Jon Sleightholme
{{Short description|England international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
Jonathan Mark Sleightholme (born {{birth date and age|df=y|1972|8|5}} in Malton, North Yorkshire) is a former rugby union player who played on the wing for Grimsby, Hull Ionians Wakefield, Bath, Northampton Saints, Yorkshire, England Sevens and England.
Career
Originally from Yorkshire, he attended the University of Chester and played for Wakefield RFC. He then joined Bath Rugby for the 1994–95 season. Rugby Union was amateur at the time and he worked as a teacher combining with playing. He won a league and cup double with Bath and was called up by England for the 1996 Five Nations Championship. He made his England debut in the opening game of that Five Nations in Paris away against France. England would go on to win that Championship and he scored his first England try in the final match as they sealed the title against Ireland at Twickenham. He kept his place in the England team for the 1997 Five Nations Championship in which he scored two tries against Ireland in Dublin. He joined Northampton Saints in 1997.{{cite web|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/my-life-in-rugby/14511/my-life-in-rugby-jon-sleightholme-former-bath-northampton-england-wing/|title= My Life in Rugby: Jon Sleightholme – former Bath, Northampton & England wing|date=18 February 2014|accessdate=2 December 2023|website=The Rugby Paper}} For Northampton he scored ten tries in fifty appearances.{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-ex-player-injury-study-that-has-shocked-ex-england-international-jon-sleightholme-into-action-17-years-after-retirement/|website=Rugby Pass|accessdate=2 December 2023|title= The ex-player injury study that has shocked ex-England back Jon Sleightholme into action 17 years after retirement|first=Jamie|last=Lyall|date=16 July 2020}} In total, he played twelve times for England scoring four tries and also has played for the Barbarians.
Post-rugby career
In 2009, he was Managing Director Rugby for Sport2Business.{{cite web|url=http://www.sport2business.com/career.html |title=Sport2Business |accessdate=5 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117091050/http://www.sport2business.com/career.html |archivedate=17 January 2010 }} In 2011 he began working as a rugby coach at Cokethorpe School, Witney.{{cite web|url=https://www.witneygazette.co.uk/sport/9313740.rugby-union-cokethorpes-new-coach/|website=Witney Gazette|accessdate=2 December 2023|title= Cokethorpe's new coach|date=19 October 2011}}
Personal life
Born in Malton, North Yorkshire, he married Julie in the summer of 1997.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-a-turn-for-the-worse--jon-sleightholme-at-least-97-has-a-happy-ending-1290746.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-a-turn-for-the-worse--jon-sleightholme-at-least-97-has-a-happy-ending-1290746.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Rugby: A turn for the worse - Jon Sleightholme- At least '97 has a happy ending|website=Independent.co.uk |date=28 December 1997 |publisher=}} His son, Ollie Sleightholme, is a professional rugby union player for Northampton Saints and an England international.{{cite news|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/domestic-club-rugby-union/31581/ollie-sleightholme-shows-dad-hes-up-to-speed-at-northampton-saints/ |title= At home with the Sleightholmes |date=30 November 2018|work=Northampton Saints|access-date=17 January 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Sport links}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sleightholme, Jon}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Bath
Category:Alumni of the University of Chester
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Northampton Saints players
Category:Rugby union players from Yorkshire
Category:Team Bath rugby union players
Category:Wakefield RFC players
Category:Yorkshire County RFU players
{{England-rugbyunion-bio-1970s-stub}}