Hugh Tizard

Hugh Tizard
Birth nameHugh Peter Tizard
Date of birth (2000-03-31) 31 March 2000 (age 24)
Place of birthGuildford, England
Height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight120 kg (18 st 13 lb)
SchoolGuildford County School, Cranleigh School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Second row
Current team Saracens
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
– Guildfordians RFC – (–)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–2022 Harlequins 45 (15)
2019–2020 →London Scottish 6 (0)
2022– Saracens 55 (5)
Correct as of 3 December 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020 England U20 4 (0)
2024 England A 1 (0)
Correct as of 3 December 2024

Hugh Peter Tizard is an English professional rugby union player, currently playing as a lock for Saracens, which competes in Premiership Rugby, the top-level competition of English rugby.[1] He previously played for Harlequins, another London-based top-flight club.[2]

Club career

From the age of seven, Tizard began playing rugby at Guildfordians RFC, before joining the youth system at Harlequins when he was 16 years old, in addition to earning a scholarship to attend Cranleigh School.[3] He made his senior debut in October 2019, aged 19, during the pool stage of the 2019–20 Premiership Rugby Cup, then spent the rest of that season on loan at RFU Championship side London Scottish.[4]

Tizard became a regular player in the Harlequins first team over the course of the 2021–22 season, with 16 starts across all competitions.[5] His first ever try for the club was during a defeat to future team Saracens in October 2021.[6] Following this breakthrough campaign, he was short-listed for the Premiership Discovery of the Season Award, while also being nominated for the club's internal Academy Player of the Year Award.[7]

In January 2022, it was confirmed that Tizard had signed with Saracens ahead of the 2022–23 season.[8] He explained that his decision was influenced by his ambition to play for England, and his desire to play alongside British & Irish Lions international and World Rugby Player of the Year nominee Maro Itoje.[9]

Tizard made his competitive debut for Saracens against former club Harlequins in September 2022,[10] playing the full 80 minutes of the match to aid his new team towards a 30–27 win.[11] Throughout the season, he established himself as a first-choice player, starting the majority of their Premiership games, as well as all of their fixtures in the 2022–23 European Champions Cup.[4] On 27 May 2023, Tizard won his first Premiership title, as he started in the final and helped Saracens to achieve a 35–25 victory over Sale Sharks.[12] For his contribution that season, he was chosen by his teammates as the club's Young Player of the Season,[13] and was also included in the RPA's 15 Under 23 Team of the Season.[14]

International career

Tizard has represented England at age-grade level, playing for the U20s.[3] He featured in all four of the team's matches during the truncated 2020 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[5]

In September 2022, Tizard received his first call-up to the England senior squad, ahead of the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, although he has not yet made his test debut.[15]

In November 2024, Tizard was called-up to the England A squad, for a match against Australia A, as part of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series.[16] He played all 80 minutes of the fixture, helping England A to record a 37–18 victory.[17]

Personal life

Tizard grew up in Guildford, Surrey. He is a supporter of Premier League football club Liverpool[3]

During his childhood, Tizard's favourite Premiership Rugby team was Wasps, and he regularly attended matches when the club was based at Adams Park in High Wycombe.[18] He cites England second-row forward Joe Launchbury as the biggest influence early on on his own career.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Hugh Tizard". Saracens. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Hugh Tizard". Harlequins. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Hugh Tizard". England Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Hugh Tizard – Player statistics". It's Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Hugh Tizard: profile and stats". All.Rugby. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Harlequins 22-29 Saracens: Sarries strike late to beat Quins". Sky Sports. 31 October 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Tizard nominated for Land Rover Discovery of the Season Award". Harlequins. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Hugh Tizard signs for Saracens". Saracens. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Hugh Tizard: I loved my time at Harlequins, but I signed for Saracens to get closer to Maro Itoje". The Times. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  10. ^ "'You can't write it': Hugh Tizard goes from friend to foe as Saracens signing plots Harlequins downfall". Evening Standard. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Premiership: Harlequins 27-30 Saracens - Sarries win dramatic derby". BBC Sport. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Premiership final: Saracens 35-25 Sale - Sarries win sixth title in Twickenham thriller". BBC Sport. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  13. ^ Saracens Rugby Club [@Saracens] (1 May 2023). "Young Player of the Season: An outstanding debut campaign from Hugh Tizard – and many more to come" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 December 2024 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Rugby Players' Association [@theRPA] (17 May 2023). "Here is the #15Under23 Team of the Season, as selected by the RPA Players' Board!" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 December 2024 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "England squad omissions feel significant as Eddie Jones takes a punt on Saracens lock Hugh Tizard". The Telegraph. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  16. ^ "England A name team to face Australia A". England Rugby. 15 November 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  17. ^ "England A beat Australia A at Twickenham Stoop". City A.M. 17 November 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Hugh Tizard and George Hammond - Harlequins' yin and yang lock partners heading for greater things". The Telegraph. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  19. ^ "The Interview | Hugh Tizard". Saracens. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.