Ben Vellacott
{{short description|Scottish rugby union player}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Ben Vellacott
| image = Ben Vellacott LQ 2024.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Ben Vellacott
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|03|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Chertsey, Surrey, England
| height = {{convert|5|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| weight = {{convert|78|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| position = Scrum-half
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 =
| ru_amupdate =
| repteam1 = Scotland U20s
| repteam2 = Scotland
| repyears1 = 2014–2015
| repyears2 = 2022
| repcaps1 = 17
| repcaps2 = 1
| reppoints1 = 5
| reppoints2 = 0
| ru_ntupdate = 13 April 2023
| years1 = 2016–2019
| years2 = 2019–2021
| years3 = 2021–
| clubs1 = Gloucester Rugby
| clubs2 = Wasps
| clubs3 = Edinburgh Rugby
| apps1 = 49
| apps2 = 20
| apps3 = 38
| points1 = 70
| points2 = 10
| points3 = 50
| ru_clubupdate = 5 April 2023
| ru_currentteam = Edinburgh Rugby
| repsevensyears1 =
| ru_sevensnationalcaps =
| ru_sevensnationalpoints =
| ru_sevensupdate =
| coachteams1 =
| coachyears1 =
| ru_coachupdate =
| school = Ivybridge Community College
West Buckland School
Hartpury College
}}
Ben Vellacott (born 28 March 1995) is a Scottish rugby union player who currently plays for Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.edinburghrugby.org/edinburgh-rugby-team/ben-vellacott|title=Ben Vellacott|website=Edinburgh Rugby}}
Rugby Union career
=Professional career=
Vellacott was a member of the Gloucester Academy before signing his first professional contract on 19 January 2017 with Gloucester at Kingsholm Stadium.{{cite news|url=http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/13423.php#.WMbTTH_X3Yg|publisher=Gloucester Rugby|title=Gloucester scrum-half Ben Vellacott signs senior contract with the club|date=19 January 2017|access-date=13 January 2017}}
On 6 February 2019, Vellacott has signed for Premiership rivals Wasps from the 2019–20 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47142416|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Ben Vellacott: Wasps to bring in Gloucester scrum-half|date=6 February 2019|access-date=27 August 2019}} Vellacott first pulled on Wasps colours at the 2019 Premiership 7s, helping his side reach the final of the tournament for a sixth successive time, but an unfortunate ACL injury ruled him out of action for six months of the season.{{cite news|url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-injury-updates-rugby-news-16971654|publisher=Coventry Telegraph|title=Wasps' Ben Vellacott suffers major knee injury - four others to miss start of Gallagher Premiership season|date=24 September 2019|access-date=11 March 2021}}
On 2 March 2021, Vellacott announced his move to Scotland to join URC side Edinburgh ahead of the 2021–22 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/edinburgh-sign-wasps-scrum-half-ben-vellacott/|publisher=Rugby Pass|title=Edinburgh sign Wasps scrum-half Ben Vellacott|date=2 March 2021|access-date=11 March 2021}}
=International career=
Born in England, he is qualified to play for {{nrut|Scotland}} through his mother and has represented them at age group level.
Vellacott has played for Scotland at under-17 and under-18 levels - giving a man-of-the-match performance against England at the former age grade. He made his Scotland under-20 debut off the bench against Ireland U20s in January 2014 during the 2014 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and scored his side's only try, in the final minutes.{{cite news|url=http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/match/210425.html|publisher=ESPN Stats|title=Scotland U20s vs. Ireland U20s|date=13 March 2017|access-date=13 March 2017}} Ben was named in the Scotland U20 squad for the Junior World Championships in Italy in June 2015.{{cite news|url=http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/rugby/academy/11442.php#.WMbV33_X3Yg|publisher=Gloucester Rugby|title=Vellacott debut in Scotland's Junior World Championship 2015|date=2 June 2015|access-date=13 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314152004/http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/rugby/academy/11442.php#.WMbV33_X3Yg|archive-date=14 March 2017|url-status=dead}}
In January 2022 Vellacott was named in the Scotland squad for the 2022 Six Nations Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/scotland-six-nations-squad-named-and-there-are-five-uncapped-players-3533681|publisher=The Scotsman |title=Scotland Six Nations squad named and there are five uncapped players|date=19 January 2022|access-date=19 January 2022}}
He made his debut for Scotland in their 33 - 22 victory over Italy at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 12 March 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenational.scot/sport/19989173.italy-22-scotland-33-much-needed-six-nations-bonus-point-secured-rome/|title=Italy 22 Scotland 33: Much-needed bonus-point secured in Rome|website=The National}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170314152101/http://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/rugby/academy/squads_gloucester_academy.php?player=115483&includeref=dynamic Gloucester Rugby Profile]
- [http://www.scottishrugby.org/scotland-u20/player/ben-vellacott Scotland Profile]
{{Edinburgh Rugby squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vellacott, Ben}}
Category:Exeter Chiefs players
Category:Gloucester Rugby players
Category:Rugby union players from Chertsey
Category:Scottish rugby union players
Category:Worcester Warriors players
Category:Edinburgh Rugby players
Category:London Welsh RFC players
Category:Hartpury University R.F.C. players
Category:Scotland international rugby union players
Category:Rugby union scrum-halves
Category:People educated at Ivybridge Community College