Richard 'Richie' Eyres (born 7 December 1964) is an English-born former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played international rugby league for Great Britain, England and Wales, and at club level for Blackbrook ARLFC, St Helens, Widnes St. Maries ARLFC, Widnes (two spells), Leeds, Warrington Wolves, Sheffield Eagles and Rochdale Hornets, as a second-row, or loose forward, and club level rugby union for Neath and Coventry.[1][4]
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| Full name | Richard Eyres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 December 1964 St Helens, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Second-row, Loose forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
editRichie Eyres was born in St Helens, Lancashire, England, he has Welsh ancestors, and eligible to play for Wales due to the grandparent rule.[citation needed]
Playing career
editWidnes
editEyres played and scored a try in Widnes' 30–18 victory over Canberra Raiders in the 1989 World Club Challenge at Old Trafford, Manchester on Wednesday 4 October 1989.
He played for Widnes in the 1993 Challenge Cup final against Wigan, scoring a try in the 14–20 defeat, but was sent off for elbowing Martin Offiah. He was banned for six games.[5]
Leeds
editEyres was signed by Leeds in August 1993,[6] with a transfer fee of £135,000 being set via tribunal.[7]
International honours
editRichie Eyres won a cap for England while at Widnes in 1992 against Wales, won caps for Wales while at Leeds in 1995 against England, France, and in the 1995 Rugby League World Cup, against France, Western Samoa, and England, and while at Swinton in 1998 against England, and in 1999 against Ireland, and Scotland, and won caps for Great Britain while at Widnes in 1989 against France (interchange/substitute), in 1991 against France (twice, once as a substitute), in 1992 in the 1989–1992 Rugby League World Cup against France (interchange/substitute), and Australia (interchange/substitute), in 1993 against France (2 matches), and while at Leeds in 1993 against New Zealand (interchange/substitute) (2 matches).
Eyres is unusual in having initially represented England and then gone onto represent Wales.
Rugby union
editIn 1996, Eyres signed for Welsh rugby union club, Neath.[8]
Family
editEyres is the brother of the rugby league wing, and scrum-half of the 1980s and 1990s for Widnes, Keighley Cougars and Rochdale Hornets; Andy Eyres.
References
edit- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ Rothmans RL Yearbooks
- ^ "Player Summary: Richie Eyres". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ Williams, Graham; Lush, Peter; Farrar, David (2009). The British Rugby League Records Book. London League. pp. 108–114. ISBN 978-1-903659-49-6.
- ^ Hadfield, Dave (7 May 1993). "Rugby League: Elbow costly for Eyres: Forward's six-game ban for Wembley sending-off". The Independent. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Sporting Digest: Rugby League". The Independent. 18 August 1993. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ Daly, Phil. "1993-1994". Leeds Rhinos. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
- ^ "Rugby Union: Neath to complete the signing of Richie Eyres". The Independent. 26 November 1996. Retrieved 7 January 2024.