Martin Bayfield
Encyclopedia
Martin Christopher Bayfield (born 21 December 1966) is an English former rugby union footballer
who played lock forward for Northampton Saints
, Bedford Blues
and England
, gaining 31 England and 3 Lions
caps.
Bayfield was born in Bedford
. The 208 cm (6 ft 10in) tall policeman made his England debut in 1991, and although he was omitted from the 1991 World Cup squad, was a part of the 1992 Five Nations Grand Slam
winning side. He went on the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand
and was part of the 1995 World Cup squad. He would play 18 times partnering Martin Johnson. His final appearance for England came in the 1996 Five Nations match against Wales
.
His last game was against Gloucester in February 1998, a neck injury sustained in training a few days later forced him to retire.
Since retirement, Bayfield has worked as a journalist, an after dinner speaker and has since appeared in the Harry Potter
films playing the half-giant
Hagrid, normally played by Robbie Coltrane
, in longer shots which need to emphasise Hagrid's height. He presents the NFL and World's Strongest Man
coverage on UK Channel Five and works as a rugby correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live
. He has also been involved as a presenter in ITV
's coverage of the 2007 Rugby World Cup
as well as currently presenting ITV's Guinness Premiership higlights. He is actively involved with charity, and is an Honorary President of Wooden Spoon
- the rugby charity that supports disadvantaged children and young people.
He also appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
, as a young Rubeus Hagrid
, and has also been a stuntman on all the Harry Potter films.
Bayfield also played Rugby Player 2 in an episode of New Tricks on BBC1 (first shown on 1 September 2008).
Martin is represented by sports marketing agency ENS Ltd.
He has three daughters; Rosie, Polly and Lucy.
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...
who played lock forward for 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....
, Bedford Blues
Bedford Blues
Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The...
and 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...
, gaining 31 England and 3 Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
caps.
Bayfield was born in Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
. The 208 cm (6 ft 10in) tall policeman made his England debut in 1991, and although he was omitted from the 1991 World Cup squad, was a part of the 1992 Five Nations Grand Slam
Grand Slam (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, a Grand Slam occurs when one team in the Six Nations Championship manages to beat all the others during one year's competition...
winning side. He went on the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand
1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand
In 1993 the British Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand. This tour followed the Lions' 1989 tour to Australia and preceded their 1997 tour to South Africa. It was the last Lions tour in the sport's amateur era....
and was part of the 1995 World Cup squad. He would play 18 times partnering Martin Johnson. His final appearance for England came in the 1996 Five Nations match against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
.
His last game was against Gloucester in February 1998, a neck injury sustained in training a few days later forced him to retire.
Since retirement, Bayfield has worked as a journalist, an after dinner speaker and has since appeared in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
films playing the half-giant
Half-giant
Half-giants are a mythological creature, born to a giant and a human, or some other creature.-Mythology:In actual legends, half giants and part giants are rarely the extremely large people portrayed in RPGs, often they are of normal size and either have abnormal or supernatural abilities, or are...
Hagrid, normally played by Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
, in longer shots which need to emphasise Hagrid's height. He presents the NFL and World's Strongest Man
World's Strongest Man
The World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
coverage on UK Channel Five and works as a rugby correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
. He has also been involved as a presenter in ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's coverage of the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
as well as currently presenting ITV's Guinness Premiership higlights. He is actively involved with charity, and is an Honorary President of Wooden Spoon
Wooden Spoon Society
Wooden Spoon is a children's charity founded in 1983, when the England rugby team received the Wooden Spoon in the 5 Nations. Spoon is dedicated to helping children and young people who are disadvantaged physically, mentally or socially by using sport as a method of improving lives while...
- the rugby charity that supports disadvantaged children and young people.
He also appeared in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The plot follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, during which a series of messages on the walls on the school's corridors warn that the "Chamber of...
, as a young Rubeus Hagrid
Rubeus Hagrid
Rubeus Hagrid is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. Hagrid is introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as a half-giant who is the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts, the primary setting for the first six novels...
, and has also been a stuntman on all the Harry Potter films.
Bayfield also played Rugby Player 2 in an episode of New Tricks on BBC1 (first shown on 1 September 2008).
Martin is represented by sports marketing agency ENS Ltd.
He has three daughters; Rosie, Polly and Lucy.