Ian Prior (rugby union)

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Ian Prior

| image =

| birth_name = Ian Prior

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|08|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia

| height = {{height|m=1.79}}

| weight = {{convert|83|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

| nickname =

| occupation =

| school =

| university =

| spouse =

| children =

| relatives =

| ru_currentposition =

| ru_currentteam =

| ru_position = Scrum-Half/ Fly-half

| amatyears1 =

| amatteam1 =

| years1 = 2014–2017

| years2 = 2017–2018

| years3 = 2018–2024

| clubs1 = Perth Spirit

| clubs2 = Harlequin F.C.

| clubs3 = Western Force

| apps1 = 18

| apps2 = 5

| apps3 = 48

| points1 = 138

| points2 = 0

| points3 = 82

| ru_clubupdate = 22 October 2016

| superyears1 = 2011

| superyears2 = 2012–2013

| superyears3 = 2014–2017

| superyears4 = 2020

| super1 = Queensland Reds

| super2 = Brumbies

| super3 = Western Force

| super4 = Western Force

| superapps1 = 6

| superapps2 = 25

| superapps3 = 35

| superapps4 = 2

| superpoints1 = 0

| superpoints2 = 15

| superpoints3 = 82

| superpoints4 = 13

| super14update = 18 July 2020

| provinceyears1 =

| province1 =

| provinceapps1 =

| provincepoints1 =

| repyears1 = 2010

| repteam1 = {{nruu|Australia|20}}

| repcaps1 = 2

| reppoints1 = 0

| repyears2 = 2024-

| repteam2 = Zimbabwe

| repcaps2 = 4

| reppoints2 = 43

| ru_ntupdate = 16 November 2024

}}

Ian Prior (born 21 August 1990) is an Australian-born Zimbabwe international rugby union player who previously played for the Western Force in Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman. He previously played for the Force, Reds and Brumbies teams in Australia at Super Rugby level, as well as for English club Harlequins. Prior's usual position is scrum-half but he can also play fly-half.

Rugby union career

Prior played for the {{ruu|20|AUS|name=Australia under-20|noflag=1}} team at the 2010 Junior World Championship in Argentina.{{Cite web |url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-international-19800.html|title=International career|work=Its Rugby|date=26 July 2016}}

He made his Super Rugby debut for the {{Rut|Reds}} against the {{Rut|Lions}} in Johannesburg during the 2011 Super Rugby season. Prior moved to Canberra prior to the start of the 2012, where he signed a two-year deal to play for the Brumbies.

He joined the Perth-based Western Force ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/brumbies/brumbies-halfback-to-join-force-20130424-2iew9.html|title=Brumbies halfback to join Force |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=24 April 2013 }} After the removal of the Force from the Super Rugby competition in the latter half of 2017, Prior signed a short-term deal to play for English club Harlequins, and then rejoined the Force as captain for the new World Series Rugby season in 2018.

Later that year, he was also targeted as a potential player for Zimbabwe,{{cite news|url=https://www.newzimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-rugby-union-target-aussie-rugby-star|title=Zimbabwe Rugby Union target Aussie rugby star|newspaper=New Zimbabwe|date=30 April 2018}} but took no part in their Africa Cup campaign. Prior remained captain of the Western Force for the 2018 National Rugby Championship.

He made his international debut for Zimbabwe in 2024.

Super Rugby statistics

{{updated|15 July 2017|{{hsp}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_19800.html|title=Player Statistics|work=Its Rugby|date=26 July 2016}}}}

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:90%; font-size:95%; width:70%;"
2011	{{Rut\|Reds}} \| 6	0	6	44	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2012	{{Rut\|Brumbies}} \| 12	4	8	386	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2013	{{Rut\|Brumbies}} \| 13	2	11	347	0	5	0	0	10	0	0
2014	Force \| 15	8	7	715	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015	Force \| 9	1	8	136	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2016	Force \| 13	7	6	485	0	8	6	0	34	0	0
2017	Force \| 13	5	8	485	0	6	12	0	48	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total ! 80	27	53	2678	1	19	18	0	97	0	1