Joe Heyes

Joseph Connor Rhys Heyes (born 13 April 1999)[1] is an English professional rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. His usual position is prop.[2] He was a Premiership Rugby champion in 2022.

Joe Heyes
Birth nameJoseph Connor Rhys Heyes
Date of birth (1999-04-13) 13 April 1999
Place of birthNottingham, England
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight122 kg (269 lb; 19 st 3 lb)
SchoolToot Hill School
Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College
Notable relative(s)Darren Heyes (Father) George Heyes (Grandfather)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Current team Leicester Tigers
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018– Leicester Tigers 128 (5)
Correct as of 22 October 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2017 England U18 9 (5)
2018–2019 England U20 17 (15)
2021– England 7 (0)
Correct as of 10 July 2021

Club career

Heyes began playing rugby at age 14, originally a football goalkeeper for Nottingham Forest he initially played outside centre for Nottingham Moderns RFC and then moved to Newark before joining Leicester Tigers academy at 16 and switching position to prop.[3] Heyes was loaned to Loughborough Students RUFC in the 2017/18 National One season and featured in 17 games.

Heyes made his debut for Leicester Tigers on 16 September 2018 against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in a 35–41 defeat in round three of the 2018–19 Premiership Rugby season.[4] After a seven-minute cameo in Leicester's 23–15 win against Northampton Saints at Twickenham Heyes was named in RUGBYPASS's team of the week.[5]

On 21 June 2019 Heyes signed a new contract with Leicester.[6] In May 2021 Heyes was a second-half substitute as Leicester were defeated by Montpellier in the final of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.[7] Heyes made his 100th Leicester Tigers appearance on 11 June 2022 against Northampton Saints in the Gallagher Premiership Semi-Final, the 2nd youngest prop in club history to do so. Heyes played as a replacement in the 2022 Premiership Rugby final as Tigers beat Saracens 15-12.[8]

International career

He was named in the England under 20s squad for the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship[9][10] and scored in the final as England finished runners up to hosts France.[11] The following year saw Heyes score a try against Wales to secure a fifth-place finish at the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[12]

In October 2020 Heyes was called up to a senior England training squad by head coach Eddie Jones[13] and in January 2021 he was called into the shadow squad of the England Senior Test team for the 2021 Six Nations.[14] Heyes made his full England debut on 4 July 2021 against the United States at Twickenham.[15]

Personal life

Heyes is the son of former professional footballer Darren Heyes, his grandfathers are George Heyes, a former professional footballer for Leicester City and Swansea City, and Bob Rees, a former British record holder in long jump.[16] Heyes was a regular team mascot during his father's time as Goalkeeping Coach at Notts County.

References
  1. "Joe Heyes ESPN profile". ESPN. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  2. "Leicester Tigers profile". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  3. "Hotshot: Leicester and England U20 prop Joe Heyes". The Rugby World. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  4. "Young Leicester Tigers prop Joe Heyes takes the next step forward with first-team debut". Leicester Mercury. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  5. "Gallagher Premiership XV of the Week - Round 6". RUGBYPASS. 7 October 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  6. "Leicester Tigers' Joe Heyes is living the dream as he agrees new contract". The Leicester Mercury. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  7. "Montpellier edge out Leicester Tigers to claim second Challenge Cup title". European Professional Club Rugby. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  8. "Premiership final: Leicester Tigers 15-12 Saracens - Freddie Burns drop-goal clinches title". BBC Sport. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  9. "2018 World Rugby U20 Championship squad". BBC Sport. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  10. "Leicester Tigers heavily represented at World Under-20s". Leicester Mercury. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  11. "World Rugby U20 Championship: England lose out to France in final". BBC Sport. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  12. "World Rugby U20 Championship: England U20 45-26 Wales U20". BBC Sport. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  13. "England: Head coach Eddie Jones names 12 uncapped players in training squad". BBC Sport. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  14. "JONES ANNOUNCES SQUAD FOR 2021 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS". englandrugby.com. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  15. "Uncapped Leicester Tigers pair start for England against USA". Leicester Mercury. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  16. "Joe Heyes RFU profile". England Rugby. Retrieved 19 September 2018.


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