Mathew Tait
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Mathew Tait, (born February 6, 1986 in Shotley Bridge, County Durham), is an English rugby union player, he is an outside centre or wing. He plays his club rugby for the Guinness Premiership side Newcastle Falcons.
He attended Barnard Castle School, he led Barnard Castle 1st XV to the Daily Mail Cup Final for two successive years, which has also produced England internationals Rob Andrew, Rory Underwood, and Tony Underwood. Mathew's younger brother, Alex, may soon follow in his footsteps; Alex is currently in the Falcons' Academy and England U18s as a Fullback/Centre.
In 2002, he was capped as outside centre by England U16 then U18. This was where he was spotted by the National Academy manager, Brian Ashton, who selected him for the Junior National Academy in 2003-04. Because of Ashton’s belief in his pace, power and eye for a gap, the 18 year old was fast tracked straight into the Senior National Academy.
Newcastle Falcons signed the centre on contract in April 2004 while he was still finishing his A levels, in which he achieved 3 A's. In May 2004 he made his debut in a Zurich Premiership game against London Irish and scored a try with his first touch of the ball. Tait has also played for England's rugby sevens team, he was a member of the side that won the Dubai Sevens in December 2004.
Tait gained media attention when Andy Robinson named him in the England starting XV for their opening 2005 Six Nations Championship game, against Wales on February 5. The game itself, which England lost 11-9, did not go well for Tait. He failed to make an impact either in offence or defence and was the victim of a number of big tackles from Gavin Henson before eventually being replaced. At 18 years old he is the second-youngest player to play for England since World War II, only his Newcastle team-mate Jonny Wilkinson played at a younger age. He was dropped after the game but has since regained his place in the England squad, missing out on the first game of England's autumn season against New Zealand only through injury.
During his absence from the test squad, Tait has been a regular member of England's rugby sevens team. He starred at the sevens tournament in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, finishing as the tournament's top try-scorer, with 9 tries, as he helped England to the silver medal.
