Matt Kvesic

Matthew Boris "Matt" Kvesic (born 14 April 1992) is an English professional rugby union player for Coventry. Born in Germany to English parents, he represented England at international level and played for several youth representative sides before making his debut for the senior team in 2013. Predominantly an openside flanker, he has also played on the blindside and at number eight.[1][2]

Matt Kvesic
Kvesic warming up for England in 2013
Birth nameMatthew Boris Kvesic
Date of birth (1992-04-14) 14 April 1992
Place of birthIserlohn, Germany
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
SchoolBlundell's School
Worcester Sixth Form College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Openside flanker
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2013
2010
2013−2017
2017−2020
2020–2022
2022–2023
2023−		 Worcester Warriors
→ Stourbridge
Gloucester Rugby
Exeter Chiefs
Worcester Warriors
Zebre Parma
Coventry		 59
4
98
58
104
12		 (50)
(0)
(50)
(65)
(65)
(5)
Correct as of 24 Dec 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2008
2009–2010
2011–2012
2016
2013−2019		 England U16
England U18
England U20
England Saxons
England

14
3
4

(15)
(5)
(0)
Correct as of 17 June 2016

Early life and youth rugby

After taking up rugby at Swanage & Wareham RFC, Kvesic attended Blundell's School in Tiverton where he captained the team in schools rugby. He joined the Worcester Warriors Academy aged 14 after attending a training camp before completing his academic studies at Worcester Sixth Form College.[3][4] Whilst in Sixth form he also represented North Midlands and then the Midlands as a whole in the Midland's Under-18 Championship and Divisional Festival respectively.[5]

Club career

Kvesic made his senior debut for Worcester in the Anglo-Welsh Cup against the Scarlets on 14 November 2009, becoming the youngest player to represent the Warriors in the professional era.[6] In May 2010 he signed a new contract with the club,[7] though with his playing time limited, he joined National League 1 side Stourbridge at the start of the season on a dual registration agreement,[8] making four appearances.[9]

He returned to Worcester and scored two tries on his full debut against Esher before adding a third in the British and Irish Cup against Newport in his next game.[10] He credited his try-scoring start to the season with the time he spent playing physical, forwards dominated rugby in National League 1 with Stourbridge and finished the season with 13 appearances as Worcester were promoted to the Premiership.[6][11][12] His performances saw him named Young Player of the Year at the club's end-of-season awards and, with his previous contract due to run out in 2012, he signed an extension with the club in April 2011.[13][14] In his first Premiership season he played sixteen times in the league, including eight starts, and made his European debut in the Amlin Challenge Cup against Stade Français on 10 November 2011.[15] He was a regular in his final season with the Warriors, appearing in all but one of their Premiership matches and left the club having been named Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year for 2012–13.[6][16]

On 6 February 2013, it was confirmed that Kvesic would leave Worcester at the end of the season to join local rivals Gloucester Rugby on a two-year contract.[17] He made his debut in Gloucester's 22–16 defeat to Sale Sharks on the opening day of the 2013–14 season and played his first match in the Heineken Cup a month later against USA Perpignan.[18][19][20] After twenty games without a try, Kvesic scored his first points for the club after crossing the line against Harlequins in February 2014.[21] In October 2014, he signed a two-year contract extension to keep him with the club until the end of the 2016–17 season.[22]

On 12 January 2017 it was announced that Kvesic would leave Gloucester at the end of the season to join local rivals Exeter Chiefs on a three-year contract.[23]

On 13 May 2020, Kvesic left Exeter to rejoin Worcester Warriors ahead of the 2020-21 season, on a long-term deal.[24]

On 5 October 2022 all Worcester players had their contacts terminated due to the liquidation of the company to which they were contracted.[25] On 16 November 2022, it was confirmed that Kvesic has signed for Italy region Zebre Parma in the URC for the rest of the 2022-23 season.[26][27][28]

International career

Age group rugby

Kvesic first represented England at under-16 level in 2008 while still at Blundell's school.[29] He made his debut for the under-18s the following year in the European Under-18 Rugby Union Championship and became a regular in the team. His spell with the under-18s culminated with a Grand Slam in the Five Nations tournament with Kvesic captaining the side in the win over Scotland.[3][30] In September 2010 he was selected in the under-20 elite squad and retained his place for the 2011 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and Junior World Championship.[31][32] He made his debut against Wales in February 2011, scoring two tries in a 26–20 win and went on to play every game of the Under-20s Six Nations as England won the Grand Slam.[3][33] He cemented his place in the back row and started 14 of England's 15 games in the 13 months after his debut, playing in the Junior World Championship final defeat to New Zealand and the 2012 Under-20s Six Nations as England retained their title.[34][35]

Senior team

A shoulder injury prevented Kvesic from playing in the 2012 Junior World Championship though he was named in the England Saxons squad for the first time in June the same year.[3][36] In January 2013 he called into the Senior squad for the Six Nations after an injury to Tom Johnson but did not make any appearances.[37] He was included in the squad for the 2013 tour of Argentina and started in the uncapped game against the Barbarians at Twickenham as England ran out 40–12 winners.[38][39] On 8 June he won his first senior cap in the 32–3 win over Argentina in the first Test and retained his place for the second match which England also won 51–26.[40][41] After impressing during the tour he was named in the Elite Player Squad in August.[42][43]

As part of the EPS, Kvesic was included in the squad for the 2014 Six Nations though he was not selected in the matchday 23 for any of the games.[44] He travelled on the 2014 summer tour to New Zealand but was again omitted from the squad for any of the Test matches due to the stiff competition for the three back row slots.[45] He did however play in the midweek game against the Crusaders, starting on the openside as England scored six tries in a 38–7 victory.[46] After the game England head coach Stuart Lancaster praised his performance, naming him as his Man of the Match.[47]

Despite being called up in Eddie Jones first EPS squad in 2016,[48] Kvesic has endured a long stay in the international wilderness, however after an outstanding second season for the Exeter Chiefs developing into more an all-round flanker rather than just an out-and-out openside he was recalled to the England squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup warm-ups and came off the bench in the final game against Italy to win his third cap but was not included in the World Cup squad.

Honours
Worcester Warriors[6][16]
  • Young Player of the Year: 2010–11
  • Players' Player of the Year: 2012–13
  • Player of the Year: 2012–13

Gloucester Rugby

  • European Challenge Cup 2014-15
  • Player of the Year 2014-15
  • Young Player of the Year 2014-15
  • Players' Player of the Year 2014-15
  • Young Player of the Year 2015-16
  • Player of the Year 2015-16

Exeter Chiefs

  • Player of the Year 2018-19
  • Premiership team of the season 2018-19

Personal life

Kvesic was born in Iserlohn, Germany, where his father was posted with the British Army. He is of Croatian descent on his father's side and Polish on his mother's.[4][49]

References
  1. "Matt Kvesic profile". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  2. "Matt Kvesic Joins Coventry!". Coventry Rugby. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  3. "Matt Kvesic". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 3 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  4. Guest, Tom (17 December 2010). "Up-and-coming Kvesic keen to earn new Warriors deal". Worcester News. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  5. "Kvesic in England Under-18 squad". North Midlands Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  6. "Matt Kvesic profile". Worcester Warriors. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  7. "Worcester hand out new deals to promising youngsters". BBC Sport. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  8. "Stourbridge sign rising duo Matt Kvesic and Andy Short". BBC Sport. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  9. "Matt Kvesic all time stats". Statbunker. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  10. "Matt finish warms sub-zero Sixways". Worcester Warriors. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  11. "Matt Kvesic's thanks for Saxons stint". Express & Star. Wolverhampton. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  12. "Worcester Warriors 25–20 Cornish Pirates (agg 46–32)". BBC Sport. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  13. Berkeley, Geoff (5 July 2012). "Shocked Kvesic earns Saxons call up". Worcester Standard. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  14. "Worcester Warriors Matt Kvesic signs a new deal". BBC Sport. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  15. "Contepomi boots Stade to Amlin win". Worcester Warriors. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  16. Guest, Tom (11 May 2013). "Double Warriors joy for departing Kvesic". Worcester News. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  17. "Matt Kvesic to leave Worcester Warriors to join Gloucester". BBC Sport. 6 February 2013.
  18. "Gloucester name team for Aviva Premiership opener against Sale". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  19. "Gloucester 16–22 Sale". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  20. "Magnificent Gloucester pip Perpignan to take Heineken honours". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  21. "Gloucester edge Harlequins in Kingsholm nailbiter". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  22. "Aviva Premiership: New Gloucester deal for England international Matt Kvesic". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  23. "Exeter Chiefs sign Gloucester and England openside flanker Matt Kvesic". BBC Sport. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  24. "Matt Kvesic: Exeter and England back-row forward to rejoin Worcester Warriors". BBC Sport. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  25. "Worcester player and staff contracts terminated after high court ruling | Worcester | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  26. "Ex-England & Worcester flanker Kvesic joins Zebre". BBC Sport. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  27. "IL TERZA LINEA INGLESE MATT KVESIC SI LEGA ALLE ZEBRE". Zebre Parma. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  28. "TREDICI ATLETI E UN COMPONENTE DELLO STAFF TECNICO DELLE ZEBRE SALUTANO IL CLUB". Zebre Parma. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  29. "Warriors lads go rampant in Wales". BBC Sport. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  30. "Kvesic helps England Under-18s to Grand Slam". North Midlands Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  31. "Worcester duo Kvesic and Short named in Under-20s squad". BBC Sport. September 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  32. "Former North Midlands Under-18 pair in England Under-20 squad". North Midlands Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  33. "Matt Kvesic happy with Worcester Warriors return". BBC Sport. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  34. "England 22–33 New Zealand". International Rugby Board. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  35. "First loss sees Ireland under-20s finish third". Irish Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  36. "Senior England and Saxons squads named". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  37. "England flanker Tom Johnson out of Six Nations through injury". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  38. "Alex Goode and Joel Tomkins withdraw from England squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  39. Mairs, Gavin (26 May 2013). "England 40–12 Barbarians". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  40. "Kvesic debuts into England squad". BBC Sport. 8 June 2013.
  41. "Kvesic retains place in England". BBC Sport. 15 June 2013.
  42. "Six changes to Senior England squad". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  43. "Stuart Lancaster tips Matt Kvesic to mount England bid". The Citizen. Gloucester. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  44. "Gloucester star Matt Kvesic isn't coasting to the finish line with a trip to New Zealand in the offing". Gloucestershire Gazette. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  45. "Lancaster names initial 30-man NZ tour squad". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  46. "Six-try England ease to victory". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  47. Brown, Mike (17 June 2014). "Matt Kvesic stars as England ease past Crusaders". Gloucester Citizen. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  48. "England squad named for the 2016 Six Nations". rugbyworld.com. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  49. James, Steve (25 May 2013). "Matt Kvesic has a golden chance to be Stuart Lancaster's perfect seven". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
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