Eric Miller (rugby player)

Infobox Rugby biography
name = Eric Miller
birthname = Eric Roger Patrick Miller
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1975|9|23
placeofbirth = Dublin, Ireland
height =
weight =
ru_currentteam =
ru_currentposition =
ru_position = No. 8 " (rugby)"
Full-forward "(gaelic football)"
ru_clubyears =
ru_clubupdate =
ru_proclubs = Old Wesley
Leicester Tigers
Terenure College RFC
Gaelic football career
Ballyboden St. Enda's
Ballyboden St. Enda's
→ Dublin
ru_clubyears = 19xx-1996
1996-1998
1998-2006
19xx-199x
2006-20xx
2006-20xx
ru_clubcaps =
ru_clubpoints =
ru_province = Leinster
Ulster
Leinster
ru_provinceyears = 1995-1996
1998-2000
2000-2006
ru_provincecaps =
ru_provincepoints =
ru_provinceupdate =
ru_nationalyears = 1997-2005 1997
ru_nationalteam = Ireland British and Irish Lions Barbarians
ru_nationalcaps = 48 1 ?
ru_nationalpoints = 0(30) 0(0) 0(?)
ru_ntupdate =
other = yes
spouse =
children =
relatives =
school = Wesley College, Dublin
university = Loughborough University
Sheffield Hallam University

Eric Roger Patrick Miller [ [http://indigo.ie/~kands/kands/html/miller.html Tom Keogh Sunday World] ] (born September 23, 1975, Dublin, Ireland), commonly referred to as Eric Miller, is a former Irish rugby union and Gaelic football player. As a rugby player Miller played for, among others Leicester Tigers, Leinster, the Barbarians, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. After retiring as a rugby player, Miller switched football codes and went onto play for Dublin at gaelic football.

Early years

As a schoolboy and youth, Miller played several sports. He was educated at Wesley College, Dublin where he played both rugby union and cricket. At the same time he played soccer for Leicester Celtic, a team whose former players also included Damian Duff. He also played gaelic football for Ballyboden St. Enda's and, together with Brian Stynes, he helped them win a Dublin Under 21 Football Championship
Dublin under 21 Championship title in 1995. Miller eventually opted to concentrate on rugby union and spent the 1995-96 season playing for Old Wesley. He also represented Leinster for the first time at senior level. [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/miller-seeks-to-cement-place-in-irelands-heart-624124.html Interview at www.independent.co.uk] ] [ [http://www.leicesterceltic.ie/explayers.html Leicester Celtic Ex Players] ] [ [http://indigo.ie/~kands/kands/html/miller.html Tom Keogh Sunday World] ] [ [http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/36_4571.php?player=437&includeref=dynamic www.ercrugby.com] ] [ [http://www.independent.ie/sport/miller-ready-for-terenure-debut-430293.html www.independent.ie] ] .

Leicester Tigers

In 1996 Miller joined Leicester Tigers and went onto make 12 appearances for them in the Heineken Cup. His impressive performances for the Tigers saw him make his debut for Ireland and then represent the British and Irish Lions. While playing for the Tigers, he also attended both Loughborough University, where he studied for a degree in Physical Education, and Sheffield Hallam University [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/miller-seeks-to-cement-place-in-irelands-heart-624124.html Interview at www.independent.co.uk] ] [ [http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/36_4571.php?player=437&includeref=dynamic www.ercrugby.com] ] .

Leinster

Miller first played for Leinster during the 1995-96 season while still attached to Old Wesley. After his spell with Leicester Tigers he returned to Ireland and initially linked up with Terenure College RFC and Ulster [ [http://www.independent.ie/sport/miller-ready-for-terenure-debut-430293.html www.independent.ie] ] . In 2000 he returned to Leinster and went onto make 148 appearances for the province in the Celtic League and the Heineken Cup. In his first season back at Leinster he helped them win the 2000-01 Celtic League title [ [http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/36_4571.php?player=437&includeref=dynamic www.ercrugby.com] ] .

Rugby international

Ireland

Miller represented Ireland at schoolboy, U21 and A levels before winning senior caps. In 1996 he was a prominent member of the Ireland U21 team that won a Triple Crown for the first time. Between 1997 and 2005, Miller made 48 appearances and scored 30 points, including 6 tries, for Ireland. He made his international debut in a friendly against Italy in January 4 1997. He went onto play for Ireland at both the 1999 and 2003 World Cups. He scored two of six his tries in one game against Namibia during the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He made his final appearance for Ireland in a friendly against Japan on June 19 2005 [ [http://www.magnersleague.com/570_1125.php www.magnersleague.com] ] [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/227_7678.php?player=3800&includeref=dynamic Ireland stats] ] .

British Lions

After playing just four senior internationals for Ireland, Miller was selected by the British and Irish Lions for their 1997 tour of South Africa. He played in five games during the tour, lining up against the Border Bulldogs, Northern Transvaal, Natal and the Free State Cheetahs. A bout of flu saw him miss the first test against South Africa but he recovered in time to feature in the second test on June 28 1997. However injury saw him miss the third test. [ [http://www.lionsrugby.com/6012.php?player=437&includeref=dynamic www.lionsrugby.com] ] [ [http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/miller-seeks-to-cement-place-in-irelands-heart-624124.html Interview at www.independent.co.uk] ] At 21 he was youngest member of the touring party [ [http://www.magnersleague.com/570_1125.php www.magnersleague.com] ] .

Barbarians

Miller has also played for the Barbarians several times. In May 2004 he was included in their squad for games against England, Wales and Scotland [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/2004/0519/barbarians.html www.rte.ie] ] . On May 25 2005 he featured in a 38-7 defeat against Scotland at Pittodrie on [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_4622.php www.irishrugby.ie] ] .

Return to Gaelic football

After retiring as a rugby player in January 2006 [ [http://www.magnersleague.com/570_1125.php www.magnersleague.com] ] , Miller started playing gaelic football again. In August 2006 he came on as a substitute for Ballyboden St. Enda's in a Dublin AFL Division 1 game against Thomas Davis [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/6855_6108.php www.irishrugby.ie] ] . On December 5 2006 he played his first senior game for Dublin against Louth [ [http://www.hoganstand.com/Dublin/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=69898 www.hoganstand.com] ] .

Honours

"Gaelic football"

Ballyboden St. Endas

*Dublin Under 21 Football Championship
**"Winners": 1995: 1

"Rugby union"

Leinster

*Celtic League
**"Winners": 2000-01 : 1

References