Max Malins

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Max Malins

| image = Max-Malins.jpg

| image_size = 185

| caption = Malins representing Saracens during the Gallagher Premiership

| fullname = Maxim Hugo Malins

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|01|07|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cambridge, England

| height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|88|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}

| school = Felsted School

| university = University of Hertfordshire

| relatives =

| position = Wing, Fullback, Fly-half

| currentclub = Saracens

| years1 = 2015–2023

| clubs1 = Saracens

| apps1 = 73

| points1 = 277

| years2 = 2015–2017

| clubs2 = Old Albanian

| apps2 = 19

| points2 = 213

| years3 = 2020–2021

| clubs3 = → Bristol Bears (loan)

| apps3 = 19

| points3 = 111

| years4 = 2023–2025

| clubs4 = Bristol Bears

| apps4 = 12

| repyears4 = 2

| repteam1 = England U18

| repcaps1 = 5

| reppoints1 = 10

| repyears2 = 2016–2017

| repteam2 = England U20

| repcaps2 = 17

| reppoints2 = 114

| repyears3 = 2020–

| repteam3 = England

| repcaps3 = 22

| reppoints3 = 10

| clubupdate = 24 October 2023

| repupdate = 24 October 2023

| ru_sevensnationalyears1 =

| ru_sevensnationalteam1 =

| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =

| ru_sevensupdate =

}}

Maxim Hugo Malins (born 7 January 1997) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Bristol Bears and the England national team.{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/254491.html |title=ESPN profile|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=7 January 2021}} He will join Saracens ahead of the 2025–26 season.{{cite web |title=Malins to rejoin Saracens from Bristol Bears |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cvgpdz1yvj5o |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=14 February 2025}}

Early life

Malins' first participation in rugby was at his local rugby club, Saffron Walden, aged 6.{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/in-the-mag/hotshots/hotshot-saracens-fly-half-max-malins-58625|title=Hotshot: Saracens fly-half Max Malins|author=Katie Field|date=8 June 2016|publisher=Rugby World|accessdate=2 September 2018}} His rugby then moved to his new club, Bishop's Stortford RFC, where he remained playing until the age of 16. While at Bishop's Stortford he participated in the winning of 7 age-group tournaments.{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/max-malins|title=Max Malins Bio|date=2017|publisher=Ultimate Rugby|accessdate=2 September 2018}}

Malins attended Felsted School from a young age, and his rugby highlights included reaching the final of the NatWest Schools Cup U18 Vase. While playing a school game for Felsted he was identified by Saracens' scout Matt Davies, before being invited to join the Saracens junior academy at 17. Whilst at school Malins was also a promising cricketer and field hockey player, representing the school 1st XI at both sports from the age of 15 and top scoring in the 2014 Cape Town international Hockey Festival.{{Cite news|url=http://ysn.co.za/news/hockey/national/2014/top-10-boys-and-girls-scorers-2014-cape-town-international-hockey-festival|title=Top 10 Boys and Girls Scorers From the 2014 Cape Town International Hockey Festival|date=2014-07-31|work=YSN - Youth Sports Network|access-date=2018-11-03|language=en}}

As of 2018 Malins was studying a business and finance degree at the University of Hertfordshire.

Club career

= Old Albanians =

During his time in the Senior academy Malins held dual registration with Old Albanian. He played 19 games for them with a high scoring rate of 11 points per game. His performance during the 2015/16 season aided significantly in returning the Old Albanians to National League 1 via the play-off mechanism.{{cite web|url=http://www.hertsad.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/old-albanian-back-in-national-one-after-play-off-win-secures-promotion-1-4537301|title=Old Albanian back in National One after play-off win secures promotion|author=Brian Quinn|date=16 May 2016|publisher=The Herts Advertiser|accessdate=2 September 2018}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

= Saracens =

Malins made his first team debut in January 2017, coming on as a substitute against the Scarlets in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51020058|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Max Malins: Saracens full-back out for three months after breaking foot against Exeter|date=7 January 2020|accessdate=7 January 2021}} Since then he has played 29 games across all competitions, with a particular focus in the Anglo-Welsh and international breaks, which caused the absence of Owen Farrell and Alex Lozowski.{{cite web|url=https://www.premiershiprugby.com/2017/10/12/promising-duo-nick-isiekwe-max-malins-sign-contract-extensions-saracens/|title=Promising duo Nick Isiekwe and Max Malins sign contract extensions at Saracens|date=12 October 2017|publisher=Premiership Rugby|accessdate=2 September 2018}} He has scored 104 points in these games. However while his try rate (7 in 29) has been high, his place-kicking success rate has been fairly low (63%).{{cite web|url=http://rugby.statbunker.com/players/getPlayerStats?player_id=35613|title=Max Malins All Time Stats|publisher=Rugby Statbunker|accessdate=2 September 2018}}

With reasonable success in his games in the 17/18 season, and an increased likelihood of both Saracens' first choice fly-halves missing games due to international duty, Malins was offered and accepted a two-year contract extension, to the end of the 2019/20 season. In March 2019, Malins scored all nine points for Saracens in their 9-23 defeat to the Northampton Saints in the final of the 2019 Premiership Rugby Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47540696|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries|date=17 March 2019|accessdate=7 January 2021}}

He helped Saracens win the Premiership title in 2023, scoring a try in the final as Saracens defeated Sale Sharks.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65727086|title=Premiership final: Saracens 35-25 Sale - Sarries win sixth title in Twickenham thriller |publisher=BBC |date=27 May 2023 |access-date=7 June 2023}}

= Bristol =

He agreed a further contract extension which saw him join Bristol Bears on loan until the end of the 2020-21 season along with fellow teammate Ben Earl.{{Cite news|date=6 March 2020|title=Bristol Bears: Saracens duo Ben Earl and Max Malins join on loan for 2020-21 season|language=en-gb|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51775254|access-date=12 June 2020}} In October 2020 Malins scored a try as Bristol defeated Toulon in the final of the European Rugby Challenge Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54560268|title=European Challenge Cup final: Bristol Bears 32-19 Toulon|author=Tom Garry|date=16 October 2020|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=7 January 2021}} During his spell at Bristol Malins has played primarily at fullback and has a high try scoring rate of 11 tries from 11 starts (+2 appearances off the bench) as of 21/04/21.{{cite web|url=https://rugby.statbunker.com/players/getPlayerStats?player_id=35613|title = All time stats Max Malins}} Malins returned to Bristol ahead of the 2023-24 Premiership Rugby season.{{cite web |title=Malins to rejoin Saracens from Bristol Bears |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cvgpdz1yvj5o |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=14 February 2025}}

=Return to Saracens=

In February 2025, Saracens announced he would re-join the club from Bristol Bears following the conclusion of the 2024–25 season.{{cite web |title=Malins to rejoin Saracens from Bristol Bears |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cvgpdz1yvj5o |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=14 February 2025}}

International career

= England U18 =

Malins' England Under-18 debut game occurred in February 2015, where he scored a try. He also participated in the victory against Scotland shortly afterwards. Malins was selected for the 3-month tour to South Africa by the U18 England team in the summer of 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.englandrugby.com/news/england-u18-name-strong-squad-for-south-africa/|title=England U18 name strong squad for South Africa|date=12 June 2015|publisher=England Rugby|accessdate=2 September 2018}} The 3-month tour, as well as a number of regional games, had 3 primary games: the France U18 team and two games against South Africa U18.

= England U20 =

Malins participated, primarily at fullback, in England winning the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship hosted in Manchester. He scored tries against Scotland{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36508212|publisher=BBC Sport|title=World Rugby U20 Championship 2016: England win while Ireland stun New Zealand|date=11 June 2016|accessdate=7 January 2021}} in the pool stage and in the semi-final against South Africa.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36577645|title=World Rugby U20 Championship: England beat South Africa to set up Ireland final|author=Nathan Middleton|date=20 June 2016|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=7 January 2021}} He started at full back in the final against Ireland.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/dominant-england-blow-ireland-away-in-u20-world-cup-final-34833585.html|title=Dominant England blow Ireland away in U20 World Cup final|author=John Fallon|date=25 June 2016|publisher=The Irish Independent|accessdate=7 January 2021}} The following year he was a member of the squad that completed the grand slam in the 2017 Six Nations Under 20s Championship{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39304179|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U20s 10-14 England U20s|date=17 March 2017|accessdate=7 January 2021}} and then featured at fly-half as England reached the final of the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship, before being defeated by New Zealand.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2017/06/17/cool-customer-max-malins-unfazed-england-20s-verge-glory/|title=Cool customer Max Malins unfazed with England Under 20s on the verge of glory|author=Kate Rowan|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=17 June 2017|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2 September 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2017/06/18/england-vs-new-zealand-u20-world-cup-final-live-score-updates/|title=England 17 New Zealand 64: Baby Blacks seal Under 20 World Cup with emphatic victory|author=Kate Rowan|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=18 June 2017|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2 September 2018}} He was particularly noted by England U20 head coach Ian Vass as being a major figure in their success, acting as a calmer figure around which the team could bond. He acted as the primary place-kicker in the latter competition for the majority of his games with a 72% success rate.

= England =

In October 2020 he was called up to the senior England squad by head coach Eddie Jones.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54634862|publisher=BBC Sport|title=England v Barbarians: George Ford out with Achilles strain|date=21 October 2020|accessdate=22 October 2020}} On 14 November 2020 Malins made his Test debut as a second-half replacement for Ollie Lawrence in their opening fixture of the Autumn Nations Cup against Georgia.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/england-georgia-result-final-score-autumn-nations-cup-b1723015.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/england-georgia-result-final-score-autumn-nations-cup-b1723015.html |archive-date=2022-05-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=England vs Georgia result: Jamie George hat-tricks seals dominant win to nil Autumn Nations Cup opponents|author=Jack de Menezes|date=14 November 2020|work=The Independent|accessdate=7 January 2021}} He also came off the bench in the final of that competition as England defeated France in extra-time to win the tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55204300|title=Autumn Nations Cup: England beat France in sudden death|author=Mike Henson|date=6 December 2020|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=7 January 2021}}

Career statistics

= List of international tries =

As of 12 February 2023{{Cite web |title=Max MALINS profile and stats |url=https://all.rugby/player/max-malins |access-date=2023-02-12 |website=all.rugby |language=en}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%"

!Try

!Opposing team

!Location

!Venue

!Competition

!Date

!Result

!Score

| rowspan="2" |{{ru|SCO}}

| rowspan="2" |London, England

| rowspan="2" |Twickenham Stadium