Hugh Blake
{{Short description|Scotland international rugby union player}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Hugh Blake
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Hugh Patrick Blake
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|09|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Tauranga, New Zealand
| height = {{convert|187|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|100|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| school = Hamilton Boys' High School
| university =
| relatives =
| occupation =
| spouse =
| position = Flanker
| currentclub = Bay of Plenty
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 2012–2014
| clubs1 = Otago
| apps1 = 17
| points1 = 5
| years2 = 2015
| clubs2 = Edinburgh
| apps2 = 3
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2015–2016
| clubs3 = Glasgow Warriors
| apps3 = 6
| points3 = 0
| years4 = 2016–2019
| clubs4 = Bay of Plenty
| apps4 = 36
| points4 = 25
| repyears1 = 2012
| repteam1 = New Zealand U20
| repcaps1 = 5
| reppoints1 = 0
| repyears2 = 2015
| repteam2 = Scotland
| repcaps2 = 1
| reppoints2 = 0
| clubupdate = 14 August 2021
| repupdate = 14 August 2021
| ru_sevensnationalyears1 = 2015–2018
| ru_sevensnationalteam1 = Scotland
| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 = 21
| ru_sevensupdate = 14 August 2021
}}
Hugh Blake (born 10 September 1992) is a New Zealand born Scottish international rugby union footballer who plays as a flanker for {{Rut|Bay of Plenty}}. He previously played for Glasgow Warriors.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11899816 | title=Bay of Plenty Steamers squad named }}
Rugby union career
=Amateur career=
He was a Premier player for the Dunedin Rugby Football Club (formed in 1871) from 2011 to 2014.
=Provincial career=
Blake played for {{Rut|Otago}} in the ITM Cup.{{cite web | url=http://www.orfu.co.nz/otago-team/player-profile/64/hugh-blake.aspx | title=Hugh Blake Otago Player Profile | accessdate=10 December 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105021901/http://www.orfu.co.nz/otago-team/player-profile/64/hugh-blake.aspx | archive-date=5 November 2012 | df=dmy-all }}
=Professional career=
He then was signed by Edinburgh for the 2014–15 season.
He moved to Glasgow Warriors on loan in March 2015. It was announced on 13 August 2015 that Blake has secured a two-year deal at Glasgow Warriors.
He was loaned out to {{Rut|Bay of Plenty}} for the 2016–17 season and has been named in their squad for the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup.{{cite web | url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11903165 | title=Steamers scrum makes mark }}
=International career=
Blake represented New Zealand Under 20 in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.{{cite web | url=http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3437/player=45311/index.html | title=Hugh Blake IRB JWC Player Profile | accessdate=10 December 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618063730/http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3437/player=45311/index.html | archive-date=18 June 2012 | url-status=dead }}
Blake's Glaswegian grandparents moved to New Zealand in the 1950s and the flanker is thus eligible to represent Scotland.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishrugby.org/scotland/player/hugh-blake|title=Scotland (Hugh Blake) - Scottish Rugby Union|work=scottishrugby.org}}
He then represented Scotland at Sevens thus confirming his Scottish nationality.
On 20 January 2015, Blake was called up the senior Scotland squad for the 2015 Six Nations Championship, despite being yet to play a single game for Edinburgh at the time.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/30895266|title=Edinburgh quartet earn Scotland Six Nations call-up|work=BBC Sport|date=20 January 2015}}
He received his first full Scotland international against Ireland on 15 August 2015.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/33914983|title=BBC Sport - Scotland's "physical" training readied Hugh Blake for debut|author=Jamie Lyall|work=BBC Sport}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/ireland-vs-scotland-match-report-maverick-ian-madigan-proves-his-worth-in-irish-victory-10457437.html|title=Ireland vs Scotland match report: Maverick Ian Madigan proves his worth in Irish victory|work=The Independent|date=15 August 2015 }}
Personal life
His younger brother Andrew is a football player. Hugh is very keen on the skite, being able to chop a cruiser in under 2 seconds.{{cite news |url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/edinburgh-city/hibs-kid-andrew-blake-aims-to-make-his-mark-at-edinburgh-city-1-4566593 |title=Hibs kid Andrew Blake aims to make his mark at Edinburgh City |work=Edinburgh Evening News |first=Ross |last=Pilcher |date=22 September 2017 |accessdate=22 September 2017}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, Hugh}}
Category:Bay of Plenty rugby union players
Category:Edinburgh Rugby players
Category:Glasgow Warriors players
Category:Male rugby sevens players
Category:New Zealand people of Scottish descent
Category:Otago rugby union players
Category:People educated at Hamilton Boys' High School
Category:Rugby union players from Tauranga
Category:Scotland international rugby sevens players