David Allen (rugby league)

David Allen (born 15 September 1985) is a former rugby league footballer who played as a second-row forward. An Ireland international, Allen played for the Wigan Warriors, Oldham, Barrow Raiders, Widnes Vikings, Whitehaven and the Rochdale Hornets.

For the rugby league footballer of the 1980s, see Dave Allen (rugby league).

Dave Allen
Personal information
Full nameDavid Allen
Born (1985-09-15) 15 September 1985
Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Playing information
PositionSecond-row, Loose forward
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003–05 Wigan Warriors 25 4 0 0 16
2006 Widnes Vikings 25 10 0 0 40
2009 Oldham 17 6 0 0 24
2009 Barrow Raiders 8 1 0 0 4
2010–14 Widnes Vikings 109 24 0 0 96
2015–17 Whitehaven 51 8 0 0 32
2018 Rochdale Hornets 13 0 0 0 0
Total 248 53 0 0 212
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006–16 Ireland 10 1 0 0 4
Source: [1][2]

Club career

Allen was included in the Wigan Warriors squad in 2003 and become a first team player in 2005. He played 25 matches for Wigan mostly as a substitute and was released at the end of the 2005's Super League X.[3]

After being released from Wigan Warriors he went on to join National League One side Widnes Vikings.[3] He was one of seven ex-Wigan players in the 2006 Widnes side and regularly played in the second row. He played in the 2006 National League One Grand Final where Widnes lost 16–29 to Hull Kingston Rovers. At the end of 2006 his contract with Widnes was not renewed after he failed a drug test following the Grand Final game against the Hull KR.[4][5] Allen was banned from rugby league for 12 months by the Rugby Football League after testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine, doubled to two years following an appeal by UK Sport.[4][5]

After serving his ban, he joined Oldham ahead of the 2009 season.[6] After a brief spell with Barrow Raiders, Allen joined Widnes for the second time in 2010 and was made club captain.[7][8] He made 26 appearances in the 2012 season and, in October, signed a new contract until the end of the 2014 season.[9] He was released at the end of the 2014 season,[10] and was signed by Whitehaven.[11] Injury prevented him from playing during 2017 and he signed for Rochdale Hornets at the end of the season.[12][13]

International career

He was included in the 2003 England Academy squad to face the Australian Institute of Sport. He was selected for the 2004 Academy Origin Series and the 2004 England Academy U-18s tour. In 2006 he was selected for Ireland along with six other Widnes players for the country's World Cup qualifying matches.

In 2016, he was called up to the Ireland squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup European Pool B qualifiers.[14]

Trivia
  • Allen's father, John, was a professional player with Swinton.
  • He attended Fairfield High School in Widnes from 1997–2002.

References
  1. "Player Summary: David Allen". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  2. Rugby League Project
  3. "Widnes snap up youngsters". Wigan Today. 14 October 2005. Retrieved 2 July 2019. Two more Wigan players parted company with the club today. Dave Allen and Bob Beswick have joined Widnes Vikings...
  4. Phillips, Mitch (1 March 2007). "Allen's "accidental cocaine" ban doubled". Reuters. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  5. "Vikings star in drugs shame". North Wales Live. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  6. "Allen handed Oldham opportunity". BBC Sport. 14 November 2008. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  7. "Widnes Vikings coach Paul Cullen makes Dave Allen new captain". Liverpool Echo. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  8. "Widnes Vikings forward Dave Allen given club captaincy". BBC Sport. 18 May 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  9. "Dave Allen extends Widnes Vikings deal until 2014". BBC Sport. 26 October 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  10. "Widnes Vikings to release Dave Allen and Kieran Butterworth". BBC Sport. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  11. "Whitehaven sign Widnes Vikings back-rower Dave Allen". BBC Sport. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  12. Gordon, James (3 October 2017). "Allen plays on with Rochdale". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  13. "New signing Allen looking to 'do something special' with Hornets". Rochdale Hornets. 1 October 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  14. "Warrington Wolves trio named in Ireland squad for World Cup qualifiers". Warrington Guardian. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
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