| Personal information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Purdham | |||||
| Nickname | Purdo, Purds | |||||
| Born | 14 April 1980 Egremont, Cumbria, England |
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| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) [1] | |||||
| Playing information | ||||||
| Position | Loose forward | |||||
| Club | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 1999–2002 | Whitehaven | 53 | 10 | 32 | 0 | 104 |
| 2002–2011 | Harlequins RL | 195 | 36 | 167 | 1 | 495 |
| Total | 248 | 46 | 199 | 1 | 599 | |
| Representative | ||||||
| Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
| 2006–2008 | England | 5 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 34 |
| As of 18 April 2010 | ||||||
| Source: Rugby League Project | ||||||
Rob Purdham (born 14 April 1980 in Egremont, Cumbria) is a retired English professional rugby league footballer. An England international representative loose forward, he previously played for Whitehaven and Harlequins. Purdham can also operate as a stand-off, as a centre or in the second row. He has even played international football at stand off. Purdham is the former captain of the England national team.
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He previously played for Whitehaven in the Northern Ford Premiership.
Purdham joined London Broncos in 2002. This followed selection for an England U21 tour of South Africa and an impressive start to the 2002 season with Whitehaven.
He was appointed captain of Harlequins RL, formerly known as London Broncos, in the European Super League. He represented England A in 2003.
On 20 May 2006, Rob set a new Quins club record by scoring 34 points (2 tries, 13 goals) in Harlequins Rugby League 82-8 defeat of Barrow Raiders in the Powergen Challenge Cup. The 13 goals in itself surpassed the previous record of 12 held by Paul Sykes. He announced his retirement from Rugby League at the end of the 2011 season, in order to return home to the family farm in Cumbria.
England coach Paul Cullen named Rob Purdham as captain in his 20-man training squad for this autumn's Federation Shield tournament. Purdham lifted the trophy with a 32-14 victory over Tonga.
In September 2008 he was named in the England training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[2] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man England squad.[3]
He has been named in the England team to face Wales at the Keepmoat Stadium prior to England's departure for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[4]
Purdham's brother, Garry, who was also a rugby league player for Workington Town, died on 2 June 2010, south of Whitehaven, Cumbria, during a shooting spree in which a further 12 people were killed.[5] Purdham was given compassionate leave by his club to travel back to Cumbria and has subsequently said that the positive response of the rugby league community has convinced him he was right not to give up his playing career, following the tragedy.[6]
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