Richard Mathers

Infobox rugby league biography
playername = Richie Mathers
fullname = Richard Mathers
nickname = Maythers

---

caption =
country =
position = Full-Back
currentclub = leagueicon|Wigan|size=16 Wigan Warriors
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|10|24
placeofbirth = Leeds, West Yorkshire
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=0
weight = 15 st 2 lbs (96 kg)
club1 = leagueicon|Leeds Rhinos|size=16 Leeds Rhinos
year1start = 2001
year1end = 2006
appearances1 = 76
tries1 =
goals1 =
fieldgoals1 =
points1 = 96
club2 = leagueicon|Warrington|size=16 Warrington Wolves
year2start = 2002
year2end =
appearances2 = 8
tries2 =
goals2 =
fieldgoals2 =
points2 = 8
club3 = leagueicon|Gold Coast Titans|size=16 Gold Coast Titans
year3start = 2007
year3end =
appearances3 = 5
tries3 =
goals3 =
fieldgoals3 =
points3 = 0
club4 = leagueicon|Wigan|size=16 Wigan Warriors
year4start = 2008
year4end =
appearances4 = 2
tries4 =
goals4 =
fieldgoals4 =
points4 = 4
teamA = Flagicon|England England
yearAstart = 2005
yearAend =
appearancesA = 2
triesA =
goalsA =
fieldgoalsA =
pointsA = 2
updated =
source =
new = yes

Richard 'Richie' Mathers (born 24 October 1983 in Leeds) is a British Rugby League player who started his professional career at the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League competition. He currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in England.

NRL career

Mathers began 2007 with the Gold Coast Titans feeder team, the Burleigh Bears cite web|url=http://www.rleague.com//db/player/m/mathers_richard/index.php|title=RLeague.com Stats|publisher=RLeague.com|date=2007-06-21|accessdate=2007-06-21] and impressed at half-back. After the acclimatisation period in Queensland he stepped up to take over the Titans number 1 jersey from the injured Preston Campbell. Mathers impressed many in his short time in first grade before suffering a knee injury.

Biographical Details

*Height: 182cm (6"0)
*Weight: 96kg
*First Grade Games: 95
*"'First Senior Football Club: Leeds Rhinos
*"'First Grade Clubs: Leeds Rhinos, Gold Coast Titans and Wigan Warriors
*Tries: 30
*Goals: 200
*Field Goals: 18
*Points: 538

Early days

Richard is one of numerous players who has risen through the ranks at Leeds. A star of the Academy, with whom he played in two consecutive Grand Final wins with, he broke into the first team at the end of 2002 after a loan spell with Warrington Wolves. After making seven appearances with Wolves Richard rejoined the Rhinos, scoring a try in just his second appearance. The following season Richard became a first team regular and his form in 2004 was such that the Rhinos allowed former Wigan star Gary Connolly to depart. He ended that year with many predicting that the Fullback would be a star for Leeds for many years to come and not only was he named the Evening Post Shooting Star winner after only missing four games all season he was also part of the Leeds Grand Final-winning squad. By 2005 Richard was promoted to the number one shirt and was one of the first names on the team sheet, only missing one game all season. One of the highlights of the years was when he helped the team to victory in the Centenary World Club Challenge when he scored a try against Canterbury Bulldogs at his beloved Elland Road. However, in the middle of the 2006 season, Richard injured his knee against Hull FC at Headingley, which not only ended his season but Leeds career. In 2007, he made his debut for the new NRL team Gold Coast Titans.

Gold Coast Titans

Richard did not play for the Titans for much of the start of the season, but an injury to regular full-back Preston Campbell allowed Richard to make his debut for the Gold Coast Titans. Richard played five rounds and appeared to be gaining confidence and good form until he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee . This is injury is similar to the injury that occurred while he was playing for Leeds and will keep him out for the rest of the season. Mathers team-mates offered to pay for Richard to travel home before he begins the long road to recovery.

Wigan Warriors

On 6 November 2007 Gold Coast Titans released Richie Mathers from his contract and a few hours later Wigan Warriors announced that they had signed Richie on a three year contract. he only played five rounds for the Titans due to rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee which required a full knee reconstruction. Wigan had a full-back vacancy following the departure of Chris Ashton to the rugby union side Northampton and the retirement of Michael Withers, although Pat Richards did a sterling job for Wigan during the last two months of the 2007 season. Mathers made his debut in the 42_18 win over Widnes Vikings in a friendly scoring two tries. Mathers was sent off for the first time in his career in Round 5 against Warrington Wolves for a high tackle on Matt King.

External links

* [http://www.nrl.com/Clubs/Titans/TitansPlayerProfile/tabid/475/playerid/488/Default.aspx NRL profile]
* [http://leedsrugby.dnsupdate.co.uk/leedsrhinos/pastplayers/squad-page.asp?ID=173 Leeds Rhinos Profile]

References