Ben Skirving

Infobox Rugby biography
name = Ben Skirving


caption =
birthname = Ben Skirving
nickname = Skirvs
dateofbirth =
birthyear = 1983
birthmonth = 10
birthday = 09
placeofbirth = Harlow, Essex, England
dateofdeath =
placeofdeath =
height = 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
weight = 16 st 12 lb (107 kg)
ru_position = Number 8
ru_amateuryears = To 1999
ru_amateurclubs = Bishop's Stortford Rugby Club
ru_amclubcaps =
ru_amclubpoints =
ru_amupdate = 7 November 2007
ru_clubyears = 1999-
ru_proclubs = Saracens F.C.
ru_clubcaps = 110
ru_clubpoints = (35)
ru_clubupdate = 7 November 2007
super14 =
super14years =
super14caps =
super14points =
ru_currentclub =
super14update =
ru_province =
ru_provinceyears =
ru_provincecaps =
ru_provincepoints =
ru_provinceupdate =
ru_sevensnationalyears =
ru_sevensnationalteam = England Sevens
ru_sevensnationalcomp =
ru_sevensupdate = 7 November 2007
ru_nationalteam = England England Saxons England U21 England U19 England U16
ru_nationalyears = 2007- 2006-
ru_nationalcaps = 1
ru_nationalpoints = (0)
ru_ntupdate =
ru_coachclubs =
ru_coachyears =
ru_coachupdate =
rl_position =
rl_amateuryears =
rl_amateurclubs =
rl_amupdate =
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rl_proclubs =
rl_clubcaps =
rl_clubpoints =
rl_clubupdate =
city_vs_country_years =
city_vs_country_team =
city_vs_country_caps =
city_vs_country_points =
city_vs_country_update =
sooyears =
sooteam =
soocaps =
soopoints =
sooupdate =
rl_nationalteam =
rl_nationalyears =
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rl_nationalpoints =
rl_ntupdate =
rl_coachupdate =
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other = yes
occupation =
spouse =
children =
relatives =
school = Bishop's Stortford High School
university =
url =

Ben Skirving (born 9 October 1983 in Harlow) is a rugby union footballer who plays at number 8 for Saracens and has been capped for the England national side as well as representing England in the England Saxons and England Sevens sides and at U21, U19 and U16 age group levels.

Early life

Skirving was educated at Bishop's Stortford High School and showed early promise as a rugby player, captaining England U16s against Wales in 2000.cite news |title=RFU Profile |publisher=RFU |date=2007-06-02 |url=http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/storyID/16756/storytypeID/88/ |accessdate=2007-11-05 ] He played for local side Bishop's Stortford Rugby Club before joining the Saracens academy system in 1999.

Playing career

aracens 1999-present

After joining Saracen's academy system in 1999 Skirving worked his way through the club's development sides before making his first team debut against Leeds Tykes in the final fixture of 2002.cite news |title=Saracens Profile |publisher=Saracens |date=2007-11-05 |url=http://www.saracens.com/players/view.php?Id=32 |accessdate=2007-11-05 ] There were to be a handful of further first team appearances in the 2002/03 season both in the starting line up and from the benchcite news |title=Guinness Premiership Profile |publisher=Guinness Premiership |date=2007-11-05 |url=http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/112_146.php?player=4799&includeref=dynamic |accessdate=2007-11-05 ] . Places in the starting line up were hard to come by in the succeding two seasons, with competition from established players such as Taine Randall, however Skirving appeared with increasing regularity from the replacements bench, giving him the opportunity to make his mark as an emerging talent.

Further international recognition came at the end of the 2004-05 season, where his pace brought him a place in the England Sevens squad.

The 2005-06 season was set fair for Skirving to establish himself at the top level, making regular first team starting appearances and scoring his maiden try in the top flight. Further success came in the form of a debut at England 'A' level in February 2006, before a shoulder injury cut short his season.

Skirving's comeback in the 2006-07 season was hampered by a pre-season injury but was soon a regular fixture in the starting line up, passing the 100 cap mark for the club during the year at the age of just 22.

He missed the early part of the 2006-07 season after picking up an injury in pre-season, but he made up for lost time and went on to make 24 appearances from the club in his curtailed campaign.

His displays brought another call-up for the rebranded England 'A' team, now the England Saxons to take part in the 2007 Churchill Cup, unusually to be held in England. Skirving though was to travel to South Africa to take the place of the injured Peter Buxton in the full England squad for their two test series against the Springboks. Skirving was not involved in the first test, but won his first England cap in the starting line team for the second on 2 June 2007.cite news |title=Scrum Profile |publisher=scrum.com |date=2007-11-05 |url=http://www.scrum.com/1200_1205.php?player=4799&includeref=dynamic |accessdate=2007-11-05 ]

He has been called into the England Saxons squad to face Italy A in Ragusa, Sicily on 9 February 2008. cite web|url=http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.England_Detail/StoryID/18872|title=England Saxons training squad for Italy A|publisher=RFU|date=2008-02-04|accessdate=2008-02-05] cite web|url=http://www.quins.co.uk/newspage.ink?nid=38432&newstype=n&matchid=&Refid=|title=Guest, Care and Jarvis join Skinner and Brown in England Saxons squad|publisher=Quins|date=2008-02-04|accessdate=2008-02-05]

References

External links

* [http://www.saracens.com/players/view.php?Id=32 Saracens profile]
* [http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=18778 England profile]
* [http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/112_146.php?player=4799&includeref=dynamic Guinness Premiership profile]
* [http://www.scrum.com/1200_1205.php?player=4799&includeref=dynamic scrum.com Profile]
* [http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/storyID/16756/storytypeID/88/ RFU Profile]