Eseosa Gbinigie

Rugger
name = Eseosa Gbinigie


caption = Eseosa Gbinigie for Manchester Rugby Club
birthname = Eseosa Andrien Gbinigie
nickname = Andie
The Don
dateofbirth = 1984-06-13
placeofbirth = Lagos, Nigeria
dateofdeath =
placeofdeath =
height = 1.85
weight = 83
ru_position = Wing | Outside Centre | Fullback
ru_amateuryears = 2001-2005




2005-present
ru_amateurclubs = flagicon|England Manchester Wanderers; Cheadle Hulme
flagicon|England Kilburn Cosmos; Kilburn Park
ru_amupdate = 23 March 2007
ru_nationalteam = flagicon|Nigeria Nigeria
ru_nationalyears = 2004-2007
ru_nationalcaps = 12
ru_nationalpoints = (75)
ru_ntupdate = 14 March 2007
ru_clubyears = 2001-present

ru_clubcaps = 63

ru_clubpoints = (195)

ru_clubupdate = 20 March 2007
ru_currentclub = flagicon|England Kilburn Cosmos
ru_province = flagicon|England London & South East
ru_provinceyears =
ru_provincecaps =
ru_provincepoints =
ru_provinceupdate =
ru_sevensnationalyears =
ru_sevensnationalteam = flagicon|Nigeria Nigeria
ru_sevensnationalcomp = 3 tournaments 2006 [2004 Nigeria Africa Zone RWC Qualifying Stage] |2004]
ru_sevensnationalcaps = 11
ru_sevensnationalpoints = (70)
ru_sevensupdate = 14 March 2007
ru_coachclubs =
ru_coachyears =
ru_coachupdate =
other = yes
occupation =
family =
spouse =
children =
relatives =
school = Millfield School, Somerset
university = Manchester Metropolitan University

Eseosa Gbinigie (born June 13, 1984 in Lagos, Nigeria) is a rugby union footballer in England who plays on the wing, centre or at fullback, currently for Kilburn Cosmos RUFC (Herts Middlesex Division 1). A big, strong and a powerful runner, Gbinigie started to play rugby at Millfield School at the age of thirteen. After leaving Millfield and moving to Manchester to study Economics at university, he joined Manchester Wanderers Rugby Club, making two first team appearances for the Wanderers in his first year at the club.

His pace has always been his asset, and it wasn't long before he started to push for junior, representative and academy honours. However with limited opportunities for an England Counties place, and having openly admitted to preferring the 7-a-side version of the game, Gbinigie was eventually selected to play for his native Nigeria in their Africa Zone qualifying matches for the Rugby Sevens World Cup, scoring a total of 11 tries over 4 matches, which saw Nigeria finish 4th in the standings, and get awarded another wild card to compete in the IRB 2007 Rugby World Cup African qualifiers. Gbinigie has also represented his country at the 15-a-side version of the game, playing in the Super 16 African Rugby League in Togo where Nigeria won gold, qualified for the finals and Eseosa was joint top try scorer of the tournament with 8.

He has also been compared to England winger Topsy Ojo, who has equal pace to Gbinigie, but not as silky handling abilities.

A goalkeeper during his school days, Gbinigie's pace off the line was at times overshadowed by his problematic handling and Hollywood saves.

External links

* [http://www.manchesterwanderers.co.uk Manchester Wanderers RUFC]
* [http://www.kilburncosmos.co.uk Kilburn Cosmos RFC]
* [http://www.irb.com/en/Home/MemberUnionHomePage?UnionID=80 IRB Member Union Homepage: Nigeria]