Ewan Richards
{{short description|English rugby union player}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| image = Ewan Richards 2022.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|4|6|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/ewan-richards|website=Ultimate Rugby|accessdate=18 November 2023|title=Ewan Richards}}
| birth_place = Yeovil, England
| height= {{convert|1.98|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight= {{convert|112|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=https://all.rugby/player/ewan-richards |website=All.Rugby|accessdate=18 November 2023|title=Ewan Richards}}
| ru_position = Lock, Back Row
| youthyears1 = 2012–2018
| youthclubs1 = Wells RFC
| years1= 2021–
| clubs1= Bath Rugby
| apps1 = 47
| points1 = 35
| years2= 2023
| clubupdate = 25 May 2025
| repyears1 = 2018–2019
| repteam1 = England U18
| repcaps1 = 9
| reppoints1 = 0
| repyears2 = 2021–2022
| repteam2 = England U20
| repcaps2 = 12
| reppoints2 = 20
| repupdate = 12 July 2022
| relatives =
| school = Crispin School
Millfield School
| medaltemplates =
}}
Ewan Richards (born 6 April 2002) is an English professional rugby union player who plays for Bath Rugby either in the second row or back row.
Early life
From Street, Somerset, Richards attended Crispin School before receiving an offer to join Millfield on a scholarship. In 2021, at 18 years-of-age he progressed to the Bath Rugby senior academy.{{cite web|url=https://street.nub.news/news/local-sport/18-year-old-street-star-selected-for-bath-rugby-senior-academy|website=Street.nub.news|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= 18-year-old Street star selected for Bath Rugby senior academy|first=Tim|last=Lethaby|date=16 July 2021}}
Club career
Richards played for Tor RFC and Wells RFC in his native Somerset prior to playing for Bath Rugby.{{cite web|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/latest-news/332912/ewan-richards/|website=The Rugby Paper|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= EWAN RICHARDS|date=14 March 2021}} Richards made his debut for Bath in the Premiership in February 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61527913|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=18 November 2023|title=Ewan Richards: Bath forward commits 'long-term' future|date=20 May 2022}} After going on to make 15 appearances either in the second row or the back row, he signed a long-term contract with the club in May 2022. His performances during that campaign also led to him winning Bath Breakthrough player of the year award.{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/bath-rugby-set-miss-out-8453990|website=Somerset Live|accessdate=17 January 2024|title=Bath Rugby set to miss out on keeping Fergus Lee-Warner - reports|first=John|last=Evely|date=19 May 2023}}
During the 2022-23 season Richards tore his hamstring and missed a few months of the season before playing some loan games for Taunton R.F.C. to build up his match fitness. In September 2023, he captained Bath for the first time as they secured a 29-23 victory away at Cornish Pirates in the Premiership Rugby Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/ewan-richards-captain-bath-rugby-8734861.amp|website=Somerset Live|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= Ewan Richards to captain Bath Rugby away at Cornish Pirates in Premiership Cup opener|first=John|last=Evely|date=7 September 2023}}{{cite web|website=Somerset Live|accessdate=18 November 2023|title=Ewan Richards on injury set-backs, his best position and captaining Bath Rugby against Jersey Reds|url= https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/ewan-richards-injury-set-backs-8748356.amp|first=John|last=Evely|date=13 September 2023}}
He captained Bath in the Premiership Rugby Cup during the 2024-25 season and was named in the Bath starting XV for his European Rugby Champions Cup debut against Benetton Rugby on 15 December 2024.{{cite web|title= Benetton v Bath Rugby team news live announcements ahead of Champions Cup clash|website=Somerset Live|date=13 December 2024|accessdate=13 December 2024|first=John|last=Evely|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/benetton-bath-rugby-team-news-9790037}} He signed a new 24-month contract with Bath in February 2025.{{cite web|website=BBC Sport|date=13 February 2025| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cx2jwyv9jpzo|title= Back row Richards agrees new deal to 2027|accessdate=13 February 2025}} In March 2025, he was a try scorer in the final as Bath beat Exeter Chiefs 48-14 to win the 2024-25 Premiership Rugby Cup.{{cite web|date=16 March 2025|accessdate=16 March 2025|title= Bath win Premiership Cup to end trophy drought|website=BBC Sport|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c3rnzw04rdzo.amp}}
International career
Richards played for the England U18 team as a 16 year-old and was a member of their tour to South Africa in the summer of 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/ewan-richards-exclusive-bath-youngster-talks-about-his-career-to-date/33285.htm|title=Ewan Richards Exclusive: I never thought I'd make a career out of playing rugby|first=Joe|last=Harvey|website=Talking Rugby Union|date=3 February 2022|accessdate=18 November 2023}} He was part of the England Under-20 side that completed a grand slam in the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. During the competition he scored two tries in a game against Ireland and was ultimately voted players player.{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0701/1232569-ireland-u20s-winning-run-ends-as-england-power-to-win/|website=RTÉ|accessdate=17 January 2024|title=Ireland U20's Six Nations winning run ends as England power to win|first=Raf|last=Diallo|date=6 July 2021}} He also featured again in the 2022 U20 Six Nations.
In May 2022, Richards received his first call up to a senior England training camp.{{cite web|url=https://www.southwestsportsnews.com/rugby/team-news/5120-bath-forward-ewan-richards-gets-first-england-call|website=South West Sports News|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= Bath forward Ewan Richards gets first England call|date=23 May 2022|first=Catherine|last=Stewart}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/61545524|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=17 January 2024|title=England: Lewis Ludlam, Nic Dolly and Joe Launchbury out of training camp|date=22 May 2022}}
Personal life
Richards whole family are Bath fans, his father Neil was a coach at Tor RFC where Ewan started playing rugby at five years-old.{{cite web|url=https://street.nub.news/news/local-news/street-rugby-star-ewan-richards-looking-forward-to-being-coached-at-bath-by-luke-charteris|website=Street News|accessdate=18 November 2023|title= Street rugby star Ewan Richards looking forward to being coached at Bath by Luke Charteris|first=Tim|last=Lethaby|date=16 July 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Bath Rugby squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Ewan}}
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Yeovil
Category:People educated at Millfield
Category:21st-century English sportsmen
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