Brad Barritt

Bradley Barritt
By Juiced Media (Pty) Ltd
Full name Bradley Michael Barritt
Date of birth 7 August 1986
Place of birth Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, RSA
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 100 kg (15 st 10 lb)[1]
School Kearsney College
University University of Natal
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Centre, Fly-half
Professional / senior clubs
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2008– Saracens 138 (58)
correct as of 15 February 2015.
Provincial/State sides
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2006–08 Natal Sharks 29 (19)
Super Rugby
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2006–09 Sharks 36 (10)
National team(s)
Years Club / team Caps (points)
2007
2009–11
2012-
2013		 Emerging SA
England Saxons
England
British and Irish Lions 		2
6
22		 (0)
(5)
(10)
correct as of 29 Nov 2014.

Bradley Barritt (born 7 August 1986) is a South African-born English rugby union player who plays for Saracens in the Aviva Premiership. He plays the position of Centre and can cover Fly-Half. Barritt attended Kearsney College where he was a College Prefect in 2004 and captained the 1st XV in 2004.

Sharks career

born 7 August 1986 in Durban, South Africa.

During his debut season in the 2006 Currie Cup and Super 14 season for the Natal Sharks and Sharks, Barritt showed great promise as a quality inside-centre for his provincial team. Parlaying those performances into his debut Super 14 season in 2006, Barritt has risen to prominence as one of South Africa's leading inside-backs, owing in no small part to his tenacity on defence and astute ball distribution skills, often, with provincial team-mate Waylon Murray, providing a valuable link to the Wings and offering stability to The Sharks' midfield.

He has the ability to play at fly-half (although in a rather ad-hoc capacity) and did so to great effect in the 2006 Currie Cup season when perennially injured provincial team-mate Butch James was absent from the squad.[2] However, due to the emergence of Francois Steyn at the coastal franchise, Barritt's opportunity to play fly-half was curtailed, leading to a him finding a more settled role as the Sharks' first-choice inside-centre.

Barritt played in the 2007 Super 14 Final, losing by a solitary point to the Bulls.[3]

Barritt signed for the English Premiership side Saracens,[4] and joined them after winning the 2008 Currie Cup competition.[5]

Due to injuries, Barritt was recalled to play in a 2009 Super 14 fixture against the Waratahs, his final game for the Sharks.[6]

Saracens career

Barritt made his club debut against Gloucester Rugby.[7]

International career

Barritt played for South Africa against France in the final of the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Championship.[8]

He represented the Emerging Springboks at the IRB Nations Cup in 2007.[9]

Barritt was selected by England manager Martin Johnson to represent the England Saxons at the 2009 Churchill Cup. This was possible because Barritt had not yet had a senior-level cap for another country, and holds a UK passport, thanks to Rhodesian parents,[10] making him eligible for England as well as South Africa.[11] Barritt's family has strong English roots, and many of his aunts and uncles live in England.[10] Barritt's grandparents were born in England,[12] and his grandfather played Rugby Union for English Universities.[10] Barritt made his Saxons debut against the USA, scoring a try.[13]

Barritt was called up to the England senior squad for the first time in 2010 to face the New Zealand Maori and again for the 2012 Six Nations Championship making his full debut against Scotland.

On 15 June, Barritt was called up into the British and Irish Lions squad for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia over injury concerns in the back line.

References

  1. ↑ "Saracens – First Team Squad". Saracens official site. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Growing as a team and individual". The Sharks official site. 13 July 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  3. ↑ "Bulls snatch dramatic Super 14 victory". ESPN Scrum. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  4. ↑ "Saracens confirm signing of Barritt". Saracens official site. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  5. ↑ "Sharks claim Currie Cup triumph". ESPN Scrum. 25 October 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  6. ↑ "Barritt back for Sharks". The Sharks official site. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  7. ↑ "Saracens 21–25 Gloucester". BBC. 16 November 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  8. ↑ "South Africa 13–24 France". IRB. 25 June 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  9. ↑ "Emerging Springboks crowned Nations Cup champions". IRB. 16 June 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Hayward, Paul (5 February 2012). "Six Nations 2012: Brad Barritt's selfless attitude captures the mood of unity in England camp". The Daily Telegraph (London).
  11. ↑ "English Saxons call on Brad Barritt". Rugby 365. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  12. ↑ "Brad Barritt – Official RFU England Profile". Rfu.com. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "USA 17–56 England Saxons". BBC. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.

External links