Will Addison

William Joseph Addison (born 20 August 1992) is an English-born Irish rugby union player who plays as a utility back for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup, and internationally for Ireland.

Will Addison
Birth nameWilliam Joseph Addison
Date of birth (1992-08-20) 20 August 1992
Place of birthPenrith, Cumbria, England
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight94 kg (14.8 st; 207 lb)
SchoolQueen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith
UniversityUniversity of Manchester
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre, Wing, Full-back
Current team Ulster
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2018
2011
2018–		 Sale Sharks
→ Macclesfield (loan)
Ulster		 114
2
27		 (158)
(0)
(33)
Correct as of 21 October 2023[1]
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012
2018–		 England U20
Ireland		 4
5		 (0)
(2)
Correct as of 10 July 2021

A product of the Sale Sharks academy,[2] Addison made his club debut for Sale in 2010.[3] He was part of the England U20 side which won the Junior Six Nations.[4] He also featured at the 2012 Junior World Cup.[5] He split time between his rugby career and studying for a degree in business studies, graduating in 2014.[6] He was named the Sharks' captain ahead of the 2017-18 season, having previously captained the side in the absence of Josh Beaumont.[7]

Addison is Irish-qualified through his Fermanagh-born mother,[8] and grew up supporting Ireland.[9] His contract with Sale contained an option to leave if an Irish team approached him,[10] and he signed for Ulster ahead of the 2018–19 season in pursuit of his ambitions to play international rugby.[3] He had a successful start to the season, initially at fullback, later at outside centre.[11] On 24 October 2018, he was named in the Ireland squad for the November Internationals.[12] On 3 November 2018 he made his debut for Ireland against Italy.[13] He sustained a back injury in January 2019 that required surgery[11] and kept him out for fifteen months. He returned to action in April 2021, before his season was ended by a red card for a dangerous tackle against Munster in May.[14]

He started the 2021–22 season strongly, playing four games and scoring a try,[1] before sustaining a fracture of the lower leg in October which again meant undergoing surgery.[15]

References
  1. Playing statistics at ItsRugby.co.uk
  2. "Transfer News: Will Addison will leave Sale Sharks in the summer", Ruck.co.uk, 30 March 2018
  3. "Will Addison: Ulster sign Irish-qualified Sale Sharks centre". BBC Sport. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  4. "U20 Six Nations". ESPN Scrum. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  5. "Ireland U20 27-12 England U20". World Rugby. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  6. Emma Flanagan, "Sale Sharks star graduates from university with top degree", Manchester Evening News, 9 July 2014
  7. Matthew Wood, "Sale Sharks announce Will Addison as captain for upcoming season", Talking Rugby Union, 9 August 2017
  8. Will Addison profile, RTÉ Sport, 13 September 2021
  9. Gareth Hanna, "Will Addison: I liked to stand out by supporting Ireland while growing up in England", Belfast Telegraph, 7 November 2018
  10. Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh, Owen Slot, Irish option was in deal, says Will Addison", The Times, 25 July 2018
  11. "Making an impact at Ulster Rugby", The Front Row Union, 23 May 2019
  12. "Schmidt includes uncapped Addison as Murray misses out on Ireland squad". The 42. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  13. "Will Addison hungers for more on international stage after Ireland debut", News Letter, 4 November 2018
  14. "Will Addison: Ulster back's season over after receiving four-match ban", BBC Sport, 13 May 2021
  15. Jonathan Bradley, "Ulster’s luckless Will Addison sustains broken leg", Belfast Telegraph, 18 October 2021
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