Dan Kelly (rugby union)

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Dan Kelly

| image = Dan Kelly Rugby.jpg

| caption = Dan Kelly speaking to a fan in August 2024

| birth_name = Daniel Kelly

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|6|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 6ft 1 in

| weight = 15st 11 lbs

| school = Kirkham Grammar School

| university = Loughborough University

| position = Centre

| currentclub = Leicester Tigers

| years1 = 2019–2020

| clubs1 = Loughborough Students

| apps1 = 10

| points1 = 20

| years2 = 2020–

| clubs2 = Leicester Tigers

| apps2 = 95

| points2 = 52

| repyears1 = 2020

| repteam1 = {{nruu|Ireland|20}}

| repcaps1 = 3

| reppoints1 = 5

| repyears2 = 2021

| repteam2 = {{nrut|England}}

| repcaps2 = 1

| reppoints2 = 0

| repupdate = 10 July 2021

| clubupdate = 21 April 2025

}}

Daniel Kelly (born 16 June 2001){{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/36718.html?source=opta|title=Dan Kelly ESPN profile|publisher=ESPN|access-date=25 November 2020}} is an English professional rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. His usual position is centre.{{cite web|url=https://www.leicestertigers.com/player/dan-kelly|title=Leicester Tigers profile|access-date=25 November 2020|publisher=Leicester Tigers}} Born in Manchester, England, Kelly represented Ireland Under 20s,{{cite web|url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/u20/dan-kelly/|publisher=IRFU|access-date=25 November 2020|title=IRFU profile|archive-date=16 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116042844/https://www.irishrugby.ie/u20/dan-kelly/|url-status=dead}} before being capped for the {{nrut|England}} national team in 2021.

Early life

Kelly started playing rugby at under six years old for Rochdale RUFC, in Greater Manchester.{{cite web|url=https://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/dan-kelly-flying-the-flag-for-ireland-and-loughborough/25882.htm|work=Talking Rugby Union|title=Dan Kelly - Flying the flag for Ireland and Loughborough|date=12 March 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|author-first=Joe|author-last=Harvey}} He joined Kirkham Grammar School at 16 and was part of the Sale Sharks academy set up.{{cite web|url=https://www.balls.ie/rugby/dan-kelly-exiles-ireland-u20s-425306|work=balls.ie|date=10 February 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|title=Exiles Programme Produces Another Big Irish Prospect As Kelly Shines}} Due to a number of other players considered more talented he was not offered a professional contract at 18 so joined Loughborough University.{{cite news|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/38041/young-guns-leicester-tigers-centre-dan-kelly/|work=The Rugby Paper|date=1 September 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|title=Young Guns: Leicester Tigers centre Dan Kelly}}

Club career

=Leicester Tigers=

On 10 April 2020 Kelly signed for Leicester Tigers, joining for the end of the delayed 2019-20 Premiership Rugby season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/52246976|work=BBC Sport|title=Leicester Tigers: Dan Kelly, Cameron Henderson and Oliver Chessum to join in 2020-21|date=10 April 2020|access-date=25 November 2020}} He made his debut as a substitute in a 46–30 defeat to Gloucester at Kingsholm.{{cite news|url=https://www.leicestertigers.com/match/gallagher-premiership-rugby/glo-vs-lei/2020-08-30|publisher=Leicester Tigers|date=30 August 2020|access-date=25 November 2020|title=Match report : Gloucester hold off Tigers fightback}} He quickly became a regular starter at inside centre, and by April 2022 was being highlighted by teammates as a defence leader as Leicester prepared for a European Rugby Champions Cup round of 16 tie with Clermont Auvergne.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2022/04/10/line-out-errors-try-line-fumbles-trouble-new-laws-have-exeter/|url-access=subscription|work=The Daily Telegraph|author=Charlie Morgan|title=Leicester's defensive leader Dan Kelly embracing 'apex of pain' as Tigers hunt rare Clermont win|date=9 April 2022|access-date=10 April 2022}}

=Munster=

In February 2025, he signed a two-year contract with Munster in the United Rugby Championship ahead of the following season.{{cite web |title=Dan Kelly To Join Munster Rugby |url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2025/02/06/dan-kelly-to-join-munster-rugby/ |publisher=Munster Rugby |access-date=6 February 2025}}

International career

Kelly is eligible to play for both England, through birth, and Ireland, through his grandparents.{{cite web |title=Dan Kelly To Join Munster Rugby |url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2025/02/06/dan-kelly-to-join-munster-rugby/ |publisher=Munster Rugby |access-date=6 February 2025}}

In 2020, he played for Ireland during the 2020 Six Nations Under 20s Championship, playing all three games of the tournament and scoring a try to win the Triple Crown before the tournament was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |title=Dan Kelly To Join Munster Rugby |url=https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2025/02/06/dan-kelly-to-join-munster-rugby/ |publisher=Munster Rugby |access-date=6 February 2025}}

On 8 July 2021 Kelly has been selected to play for his first cap for England, and he made his international debut for {{nrut|England}} on 10 July 2021 against {{nrut|Canada}} at Twickenham.

He was part of Leicester's championship winning team in the 2021–22 Premiership Rugby season.{{Cite web|title=RFU|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/england-men-announce-team-to-face-canada|access-date=2021-07-08|website=www.englandrugby.com}}

References

External links

{{sport links}}

Category:2001 births

Category:Living people

Category:English rugby union players

Category:Leicester Tigers players

Category:Rugby union centres

Category:England international rugby union players

Category:Loughborough Students RUFC players

Category:Rugby union players from Rochdale

Category:English people of Irish descent

Category:People educated at Kirkham Grammar School

Category:21st-century English sportsmen