| Birth name | Joe Ansbro | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1985-10-29)29 October 1985 (age 39) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Glasgow,Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 96 kg (15 st 2 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Stonyhurst College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Cambridge University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Joe Ansbro (BornGlasgow, 29 October 1985) is a former Scottish international professionalrugby union player. He is the first player of African origin to represent Scotland at test level in history.[2][3] His favoured position iscentre. He most recently played forLondon Irish.[4] After gaining 11 full international caps his rugby career ended due to serious neck injury at the age of 26.
Ansbro was born in Glasgow and raised nearGatehouse of Fleet in the historic county ofKirkcudbrightshire in the administrative area of Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.[2] He was educated at Gatehouse Primary School before at the age of eight years entering St Mary's Hall, the preparatory school for Stonyhurst College. He played youth rugby with Stewartry Sharks, the youth team ofStewartry RFC. His senior education was received atStonyhurst College before embarking on study of a Natural Sciences degree atRobinson College, Cambridge.[5][6]
Ansbro joined the Northampton Academy in 2006, during this time he was part of theCambridge University side that took part inThe Varsity Match, producing some quality displays for theUniversity.Northampton Saints took notice of this and he became a regular in the number 13 shirt during their season inNational Division One, he also scored in theEDF Energy Trophy final.
Ansbro joinedLondon Irish in 2011 on a three-year deal.[4] 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."[7]
Ansbro made his international debut forScotland A during the 2009IRB 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.[6] He made his first senior Scotland appearance in the 21–17 victory over reigning world championsSouth Africa in doing so he became the first black player to represent Scotland at test level.[8] A week later he played in the 19–16 win against Samoa atPittodrie in Aberdeen.[9]
Ansbro made his6 nations appearance inScotland's opening match of the2011 Six Nations Championship against France inParis. Ansbro and the rest of theScotland team put in an impressive performance against a clinical French side despite eventually losing the match 34–21.
His first points forScotland came in the 10–6 victory in a2011 Rugby World Cup warm-up game againstIreland[10] where he scored the winning try in the 76th minute. Ansbro was included in Scotland's 30 man squad for the2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. He went on to score his first RWC try againstRomania in Scotland's first group game of the 2011 tournament.[11] The number 13 jersey in the next two games was taken byNick de Luca before Ansbro was again selected, this time in Scotland's final group game versus England.[12]
Ansbro broke his neck in a pre-season friendly againstMunster on 24 August 2012.[13] After being taken to hospital straight after the match it was discovered that Ansbro had a triple fracture of the C1 vertebra.[14] As of 15 May 2013 Ansbro officially retired from rugby union.[15]
Ansbro, having graduated fromCambridge University before his professional career became a Biology teacher and rugby coach atHarrow School, thepublic school.[16]