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Neil Spence (rugby union)

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Neil Spence
Full nameNeil Andrew Spence
Date of birth (1976-08-30) 30 August 1976 (age 48)
Place of birthHull, England
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb; 209 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Youth career
Hymers College
– Leicester Tigers
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1995-1996 Gloucester ()
1996-2004 Rotherham Titans 159 (85)
2004-2005 Saint Nazaire Ovalie ()
2005-2009 Bradford & Bingley RFC 97 (85)
→2009 Harrogate RUFC 7 (15)
2009-2010 Hull RUFC 17 (25)
2010-2011 Rotherham Titans 1 (0)
→2010 Otley RUFC 5 (0)
2011-2012 Ilkley Rugby Club ()
Correct as of 24 April 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1994 England u18
1996 England u21
2001 National Division XV 1 (0)
2006-2008 Yorkshire Counties
2007 England Counties XV 4 (0)
Correct as of 24 April 2023
Coaching career
Years Team
2012-2014 Ilkley Rugby Club Forwards Coach
2014-2016 Old Crossleyans Head Coach
2016–2017 Halifax RUFC Head Coach
2017-2023 Bradford Salem Head Coach
2024-present Skipton RFC Head Coach

Neil Andrew Spence (born 30 August 1976) is a former professional rugby union player who played at Gloucester, Leicester Tigers and Rotherham Titans in the English top division.[citation needed] He also represented the England age grade sides and numerous counties side. He is currently the Head Coach at Skipton RFC in Counties 3 Yorkshire.[1][2]

Career

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Playing

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Spence began his career at Hymers College before moving to Leicester Tigers then Gloucester.[3]

He made his name at Rotherham Titans playing over 150 games for the side in 8 years, he made his debut on the 7th September 1996 against Blackheath in National Two starting at openside flanker.[4]

In 2004 he moved to Saint Nazaire Ovalie in France for a season long stint before moving back to England to play for Bradford & Bingley, he stayed at Bradford & Bingley 4 seasons as a player/coach. During the 2008/09 season he spent time on loan to Harrogate RUFC where he made 17 appearances. At the end of the season he moved back to his home town to play for Hull RUFC. His stay only lasted a year as he moved back to play for Rotherham Titans for the 2010/11 season however he only made one appearance spending the majority of the time on loan to Otley RUFC.[5][6] In 2011 he joined Ilkley RUFC for his final season playing.[7]

Coaching

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After a season at Ilkley RUFC he transitioned in to the Forwards coach, where he held the position for 2 years.

In 2014, Spence joined Old Crossaleyans RUFC as Head coach where he stayed for two seasons before moving on to become head coach at fellow Halifax side and ex-National League side who were now in Yorkshire 3, Halifax RUFC.[8] In 2017 he left to join Bradford Salem as Head Coach where he stayed for 6 years before being released at the end of the 2022/23 season.[9][10][11][12]

International career

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Spence was named part of the 1994 England u18 where he won the u18 Six Nations, scoring against Ireland in the finale.[13][14] He also featured for the England u21s side.[15]

During 2006 to 2008 he played for the Yorkshire Counties side winning the Bill Beaumont Cup in 2008.[16]

In 2001 Spence was named in a National Division XV team to take on Eddie Jones' touring Wallabies side. The National Division side put up a good fight but in the end Australia won the match 22–34.[17]

Spence made his debut for the England Counties XV against Ireland Club XV in February 2007, losing the match 20–17.[18] In the same year he was named as part of the England Counties side to tour Russia,[19] he made an appearance in all three of the tour matches, starting in the loss against VVA Podmoskovye and appearing off the bench in the wins against Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk and the Russia national team.[20][21][22][23]

Lawsuit

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In 2020, Spence joined many other former players in legal action against rugby union's governing bodies, accusing them of negligence over head injuries. He began noticing symptoms in 2012 before going to see a GP and then a neurologist, where he was diagnosed with early on-set dementia and has clinical evidence of CTE.[2][24]

References

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  1. ^ "Neil SPENCE - Player statistics - Year stats - It's rugby". www.itsrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Bradford Salem coach opens up on concussions and harrowing diagnosis". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Gloucester RFC vs Swansea Match Day Programme" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Rotherham Titans - Player Profile, Games List". www.rothrugby.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  5. ^ "All time stats Neil Spence". Statbunker. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Neil Spence joins on long term loan from Rotherham". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Former Premiership player aims to give lowly Dalesmen a big lift". Ilkley Gazette. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Halifax RUFC appoint Neil Spence".
  9. ^ "Coaches left stunned after Bradford Salem relieve pair of their duties". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Neil Spence - Bradford Salem RFC 1st XV". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Halifax RUFC new coaching team". Halifax Courier.
  12. ^ "Neil Spence joins Bradford Salem as head coach". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Rugby Union: England land Grand Slam". The Independent. 13 April 1994. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  14. ^ "List of England Under 18 Rugby Players – NextGenXV". nextgenxv.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Effects of concussion see former Rotherham Titans flanker Neil Spence".
  16. ^ "Yorkshire claim Bill Beaumont Cup". ESPN.com. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Aussies battle to winning start". 28 October 2001. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Irish Rugby | Match Tracker: Ireland Club XV 20 England Counties 17". Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  19. ^ "England Rugby - Russia trip offers new challenge to England Counties XV". 19 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  20. ^ "England Counties 23 v Russia 21". www.rugbyinternational.net. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  21. ^ "England Rugby - England Counties open Russian tour with victory". 19 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  22. ^ "England Rugby - England Counties XV lose in Moscow". 19 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  23. ^ "England Rugby - Captain Cormack confident of Counties Test win in Russia". 19 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  24. ^ Aylwin, Michael (17 December 2020). "'A side of me is lost for ever': two more rugby players on their brain injuries". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
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