Ben Spencer (rugby union)
England international rugby union player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Benjamin Thomas Spencer (born 31 July 1992) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Premiership Rugby club Bath and the England national team.
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Full name | Benjamin Thomas Spencer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 31 July 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Stockport, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 86 kg (190 lb; 13 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Bramhall High School Ivybridge Community College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Club career
Summarize
Perspective
Spencer began his youth rugby at Manchester and went on to represent Cambridge during the 2010–11 National League 1 season. In August 2011, after impressing during a pre-season trial, Spencer signed for Saracens.[1]
In March 2015, Spencer kicked a last-minute penalty as Saracens defeated Exeter Chiefs 23–20 in the final of the Anglo-Welsh Cup.[2] In May 2016, Spencer was a second-half substitute for Richard Wigglesworth as Saracens defeated Racing 92 to win the European Rugby Champions Cup for the first time.[3] The following season, Spencer was again a replacement as Saracens defeated Clermont to retain their European title.[4]
Spencer was Saracens' top try scorer in the 2017–18 season.[5] He scored a penalty as Saracens beat Exeter 27–10 in the Premiership final in 2018, and then the following year scored a try as Saracens retained the Premiership title.[6][7] Spencer won his third European Rugby Champions Cup, this time starting the final, as Saracens defeated Leinster.[8]
Spencer joined Bath in a three-year deal ahead of recommencement of the 2019–20 season.[9]
In May 2024, following an impressive season in which he led Bath to their first Premiership final in almost a decade, he was named in the Premiership Team of the Season for the 2023–24 campaign.[10]
International career
Spencer was a member of the England under-20 squad that competed at the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.[11] In January 2012, Spencer scored a try on his debut for the England Saxons in a victory against Ireland Wolfhounds.[12]
On 9 June 2018, Spencer made his senior international debut for England against South Africa, arriving from the bench during the first match of their 2018 summer test series.[13]
On 27 October 2019, Spencer was called up to England's squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, as an injury replacement for Willi Heinz.[14] He then made his first World Cup appearance as a substitute in the 2019 final against South Africa.[15]
In October 2024, having previously always played off the bench for England, Spencer was named as a starter for the first time for the 2024 Autumn Nations Series fixture against New Zealand.[16] Subsequently, in January 2025, following injuries to Alex Mitchell and Jack van Poortvliet, he was recalled into the senior training squad ahead of the 2025 Six Nations.[17]
Honours
- 4x Premiership Rugby winner: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
- 3x European Rugby Champions Cup winner: 2016, 2017, 2019
- 1x Anglo-Welsh Cup winner: 2015
- 1x Premiership Rugby runner-up: 2023–24
- 1x Rugby World Cup runner-up: 2019
References
External links
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