Ruaridh McConnochie

Ruaridh McConnochie (born 23 October 1991) is an English rugby union player.[2] He was a member of the silver medal winning team in Rugby sevens at the 2016 Summer Olympics,[3] and a full England International, making his debut against Italy at St James's Park in September 2019. He wasn't selected to play again for England since, and as a result has become eligible to play for Scotland through his Scottish parents. His great grandfather James Macdonald represented Scotland in football and his grandfather Hamish Macdonald was a scratch golfer and a member of the R&A in St Andrews.

Ruaridh McConnochie
Date of birth (1991-10-23) 23 October 1991
Place of birthLambeth, London
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb)
SchoolYardley Court Cranbrook School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Youth career
- Cranbrook[1]
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
– Gloucestershire ()
2012-2014 Nuneaton RFC ()
2014-2015 Hartpury College ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018– Bath 61 (95)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019 England 2 (5)
2023 Scotland 0 (0)
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2015-18 England
2016 Great Britain Rio 2016
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place2016 Rio de JaneiroTeam competition
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2018 Gold CoastTeam competition

Youth

McConnochie attended Cranbrook School, Kent, where he played for the school's 1st XV rugby union team.[4] McConnochie played rugby at the University of Gloucestershire, as well as playing for Nuneaton RFC between 2012 and 2014 before joining Hartpury College.

England sevens

During his days at Hartpury, McConnochie made his England Sevens debut at the 2015 Dubai Sevens, adding to his GB Student Sevens appearance where he won the World University Sevens Championship. He was a silver Olympic medallist with Great Britain at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics and World Cup finalist with England. A regular try-scorer in the World Rugby Sevens Series, a year later, Ruaridh played an integral role in England’s gold medal triumph in Cape Town in December 2016. He also touched down in the 14-12 quarter-final win over New Zealand in Vancouver in March 2017 on the way to England’s gold medal success.

England national team

On 31 January 2018, McConnochie signed a professional contract with top English club Bath in the Aviva Premiership from the 2018-19 season.[5]

In June 2019 he was one of four uncapped players named in England's preliminary World Cup training squad.[6] Eddie Jones named McConnochie in the starting line-up to play Wales in England's first warm-up game but had to withdraw from the line-up with a hip injury, however, he was still named in Jones' 31-man squad. McConnochie was also named in the second warm-up against Wales before again pulling out through injury.

McConnochie was eligible to play for Scotland through his Scottish father, but elected instead to play for his country of birth, England.[7] He finally earned his full England cap on 6 September 2019 against Italy. McConnochie started on the wing, playing 51 minutes before being replaced by Bath teammate Joe Cokanasiga. The winger recorded his first International points, a try, during the first half of England's comfortable Rugby World Cup 2019 group stage win over the USA.[8]

Scotland national team

In January 2023, McConnochie was included on the Scotland squad for the 2023 Six Nations Championship. [9] He became eligible for Scotland under World Rugby rule allowing a change to another country for which he qualifies once more than three years have elapsed since his last match for England.

Honours

England

References
  1. Bates, David. "How Ruaridh McConnochie arrived with England, via sevens, tragedy and New Zealand".
  2. "England go close as France win Rugby Sevens Championship at Sandy Park". westernmorningnews.co.uk. 12 July 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  3. Britcher, Chris (12 August 2016). "Kent wins first Rio medal as Cranbrook's Ruaridh McConnochie takes silver as part of Team GB rugby sevens team". kentnews.co.uk.
  4. "In the spotlight: Ruaridh McConnochie". Cranbrook School. November 2019.
  5. "Ruaridh McConnochie: Bath sign England Sevens player". BBC Sport. 31 January 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  6. "Ruaridh McConnochie & Alex Dombrandt in England's World Cup training squad". BBC Sport. 20 June 2019.
  7. "Ruaridh McConnochie". 27 September 2016 – via www.somerhill.org.
  8. "Rugby World Cup: The rise of England's new wings Ruaridh McConnochie and Joe Cokanasiga". www.sportinglife.com. 27 September 2019.
  9. "Scotland Six Nations squad: Four uncapped players named in Townsend's squad". BBC Sport. 17 January 2023.


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