David Flatman
Encyclopedia
David Luke Flatman or 'Flats' (born on 21 January 1980 in Maidstone
) is a prop for Bath
and the England national rugby union team
.
He started playing rugby union at the age of eight at his local club, Maidstone FC, inspired by his father, who was a prop. A product of Dulwich College
, he appeared in the same England Schools (18-group) squad as Steve Borthwick
, Andrew Sheridan
(also of Dulwich College
), Alex Sanderson
, Mike Tindall
and Jonny Wilkinson
.
Flatman toured Australia with England Schools in 1997 and the following year went to Argentina with England Colts. He represented London & South-West and England Under-21s against South Africa in the autumn of 1998.
His senior club rugby began with Saracens in 1998 and he won his first full caps as a replacement in the Tests against South Africa on the summer tour in 2000, when he also appeared in the matches against North-West Leopards and Gauteng Falcons.
He made a second tour with the England
side to North America in the summer of 2001, appearing as a replacement for Graham Rowntree
in the Burnaby and San Francisco Tests against Canada and the United States respectively. He has a wealth of A team experience having been a regular in the side since making his debut against France in Blagnac in 2000. He had a sequence of seven England A team games before being recalled to the senior squad for the final test of the 2000–1 season against France at Twickenham
.
He moved to Bath
in 2003, where he proved himself to be one of the finest front row forwards in English rugby union with his sterling performances in a revamped Bath
pack.
He would surely have added to his eight caps on England's
summer tour of New Zealand and Australia had injury not blighted his efforts.
Flats has now recovered from the injuries that have interrupted career at Bath and has shown signs of returning to the form that won him international recognition.
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
) is a prop for Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
and the England national rugby union team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
.
He started playing rugby union at the age of eight at his local club, Maidstone FC, inspired by his father, who was a prop. A product of Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
, he appeared in the same England Schools (18-group) squad as Steve Borthwick
Steve Borthwick
Stephen William "Steve" Borthwick is an English rugby union footballer who plays lock for Saracens F.C....
, Andrew Sheridan
Andrew Sheridan
Andrew Sheridan is an English rugby union player and musician, who plays loosehead prop for Sale Sharks.Sheridan is tall, which is unusually tall for a prop, and weighs...
(also of Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
), Alex Sanderson
Alex Sanderson
Alexander Sanderson is a former English rugby union footballer who played in the back row for Saracens and Sale Sharks. He is the brother of Pat Sanderson who also played rugby for Littleborough RUFC....
, Mike Tindall
Mike Tindall
Michael James Tindall, MBE is an English rugby player who plays outside centre for Gloucester Rugby and has captained the England team...
and Jonny Wilkinson
Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE is an English rugby union player and member of the England national team. Wilkinson rose to acclaim from 2001 to 2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was acknowledged as one of the world’s best rugby players...
.
Flatman toured Australia with England Schools in 1997 and the following year went to Argentina with England Colts. He represented London & South-West and England Under-21s against South Africa in the autumn of 1998.
His senior club rugby began with Saracens in 1998 and he won his first full caps as a replacement in the Tests against South Africa on the summer tour in 2000, when he also appeared in the matches against North-West Leopards and Gauteng Falcons.
He made a second tour with the England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
side to North America in the summer of 2001, appearing as a replacement for Graham Rowntree
Graham Rowntree
Graham Christopher Rowntree is a former English rugby union player. He played loosehead prop for Leicester Tigers and England. He was capped 54 times for England, despite having to compete for his position with the world's second most capped player, Jason Leonard.Rowntree was born in...
in the Burnaby and San Francisco Tests against Canada and the United States respectively. He has a wealth of A team experience having been a regular in the side since making his debut against France in Blagnac in 2000. He had a sequence of seven England A team games before being recalled to the senior squad for the final test of the 2000–1 season against France at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
He moved to Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
in 2003, where he proved himself to be one of the finest front row forwards in English rugby union with his sterling performances in a revamped Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
pack.
He would surely have added to his eight caps on England's
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
summer tour of New Zealand and Australia had injury not blighted his efforts.
Flats has now recovered from the injuries that have interrupted career at Bath and has shown signs of returning to the form that won him international recognition.