Lewis Ludlam Explained

Lewis Ludlam
Fullname:Lewis Wesley Ludlam
Birth Date:8 December 1995
Birth Place:Ipswich, England
Height:1.90NaN0
Weight:1110NaN0
School:Kesgrave High School
St Joseph's College
Position:Flanker, Number 8
Currentclub:Northampton Saints
Years1:2014–2015
Clubs1:Coventry (loan)
Apps1:6
Points1:15
Years2:2016
Clubs2:Moseley (loan)
Apps2:2
Points2:0
Years3:2016–2024
Clubs3:Northampton Saints
Apps3:116
Points3:75
Years4:2016–2017
Clubs4:Rotherham Titans (loan)
Apps4:5
Points4:0
Years5:2024–
Clubs5:Toulon
Apps5:0
Points5:0
Repyears1:2014–2015
Repteam1:England U18
Repcaps1:4
Reppoints1:0
Repyears2:2015
Repteam2:England U20
Repcaps2:4
Reppoints2:0
Repyears3:2019–
Repteam3:England
Repcaps3:25
Reppoints3:10
Clubupdate:28 August 2023
Repupdate:18 September 2023

Lewis Wesley Ludlam (born 8 December 1995) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Top 14 club Toulon and the England national team.[1]

Early life

Ludlam was born in Ipswich, into a family who followed boxing and football.[2] He is of paternal Palestinian and maternal Guyanese descent.[3]

He attended Kesgrave High School[4] before being recruited on a sports scholarship to a renowned local rugby school, St Joseph's College, Ipswich, and played at Ipswich Rugby Club before joining Colchester RFC.[5]

Junior career

Ludlam featured on three occasions at the St Joseph's Rugby Festival, first appearing in the under-18 competition as a 15-year-old in 2011, and was also a key member of the side that reached the Daily Mail Cup semi final in the same year. Ludlam captained Waterhead Wolverines, coched by Geoff Owen MBE, to its third victory in the national schools festival in 2013 in front of a raucous home crowd[4] and also captained the school at U16 level to its first win at the Rosslyn Park national schools sevens competition in 2012.

Despite being released by Saints' EPDG Academy, Ludlam regained a place in the Saints' Under-18s and he moved up to the Saints' Senior Academy full time a few years later.[5]

Ludlam then earned the call to the England U18s where he featured in their unbeaten 2014 tour of South Africa.[6] The following year saw Ludlam represent the England U20 team that lost to New Zealand in the final of the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[7] He was subsequently voted England's player of the tournament by his peers.[7]

Club career

During his time at Saints, Ludlam has spent short periods of his senior career on dual registration with Coventry, Moseley and Rotherham Titans.[4] Breaking into Saints' first-team squad in the 2016–17 campaign, Ludlam made his first-team debut in the Anglo-Welsh Cup opener that season[8] and featured in a further 6 games for the club.[9] Ludlam helped Saints' second team, the Wanderers, lift the Aviva 'A' League trophy in 2016–2017, defeating Gloucester United in the final for the title[10] and again in 2017–2018 winning the final against a very strong Exeter Braves side.[1]

Ludlam made his full Premiership debut in the first game of the 2017–2018 season against Saracens in the London Double Header at Twickenham, scoring his first senior try for the club in the heavy 24–55 defeat to the European Champions.[11] Ludlam's real breakout season for Saints came in the 2018–2019 campaign where he made 27 appearances for the club,[1] scoring four tries and being one of the club's most consistent performers in new director of rugby, Chris Boyd’s first year in charge. From a disappointing previous season, Saints exceeded expectations by reaching a play off semi-final[12] which secured qualification for the European Rugby Champions Cup and won the Premiership Rugby Cup.[13] Ludlam was one of a number of youngsters that Boyd put his faith in, playing an expansive entertaining brand of rugby that delighted Saints fans.

In November 2020 it was announced that Ludlam would become club co-captain with Alex Waller.[14] Subsequently, from the start of the 2021 to 2022 season, Ludlam would take on the solo captaincy of the team.[15]

On 24 June 2024, Ludlam would end his England career as he signs a three-year deal to join top French side Toulon in the Top 14 from the 2024-25 season.[16]

International career

In June 2019 he was one of four uncapped players named in England's preliminary World Cup training squad[17] and on 11 August 2019 made his debut in a warm-up match against Wales.[18] He was included in the squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup[19] and made four appearances during the tournament,[20] scoring his first international try in the pool fixture against the United States.[21]

Over the next 4 years under Eddie Jones, further caps would be fairly limited but in 2023 under new head coach, Steve Borthwick, Ludlam returned to play every minute of the 2023 Six Nations.

List of international tries

[22]

TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1Kobe, JapanKobe Misaki Stadium2019 Rugby World Cup26 September 2019Win45 – 7
2Nice, FranceStade de Nice2023 Rugby World Cup17 September 2023Win34 – 12

Personal life

Ludlam has talked about the importance of 'drawing in' younger spectators to watch rugby, and questioned if 'less is more' in terms of the excitement level of the number of competitions and games played.[23] [24]

Honours

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lewis Ludlam club profile. Northampton Saints. 20 June 2017.
  2. News: Northampton's Lewis Ludlam: 'When England won the World Cup, playing rugby seemed the obvious option'. Paul . Rees . The Guardian . 5 January 2019 . 14 February 2020.
  3. News: Lewis Ludlam: 'This time last year I was fighting for a club contract'. Gerard . Meagher . The Guardian . 13 August 2019 . 31 July 2021.
  4. News: How 'long shot' Lewis Ludlam could be a World Cup wildcard for England after a determined journey to recognition. Charlie . Morgan . The Daily Telegraph . 16 July 2019 . 31 July 2021.
  5. News: Young Gun: Lewis Ludlam – Northampton and Coventry flanker. Nick . Verdier . The Rugby Paper . 16 January 2015 . 20 June 2017.
  6. Web site: England Under 18 make it two from two in South Africa. Rugby15. 19 August 2014. 31 July 2021.
  7. News: England future shows promise despite World Rugby U20 Championship defeat to New Zealand. Daniel . Schofield . The Daily Telegraph . 21 June 2015 . 31 July 2021.
  8. Web site: FALCONS 16 SAINTS 24 Late Hutchinson try seals best Anglo-Welsh start for Saints. Northampton Saints. 6 November 2016. 31 July 2021.
  9. Web site: Saints team for Anglo-Welsh Cup opener. www.northamptonsaints.co.uk.
  10. Web site: WANDERERS 36 GLOUCESTER 15 The Wandies clinch the Aviva 'A' League title. Northampton Saints. 1 May 2017. 20 June 2017.
  11. News: Premiership: Saracens 55-24 Northampton Saints. Michael. Emons. BBC Sport. 2 September 2017. 14 February 2020.
  12. News: Premiership semi-final: Exeter thrash Northampton to reach fourth straight final. Brent. Pilnick. BBC Sport. 25 May 2019. 31 July 2021.
  13. Web site: Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries. BBC Sport. 17 March 2019. 31 July 2021.
  14. Web site: Northampton Saints: Lewis Ludlam and Alex Waller named co-captains. BBC Sport. 12 November 2020. 31 July 2021.
  15. Web site: Ludlam named Saints' captain for 2021/22 season. Northampton Saints. 3 September 2021. 5 January 2023.
  16. News: Lewis Ludlum: Toulon confirm signing of Northampton & England flanker . . 24 June 2024. 29 July 2024.
  17. News: Ruaridh McConnochie & Alex Dombrandt in England's World Cup training squad. Chris. Jones. BBC Sport. 20 June 2019. 20 June 2019.
  18. News: England beat Wales 33-19 in World Cup warm-up game. Becky. Grey. BBC Sport. 11 August 2019. 31 July 2021.
  19. News: Rugby World Cup: England leave out Te'o, name Ludlam & McConnochie in squad. Chris. Jones. BBC Sport. 12 August 2019. 31 July 2021.
  20. News: Lewis Ludlam packed and ready for an England chance against France. Robert. Kitson. The Guardian. 26 January 2020. 31 July 2021.
  21. News: England thrash United States 45-7 in Rugby World Cup. Tom. Fordyce. BBC Sport. 26 September 2019. 31 July 2021.
  22. Web site: Lewis LUDLAM profile and stats . 18 September 2023 .
  23. Web site: Lewis Ludlam says rugby has to change to survive amid Worcester and Wasps woes . . 23 September 2022 .
  24. Web site: Lewis Ludlam: 'The position a lot of clubs find themselves in is no joke' | Northampton | the Guardian .