picked up his first full England cap in the record 58–10 defeat to South Africa. Brown was called into the England Saxons side that defeated Ireland A on 1 February 2008.[7][8][9] On 1 June 2008, he started for England against the Barbarians at Twickenham in an uncapped match. On 14 June 2008, he started for England in their 37–20 defeat to New Zealand.[10]

Brown vied with Ben Foden for the England full-back spot in 2012, coming off the bench in the victory over Scotland at Murrayfield. He spent the 2013 Six Nations playing on the left wing with Alex Goode taking the number 15 jersey. He was finally picked at fullback by Stuart Lancaster and was subsequently named England's Man of the Series following his form during the 2013 Autumn Internationals. Brown scored his first try for England in the 2014 Six Nations Championship match against France on 1 February 2014 and his second came a week later in a comprehensive 20–0 victory against Scotland.[11][12] He then scored two tries and was named Man of the Match for the third time in the tournament in the 52–11 away win over Italy in Rome. In recognition of Brown's form throughout the 2014 Six Nations Championship, he was selected by the general public for the 2014 RBS Six Nations player of the championship award.[13]

Brown was an integral part of the England team that won the RBS Six Nations Championship in 2016 and played every match in the 3–0 series win over Australia.

Brown was named Man of the Match in the England vs Wales' Six Nations game on 10 February 2018.

International tries

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As of 7 July 2019 [14]
Try Opponent Location Venue Competition Date Result Score
1  France Paris, France Stade de France 2014 Six Nations 1 February 2014 Loss 26 – 24 [15]
2  Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland Murrayfield 2014 Six Nations 8 February 2014 Win 20 – 0[16]
3  Italy Rome, Italy Stadio Olimpico 2014 Six Nations 15 March 2014 Win 52 – 11[17]
4
5  New Zealand Dunedin, New Zealand Forsyth Barr Stadium 2014 Tour of New Zealand 15 June 2014 Loss 28 – 27 [18]
6  Samoa London, England Twickenham Stadium 2014 Autumn Internationals 22 November 2014 Win 28 – 9[19]
7  Fiji London, England Twickenham Stadium 2015 Rugby World Cup 18 September 2015 Win 35 – 11[20]
8
9  Ireland London, England Twickenham Stadium 2016 Six Nations 27 February 2016 Win 21 – 10
10  Australia Sydney, Australia Sydney Football Stadium 2016 Tour of Australia 25 June 2016 Win 44 – 40
11  Samoa London, England Twickenham Stadium 2017 Autumn Internationals 22 November 2017 Win 48 – 14[21]
12  South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa Ellis Park Stadium 2018 Tour of South Africa 9 July 2018 Loss 42 – 39[22]
13  South Africa Bloemfontein, South Africa Toyota Stadium 2018 Tour of South Africa 16 July 2018 Loss 23 – 12[23]

Personal life

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Brown married long term partner, Eliza Scarlett Woodcock, the daughter of former England international footballer Tony Woodcock, in summer 2016. [24]

References

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  1. ^ "Harlequins 1st XV". Harlequins. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  2. ^ "England's Mike Brown's gratitude to Hampshire college ahead of Rugby World Cup". Daily Echo. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  3. ^ "RUGBY: Melksham holds fond memories for Mike". Wiltshire Times. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  4. ^ https://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/4/9/4/494f3596a21991d1/317199507-englandrugbypod-episode-4-mike-brown.mp3?c_id=14943753&cs_id=14943753&expiration=1609506848&hwt=ce35404c53ce28f21cc19e6247ce69eb[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ "Harlequins 30–23 Leicester". BBC Sport. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Newcastle Brown: Full-back Mike is heading north". www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  7. ^ "England Saxons squad for Ireland A match". Rugby Football Union. 23 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
  8. ^ "Varndell shines in Saxons victory". BBC. 2 February 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
  9. ^ "Mike Brown and England Saxons". Quins. 4 February 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2008. [permanent dead link‍]
  10. ^ "Rugby Union – ESPN Scrum – New Zealand v England at Auckland, Jun 14, 2008". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  11. ^ "Last gasp try breaks English hearts". ESPN. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  12. ^ "England ease past pointless Scotland". ESPN. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  13. ^ "England's Mike Brown named as Six Nations Player of the Championship". The Guardian. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  14. ^ "Mike Brown". 7 July 2019.
  15. ^ Tom Fordyce. "Six Nations 2014: France 26–24 England". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  16. ^ Tom Fordyce. "England 20 – 0 Scotland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  17. ^ Tom Fordyce. "Six Nations 2014: England hammer Italy and wait on Ireland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  18. ^ Ben Dirs. "New Zealand beat England 28–27 in second Test to seal series win". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  19. ^ "England 28–9 Samoa: Home side earn first autumn win". BBC Sport. 22 November 2014.
  20. ^ "England 35–11 Fiji: Rugby World Cup 2015: England 35–11 Fiji". BBC Sport. 18 September 2015.
  21. ^ "Autumn international: England 48–14 Samoa". BBC Sport. 25 November 2017.
  22. ^ "South Africa beat England 42-39 in first Test in Johannesburg". BBC Sport. 9 July 2018.
  23. ^ "South Africa 23-12 England: Tourists lose second Test for fifth defeat in row". BBC Sport. 16 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Meet the wives and girlfriends of England's rugby stars". Daily Mirror. 16 September 2015.
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