Ryan Cross

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Ryan Cross
fullname = Ryan Cross
nickname = Noughts

---

caption =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|10|6|df=yes
placeofbirth = Sydney, New South Wales
countryofbirth = Australia
dateofdeath =
placeofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = convert|191|cm|ftin|abbr=on
weight = convert|98|kg|stlb|abbr=on
position = rlp|CE
club1 = leagueicon|Sydney Roosters|16 Sydney City Roosters
year1start = 1998
year1end = 2006
appearances1 = 143
tries1 = 85
goals1 = 4
fieldgoals1 = 0
points1 = 348
teamA = leagueicon|City|16 City Origin
yearAstart = 2004
yearAend = 2005
appearancesA = 2
triesA = 2
goalsA = 0
fieldgoalsA = 0
pointsA = 8
ru_position = Outside Centre
ru_club1 = leagueicon|Celtic Crusaders|16 Western Force
ru_year1start = 2007
ru_year1end = present
ru_appearances1 = 24
ru_tries1 = 7
ru_goals1 = 0
ru_fieldgoals1 = 0
ru_points1 = 35
ru_teamA = leagueicon|Australia|16 Australia
ru_yearAstart = 2008
ru_yearAend = present
ru_appearancesA = 8
ru_triesA = 4
ru_goalsA = 0
ru_fieldgoalsA = 0
ru_pointsA = 20
updated = 21:35, 5 July 2008 (UTC)
source = [http://rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Ryan_Cross.html RLP] , [http://www.rugbywa.com.au/players/ryan_cross,46985.html/section/29976 Western Force] and [http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Ryan-Cross_330.aspx Yesterday's Hero]

Ryan 'Noughts' Cross (born 6 October 1979) is a former rugby league footballer who played for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition before switching codes to join the rugby union Super 14 side the Western Force in 2007.

Early career

Cross, a product of Waverley College, was a member of the Australian Rugby Union Schoolboys side in both 1996 and 1997, some of his team-mates being future Wallabies Matt Dunning, Adam Freier, David Lyons, George Smith, Phil Waugh, and rugby league star Craig Wing. But he decided to switch codes and joined the Sydney Roosters rugby league club.

Rugby league career

Cross made a spectacular first-grade debut on the 17 April 1998, scoring two tries against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. After a promising start to his league career, including a Grand Final appearance in 2000, the Roosters first in 20 years, he was plagued by serious leg injuries. A broken leg saw him miss much of the 2001 season at a time when he was touted as being in line to make his state debut. Just a few matches into the 2002 season he suffered a major knee injury that kept him out for the remainder of that year. That season, Sydney Roosters won the premiership, their first in 27 years. Cross returned in 2003, finishing as the clubs leading try-scorer. In 2004 and 2005 he was chosen to represent City Origin.

Cross is the fifth-highest try scorer in the Sydney's history, with 85 tries from his 143 matches. He also played in three losing Grand Finals for the club. His greatest attributes were his acceleration, his ability to 'explode' from a near standing start, as well as possessing good upper-body strength. Ryan's father, Paul Cross, was an Eastern suburbs junior who played on the wing for the club in the 1964 and 1965 seasons. His brother Clay is a notable shot put athlete.

Rugby union career

In June 2006, after a period of speculation and rumour, Cross signed a two-year deal with the Australian Rugby Union and went to Perth to play for the new Super 14 side, the Western Force. [cite news|title=Ryan Cross close to rugby code switch |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Ryan-Cross-close-to-rugby-code-switch/2006/06/13/1149964521056.html|publisher=The Age |date=2006-06-13|accessdate=2008-07-29] He made his debut with the club on 2 February 2007, against the Highlanders. He went on to play every match that season and scored three tries.

After an outstanding 2008 Super 14 season, in which he won The West Australian/Rosendorff Emirates Western Force Player of the Year Award on count back [cite news|title=RYAN CROSS WINS EMIRATES WESTERN FORCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR|url=http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,53827.html|publisher=RugbyWA |date=2008-07-11|accessdate=2008-07-29] , Cross was called up for national duty by new Wallabies coach Robbie Deans.

He scored his first Wallaby try against France at the Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane in his second test on 5 July 2008, having come on as a Second-Half replacement. He followed this with another try later on in the game, both came from Matt Giteau passes.

Ryan Cross got his full test debut against New Zealand on 26 July in place of injured Stirling Mortlock. He scored the first try which contributed to the 34-19 victory over the All Blacks.

References

External links

* [http://www.westernforce.com.au/emirates_western_force/player_profiles,29976.html Western Force profile]
* [http://www.foxsports.com.au/menofgold/players/0,27401,9,00.html Fox Sports profile]