Joe Ansbro
Encyclopedia
Joe Ansbro is a Scottish international professional rugby union
player. He is the first player of Afro-Caribbean origin to represent Scotland at test level in history. His favoured position is centre. He is currently playing for London Irish
.
in Galloway
, South West Scotland. He was educated at Gatehouse Primary School and played youth rugby with Stewartry, the Castle Douglas
club. He was also educated at Stonyhurst College
near Clitheroe
in Lancashire
, North West England, before embarking on study of a Natural Sciences degree at Robinson College, Cambridge University
.
, producing some quality displays for the University
. Northampton Saints
took notice of this and he became a regular in the number 13 shirt during their season in National Division One, he also scored in the EDF Energy Trophy final.
in 2011 on a three year deal . The Scotland centre was one of numerous international players to join the club in 2011. London Irish head coach Toby Booth said: "He's quick, powerful with a great future ahead and will fit in nicely." Ansbro commented that "there are some great players who have committed their long term futures to the club and that speaks volumes for what is happening there.”
during the 2009 IRB Nations Cup tournament in Romania .Scotland A
eventually went on to win the tournament, with Ansbro making his debut as outside centre in the win against Uruguay.
He made his first senior Scotland appearance in the 21–17 victory over reigning world champions South Africa
in doing so he became the first black player to represent Scotland at test level. A week later he played in the 19–16 win against Samoa at Pittodrie in Aberdeen.
Ansbro made his 6 nations appearance in Scotland
's opening match of the 2011 Six Nations Championship
against France in Paris
. Ansbro and the rest of the Scotland
team put in an impressive performance against an clinical French side despite eventually losing the match 34-21.
His first points for Scotland
came in the 10-6 victory in a 2011 Rugby World Cup
warm-up game against Ireland
where he scored the winning try in the 76th minute. Ansbro was included in Scotland's 30 man squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
in New Zealand. He went on to score his first RWC try against Romania
in Scotland's first group game of the 2011 tournament. The number 13 jersey in the next two games was taken by Nick de Luca
before Ansbro was again selected, this time in Scotland's final group game versus England.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He is the first player of Afro-Caribbean origin to represent Scotland at test level in history. His favoured position is centre. He is currently playing for London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
.
Early years
Ansbro was born in Glasgow and raised near Gatehouse of FleetGatehouse of Fleet
Gatehouse of Fleet is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, which has existed since the mid-18th century, although the area has been inhabited since much earlier...
in Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
, South West Scotland. He was educated at Gatehouse Primary School and played youth rugby with Stewartry, the Castle Douglas
Castle Douglas
Castle Douglas , a town in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway, lies in the eastern part of Galloway known as the Stewartry, between the towns of Dalbeattie and Gatehouse of Fleet.-History:...
club. He was also educated at Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
near Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, North West England, before embarking on study of a Natural Sciences degree at Robinson College, Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Northampton
Ansbro joined the Northampton Academy in 2006, during this time he was part of the Cambridge University side that took part in The Varsity MatchThe Varsity Match
The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. By tradition, the match is held on the second Tuesday of December. In 2005, however, this changed, and the match was on Tuesday 6 December. In 2007, it was held on a Thursday for...
, producing some quality displays for the University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
took notice of this and he became a regular in the number 13 shirt during their season in National Division One, he also scored in the EDF Energy Trophy final.
London Irish
Ansbro joined London IrishLondon Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
in 2011 on a three year deal . The Scotland centre was one of numerous international players to join the club in 2011. London Irish head coach Toby Booth said: "He's quick, powerful with a great future ahead and will fit in nicely." Ansbro commented that "there are some great players who have committed their long term futures to the club and that speaks volumes for what is happening there.”
Scotland
Ansbro made his international debut for Scotland AScotland A national rugby union team
The Scotland A team are the second national rugby union team behind the Scottish national side.-History:Scotland's status as one of the leading rugby nations in the Northern Hemisphere, made the SRU to field a second team, first known as Scotland XV, and currently as Scotland A, which can play at...
during the 2009 IRB Nations Cup tournament in Romania .Scotland A
Scotland A national rugby union team
The Scotland A team are the second national rugby union team behind the Scottish national side.-History:Scotland's status as one of the leading rugby nations in the Northern Hemisphere, made the SRU to field a second team, first known as Scotland XV, and currently as Scotland A, which can play at...
eventually went on to win the tournament, with Ansbro making his debut as outside centre in the win against Uruguay.
He made his first senior Scotland appearance in the 21–17 victory over reigning world champions South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in doing so he became the first black player to represent Scotland at test level. A week later he played in the 19–16 win against Samoa at Pittodrie in Aberdeen.
Ansbro made his 6 nations appearance in Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
's opening match of the 2011 Six Nations Championship
2011 Six Nations Championship
The 2011 Six Nations Championship, known as the 2011 RBS 6 Nations due to the tournament's sponsorship by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was the 12th series of the Six Nations Championship. The annual northern hemisphere rugby union championship was contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy,...
against France in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Ansbro and the rest of the Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
team put in an impressive performance against an clinical French side despite eventually losing the match 34-21.
His first points for Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
came in the 10-6 victory in a 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
warm-up game against Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
where he scored the winning try in the 76th minute. Ansbro was included in Scotland's 30 man squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
in New Zealand. He went on to score his first RWC try against Romania
Romania national rugby union team
The Romania national rugby union team , nicknamed The Oaks , is the representative side of Romania in rugby union. Long considered one of the stronger European teams outside the Six Nations, they have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the...
in Scotland's first group game of the 2011 tournament. The number 13 jersey in the next two games was taken by Nick de Luca
Nick De Luca
Nick De Luca is a Scottish internationalist professional rugby union player. He currently plays club rugby for Edinburgh Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12.-Club rugby:...
before Ansbro was again selected, this time in Scotland's final group game versus England.