Mike Hercus
Encyclopedia
Mike Hercus is a retired American
rugby union
footballer who played at fly-half for the USA Eagles
and several top level professional clubs around the globe.
Hercus was born in Virginia but his parents returned to their native Australia
where he was brought up and educated at Shore School North Sydney. He started in their first XV for two years and was captained by Phil Waugh
when they were in year 12. He played for the Australian schoolboys rugby union team and later progressed to the Australian under 21 side before the American national team, the USA Eagles
, gave him a route into international rugby union.
Hercus made his Rugby World Cup debut in 2003, scoring 51 points for the Eagles. He played at Sale Sharks
for two seasons as Charlie Hodgson
's understudy before moving to Llanelli Scarlets
. There Hercus was able to secure a starting position at fly-half during the season, a position which he maintained in the 2006 Powergen Cup final (which saw the Scarlets lose to London Wasps
26-10). Hercus moved to the Newport Gwent Dragons
in the summer of 2006 when it was announced that Welsh international fly-half Stephen Jones
was to move to the Scarlets. Also in 2006, Hercus received an invitation to play for the prestigious Barbarians FC, joining an elite list of only seven USA Eagles who have done so. His Barbarians cap came in the annual clash vs. Leicester Tigers
in which he scored 17 points, including a try.
He returned to the USA for the start of the 2007 Rugby Super League season where he played for Belmont Shore and was in the US Falcons NA4 squad. In addition, he captained The Eagles for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
qualifiers against Uruguay.
Hercus signed a contract at the start of 2008 to play for Japanese club IBM Big Blue
. In 2009, after just one season, Hercus signed with the Australian club Sunshine Coast Stingrays
where, in limited action (he was with the USA Eagles for summer internationals), he was the club's leading scorer.
In 2010, Hercus decided to return to Australia and his junior club the Gordon Highlanders who compete in the Shute Shield
. Hercus was named Gordon's captain to start the season, but saw limited action due to injury. By mid season, rumors began to leak out that he had retired or intended to retire from both international and club rugby due to persistent reoccurring injuries. Although no official announcement has ever been made, he has been presumed retired since summer 2010.
Hercus is the USA Eagles' all-time leading scorer and at the time of his final match, was also the Eagles' all-time most capped back. He is currently 20th all-time on the international scoring list, which is an accomplishment in itself considering the limited international schedule the USA plays when compared to major rugby playing nations.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rugby union
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...
footballer who played at fly-half for the USA Eagles
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
and several top level professional clubs around the globe.
Hercus was born in Virginia but his parents returned to their native Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he was brought up and educated at Shore School North Sydney. He started in their first XV for two years and was captained by Phil Waugh
Phil Waugh
Phillip Waugh is an Australian rugby union player, widely regarded as one of the world's leading flankers.His career as a player began at the Shore School, Captaining the school's team in 1997...
when they were in year 12. He played for the Australian schoolboys rugby union team and later progressed to the Australian under 21 side before the American national team, the USA Eagles
United States national rugby union team
USA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
, gave him a route into international rugby union.
Hercus made his Rugby World Cup debut in 2003, scoring 51 points for the Eagles. He played at Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
for two seasons as Charlie Hodgson
Charlie Hodgson
Charles Christopher Hodgson is an English rugby union footballer. He plays fly-half for Saracens and England. He is also the leading Premiership points scorer of all time.-Early years:...
's understudy before moving to Llanelli Scarlets
Llanelli Scarlets
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
. There Hercus was able to secure a starting position at fly-half during the season, a position which he maintained in the 2006 Powergen Cup final (which saw the Scarlets lose to London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
26-10). Hercus moved to the Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
in the summer of 2006 when it was announced that Welsh international fly-half Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones (rugby player)
Stephen Michael Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays primarily at fly-half for Wales, the British and Irish Lions and Scarlets....
was to move to the Scarlets. Also in 2006, Hercus received an invitation to play for the prestigious Barbarians FC, joining an elite list of only seven USA Eagles who have done so. His Barbarians cap came in the annual clash vs. Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
in which he scored 17 points, including a try.
He returned to the USA for the start of the 2007 Rugby Super League season where he played for Belmont Shore and was in the US Falcons NA4 squad. In addition, he captained The Eagles for 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,...
qualifiers against Uruguay.
Hercus signed a contract at the start of 2008 to play for Japanese club IBM Big Blue
IBM Big Blue
IBM Big Blue is a Japanese semi-professional rugby union team in the Top League, founded in 1976 by IBM. The company decided to make rugby, along with baseball and American football, one of the official company sports in 1989, which allowed the rugby club to gain support and momentum.Big Blue won...
. In 2009, after just one season, Hercus signed with the Australian club Sunshine Coast Stingrays
Sunshine Coast Stingrays
The Sunshine Coast Stingrays are an Australian rugby union club, based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The club currently competes in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition. The club is the most recent addition to the Premier competition, having their first season in 2005...
where, in limited action (he was with the USA Eagles for summer internationals), he was the club's leading scorer.
In 2010, Hercus decided to return to Australia and his junior club the Gordon Highlanders who compete in the Shute Shield
Shute Shield
The Shute Shield is a rugby union competition in Sydney, New South Wales. It is the premier grade rugby trophy in NSW rugby. The Shute Shield is awarded at the end of the Sydney Club Rugby season to the team that wins the Grand Final...
. Hercus was named Gordon's captain to start the season, but saw limited action due to injury. By mid season, rumors began to leak out that he had retired or intended to retire from both international and club rugby due to persistent reoccurring injuries. Although no official announcement has ever been made, he has been presumed retired since summer 2010.
Hercus is the USA Eagles' all-time leading scorer and at the time of his final match, was also the Eagles' all-time most capped back. He is currently 20th all-time on the international scoring list, which is an accomplishment in itself considering the limited international schedule the USA plays when compared to major rugby playing nations.