Neil Fletcher (rugby union) explained

Neil Fletcher
Birth Name:Neil Robert Fletcher
Birth Date:4 June 1976
Birth Place:Walsall, England
Height:6feet
Weight:224lb
School:Hydesville Tower School
Position:Lock
Years1:1996 - 1999
Apps1:42
Points1:5
Years2:1999 - 2001
Clubs2:Sale Sharks
Apps2:11
Points2:0
Years3:2001 - 2004
Clubs3:Birmingham & Solihull
Apps3:57
Points3:15
Totalyears:1996 - 2004
Totalapps:110
Totalpoints:20

Neil Robert Fletcher (born 4 June 1976)[1] is a former rugby union lock who played 42 games for Leicester Tigers from 1996 to 1999, and 11 games for Sale Sharks. He was an unused replacement in the 1997 Heineken Cup Final.

Leicester

Fletcher made his Leicester debut on 5 October 1996 in a Courage League match against West Hartlepool, and featured in 20 of 24 matchday squads towards the end of that season including the 1997 Heineken Cup Final. He struggled for game time in 1997-98 featuring only 4 times, but was regularly used during the 1998-99 Premiership Rugby season where he featured 17 times as Leicester won the title. On Saturday 25 September 1999 he was sent off in a Premiership game at Welford Road against Sale.[2] He made his final appearance for Leicester the next week in a match against Gloucester.

Sale

After the end of the 1999 Rugby World Cup Fletcher fell down the pecking order at Leicester and moved to Sale initially on loan. He made his debut for Sale against Bedford on 26 December. On 25 July 2000 he made the move to Sale permanent.[3] He left Sale after the 2000-01 season.

Birmingham & Solihull

Fletcher joined second division club Birmingham & Solihull for the 2001-02 season and made headlines by "exposing himself" in an official team picture used on the front cover of the club's official match programme.[4]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Matt Poole. ESPNscrum. 28 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Rugby Union: Fletcher's red card fires cubs. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-fletcher-s-red-card-fires-cubs-1122416.html . 18 June 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent. David Llewellyn . 25 September 1999. 24 February 2021.
  3. News: Ambitious Sharks snap up Fletcher. 25 July 2000. 24 February 2021. ESPN.
  4. News: Fletcher's flash requires cover-up. The Telegraph. 8 September 2001. 24 February 2021.