Alfie Barbeary

Alfie Barbeary
Birth nameAlfie Jack Barbeary
Date of birth (2000-10-05) 5 October 2000 (age 24)
Place of birthBanbury, England
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight116 kg (18.3 st; 256 lb)
SchoolBloxham School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Youth career
2008–2015 Banbury RUFC
2015–2018 Wasps RFC
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–2022 Wasps 32 (95)
2019 → Nottingham (loan) 1 (0)
2022– Bath 13 (25)
Correct as of 26 February 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018 England U18 7 (30)
2019 England U19 1 (0)
2019 England U20 2 (5)
2024– England A 1 (5)
Correct as of 26 February 2024

Alfie Barbeary (born 5 October 2000) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Premiership Rugby club Bath. He now plays in the back row having previously focused on hooker.[1][2][3]

Early life

Born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, Barbeary grew up in Deddington, starting rugby at age eight with Banbury RUFC.[2][4]

Barbeary was part of the Banbury Rugby Club teams which won several Oxfordshire cups and Land Rover Cups at youth level. He was educated at Bloxham School and played in the team which won the under-18 National Schools Plate in 2019. He started training with Wasps under-15.[2][4]

Club career

Barbeary permanently entered Wasps’ Senior Academy squad for the 2019–20 season.[5] After featuring in a Cup game with the senior team in 2018 as a substitute hooker,[6] he spent some time in on loan with Nottingham during the 2019–20 RFU Championship, still being dual registered with Wasps.[7][8]

Barbeary made his first Premiership start at the Ricoh Arena on 9 September 2020, scoring a hat trick against Leicester, making a strong impression playing as a blindside flanker.[4][9][10] He became only the second player to score a treble on his first Premiership debut, after former Kiwis' winger Lesley Vainikolo.[9]

In December 2020, Barbeary made his European club debut, starting as a number 8 in both fixtures against the Dragons and Montpellier. Already successful in Wales,[11] he proved to be instrumental in the home performance against MHR, proving to be a decisive forward, breaking lines and scoring tries, but also showing his back skills with kicks, offloads and try assists, and eventually being named man of the match.[12][13][14]

Barbeary however ended the year with an ankle syndesmosis injury,[15] only allowing him to get back on the field in late March 2021, making the headlines as an early substitute against Newcastle Falcons, allowing his team to win the game after a come-back.[16]

Wasps entered administration on 17 October 2022 and Barbeary was made redundant along with all other players and coaching staff.[17] On 20 November 2022, it was confirmed that Barbeary had signed for Premiership rivals Bath on a long-term deal from the 2022-23 season.[18]

International career

Having already captained England under-18, Barbeary made his debut for the under-20 side in the last round of the 2019 Six Nations against Scotland, scoring a try after coming on as a replacement hooker.[19][20] Later that year he was a member of the squad that finished fifth at the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[4][21]

In November 2020 Barbeary received his first call up to the senior England squad.[4][22] In February 2024 he scored a try for England A against Portugal.[23]

Style of play

Barbeary was a centre through most of his youth career, naming Ma'a Nonu and Mathieu Bastareaud as his biggest influences. However, after entering Wasps' under-15 team he moved to the front row, becoming a hooker at both club and international levels. He has also frequently played in the back row, either as a flanker or a number 8.[2][4][19]

Despite being viewed, including by head coach Eddie Jones', as a hooker in both England's youth and senior teams,[24] — it is in the back row that Barbeary first took the spotlight with Wasps.[9][14] In November 2021, it was reported that he would focus on the back row, with Jones' blessing.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Bobby Bridge (27 November 2021). "Alfie Barbeary makes position decision after chat with England Rugby head coach Eddie Jones". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Mockford, Sarah (1 December 2020). "Hotshot: Wasps hooker/back-row Alfie Barbeary". Rugby World. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Alfie Jack Barbeary". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, James (3 December 2020). "Find out how Alfie Barbeary went from Banbury youngster to England call-up". Oxford Mail. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Alfie Barbeary". Wasps.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  6. ^ Iles, Robert (1 November 2018). "Gloucester v Wasps as it happened and post-match reaction". Gloucestershire Echo. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  7. ^ Bridge, Bobby (23 September 2019). "Out on loan - Alfie Barbeary and 20 other Wasps players". Coventry Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Team to face Yorkshire Carnegie". Nottingham Rugby. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Meagher, Gerard (9 September 2020). "Wasps thrash Leicester thanks to Alfie Barbeary's treble on first start". The Guardian. Ricoh Arena. Archived from the original on 10 September 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  10. ^ Jones, David (10 September 2020). "Is Alfie Barbeary the real deal?". Last Word on Rugby. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  11. ^ Bridge, Bobby (14 December 2020). "Alfie Barbeary's scan, forwards return and latest on England stars". CoventryLive. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  12. ^ Doel, Jon (19 December 2020). "Who is Alfie Barbeary, British rugby's new sensation?". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Internet in meltdown as 20 year old Alfie Barbeary dismantles Montpellier with sensational Champions Cup performance". Rugby Onslaught. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  14. ^ a b "L'antisèche : chez les Wasps et à 14, le MHR ne s'est pas épargné". Rugbyrama (in French). 18 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  15. ^ Bridge, Bobby (13 March 2021). "'Massive difference' - Wasps to welcome back three key players". Coventry Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  16. ^ Dickinson, Adam; Lyons, Harry; Bridge, Bobby (30 March 2021). "'Test-level display' -". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  17. ^ Bridge, Bobby (17 October 2022). "Wasps' administration confirmed as 167 employees made redundant". CoventryLive. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Bath sign back row Barbeary on 'long-term' deal". BBC Sport. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  19. ^ a b Harvey, Neale (29 March 2019). "Young Guns: Wasps and England U18 sensation Alfie Barbeary". The RUGBY Paper. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  20. ^ Campbell, Alan (15 March 2019). "England U20 45 - 7 Scotland U20: Young Scots overrun in second half". The Scotsman. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Alfie Barbeary profile". RFU. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  22. ^ "England call up uncapped Wasps hooker Alfie Barbeary for Autumn Nations Cup final". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  23. ^ "England A 91-5 Portugal". BBC Sport. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  24. ^ Macpherson, Will (1 December 2020). "Jones explains England call up for 20-year-old Wasps star Barbeary". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.