Lee Mears

Infobox Rugby Union biography
playername = Lee Mears


fullname = Lee Mears
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|3|5
cityofbirth = Torquay, Devon
countryofbirth = England
height = 5 ft 9 ins (1.75 m)
weight = 15 st 11 lbs (100 Kg)
nickname =
school = Paignton Community College
Colston's Collegiate School
relatives =
position = Hooker
currentclub = Bath
clubnumber = 2
youthyears =
youthclubs = Torquay Athletic
years = 1998 ‐
clubs = Bath
caps(points) = 96 (30)
repyears = 2005 ‐
repteam = England
repcaps(points) = 25 (0)
pcupdate =
repupdate =

Lee Mears (born 5 March 1979 in Torquay) is an English rugby union footballer, who plays hooker for Bath.

Mears started playing as a Torquay Athletic mini and, via { [http://www.paigntoncommunitycollege.com/ Paignton College] }, came under Andy Robinson and Alan Martinovic’s guidance when at Colston's Collegiate School. He has played for Devon, England U16, U18, U19 and U21, with whom he played in three world cup matches in New Zealand. In 1997 he was a member of the unbeaten England U18 Schools team that toured Australia.

Mears joined the Bath Academy in 1997 after leaving Colston's. While he managed to score on his first XV debut in a friendly against Saracens, hookers Andy Long, Mark Regan and more recently Jonathan Humphreys have all consigned him to the bench, but with Long and Regan moving on and Humphreys injured for much of the 2004-05 season, he was given a regular starting place.

He was selected for the 2004 Churchill Cup squad but did not play. He helped England win the 2005 Churchill Cup and after being named in the Autumn test squad, he made his test debut as a replacement against Samoa in November 2005. He came on as a replacement in the 2006 Six nations championship games against Wales, Italy and France, and earned a full Cap against Ireland. Recently, Mears has been selected in the starting 15 against Scotland in the 2008 six nations. This came after several games trying to break into the side from the bench.

Mearsy has also won the extremely prestigious Best Thighs in Rugby award, three years running.

References

External links

* [http://www.bathrugby.com/6380_305.php Bath profile]
* [http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/112_146.php?player=4179&includeref=dynamic Guinness Premiership profile]
* [http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=10911 England profile]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=2516 Lee Mears photo by sportingheroes. net]