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| Full name | Stephen Hampson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1961-08-14)14 August 1961 (age 64) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stephen Hampson (born 14 August 1961) is a formerrugby union and professionalrugby league footballer from Airdrie, Scotland, who played as afullback in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, andcoached rugby league in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
He played club level rugby union (RU) for Vulcan RUFC (1978–83) inNewton-le-Willows, and representative level rugby league (RL) forGreat Britain, and at club level forWigan,Illawarra Steelers,Halifax,Salford Reds and theWidnes Vikings.[1][4]
Hampson started hisrugby league career withWigan, joining fromNewton-le-Willows basedrugby union club Vulcan RUFC in October 1983.[5] After a promising start during his first season at the club, Hampson broke his leg in a match againstHull Kingston Rovers in April 1984, and then suffered a broken wrist in a reserve team game during his recovery. The injuries meant that he only played one first team game during the1984–85 season.[6]
Hampson won his first honours with Wigan during the1985–86 season, appearing as asubstitute (replacingwingGary Henley-Smith) in Wigan's 34–8 victory overWarrington in the1985 Lancashire Cup Final atKnowsley Road,St Helens, on Sunday 13 October 1985.[7] He started atfullback in Wigan's 11–8 victory overHull Kingston Rovers in the1985–86 John Player Special Trophy Final atElland Road,Leeds on Saturday 11 January 1986.[8]
Hampson was an unused substitute in the1986 Lancashire Cup final againstOldham, but playedfullback in the 18–4 victory overWarrington in the1986–87 John Player Special Trophy Final during the1986–87 season atBurnden Park,Bolton on Saturday 10 January 1987.[9]
During the1987–88 season, Hampson played at fullback for defending champions Wigan in their1987 World Club Challenge victory against the visitingManly-Warringah Sea Eagles. A few days later, he played in the 28–16 victory overWarrington in the1987 Lancashire Cup Final atKnowsley Road,St Helens, on Sunday 11 October 1987.[10]
He playedfullback in the 22–17 victory overSalford in the1988 Lancashire Cup Final during the1988–89 season atKnowsley Road,St. Helens on Sunday 23 October 1988,[11] and playedfullback in the 12–6 victory overWidnes in the1988–89 John Player Special Trophy Final atBurnden Park,Bolton on Saturday 7 January 1989.[12]
Hampson playedfullback (replaced bysubstituteNeil Cowie) in the 5–4 victory overSt Helens in the1992 Lancashire Cup Final during the1992–93 season atKnowsley Road,St Helens on Sunday 18 October 1992,[13] and playedfullback, and scored adrop goal in the 15–8 victory overBradford Northern in the1992–93 Regal Trophy Final atElland Road,Leeds on Saturday 23 January 1993.[14]
In 1989, he played alongside fellow importAndy Gregory for theIllawarra Steelers in theNSWRL premiership. Although the club finished bottom of the league table, they reached the final of the1989 Panasonic Cup.[15] Hampson played and scored a try in the final, but the match ended in a 20–22 defeat againstBrisbane Broncos.
Hampson played in the club's1991 World Club Challenge victory against the visitingPenrith Panthers. He spent almost ten years as a player for the club between 1983 and 1993. During his Wigan career, he made 296 starts (plus 8 subs bench appearances), scoring 55 tries, 48 conversions and 3 drop goals, a total of 319 points. Wigan reached theChallenge Cup Final eight times while Hampson was at the club, but he missed the first three Challenge Cup Finals (in 1984, 1985 and 1988) due to injury.[16]
After being released by Wigan in 1993, he went to play forHalifax,Salford Reds andWidnes Vikings.[17]
Hampson received his first call-up forGreat Britain in 1986.[18] He was selected to go on the1988 Great Britain Lions tour, but was forced to withdraw after breaking his arm a few weeks before the tour departed.[19] He was also selected for the1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand. He was capped 12 times forGreat Britain between 1987 and 1992.[1]
Hampson was coach ofLancashire Lynx between 1998 and 2000.[20][21] He worked as a personal trainer for other sportsmen such as cricketerAndrew Flintoff and golferDarren Clarke.[22][23]
He has worked as afitness conditioner forSale Sharks,Lancashire CCC, and inrugby league at international level withGreat Britain.[4]
As part of the 2010 Wigan Warriors coaching staff re-structure Hampson became the Assistant Under 18's Coach.
Wigan