Tom Court
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Short descriptionScript error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Infobox rugby biography/depcheck
Tom Court (born 6 November 1980) is an Australian-born former rugby union footballer. He most recently played for London Irish as a loosehead prop. He primarily played at tighthead in his early career at Ulster but switched to loosehead in the 2007/2008 season when BJ Botha arrived at Ulster.
Early life and sports career
Court was born in Brisbane, Australia and began his sporting career as a shotputter.[1] He was Australian University Champion for three years running and had Olympic trials in 2002. He started playing rugby in 2004 and has represented Queensland Reds and Manawatu as well as Ulster.[1]
Ulster and Ireland
Court represented the Ireland A side at the 2006 Churchill Cup only 16 months after first playing rugby union, before he had played his first game for Ulster. He qualified to play international rugby for Ireland through his grandfather, Patrick Carey, who was born in County Limerick, Ireland. He was also named in the 2008 Churchill Cup squad [2] and appeared as a substitute in all three games; against USA, England Saxons and a representative Argentina XV. He made his full Ireland debut in an uncapped match against The Barbarians at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester.[3]
Court was named as a replacement for all Ireland's matches of the 2009 Six Nations and earned his first cap as a replacement for Marcus Horan during Ireland's 38–9 victory over Italy on 15 February 2009. Court was named as part of Ireland's 2011 Rugby World Cup squad, and played in the Irish 15-6 victory over Australia (17 Sep 2011), coming on as a substitute against the country of his birth. Court made another appearance as a substitute, coming on in Ireland's final game of the 2012 Six Nations against England.
On 23 June 2013, Court was called up by the British & Irish Lions for their tour of Australia to act as cover for Alex Corbisiero.[4]
On 27 January 2014, it was announced that Court has been signed by London Irish on a 3-year contract with the club, joining from the start of the 2014/15 season.
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
External links
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- IRFU profile
- Template:ESPNscrum
Template:Ireland 2011 Rugby World Cup squad Template:British and Irish Lions 2013
- Pages with script errors
- Pages calling infobox rugby biography with available image
- 1980 births
- Australian rugby union players
- Birmingham & Solihull R.F.C. players
- Ireland international rugby union players
- Irish rugby union players
- Living people
- Ulster Rugby players
- Ireland Wolfhounds international rugby union players
- London Irish players
- British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland
- Rugby union props
- Rugby union players from Brisbane
- 2011 Rugby World Cup players
- Queensland Reds players
- Expatriate rugby union players in Spain
- 21st-century Australian sportsmen
- Australian shot putters