Steffon Armitage

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Steffon Armitage

| image = Steffon Armitage 2021.jpg

| caption = Steffon Armitage (2021)

| birth_name = Steffon Elvis Armitage

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|9|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago

| height = {{convert|1.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|106|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}

| school = Ivybridge Community College

| university =

| relatives = Delon Armitage (brother)
Guy Armitage (brother)

| position = Flanker, Number Eight

| repyears1 = 2008

| repyears2 = 2009–2010

| repteam1 = England A

| repteam2 = England

| repcaps2 = 5

| reppoints2 = 0

| repsevenscomp1 =

| repsevensyears1 =

| repsevensteam1 = England

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Richmond

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Racing Rugby Club de Nice

| years1 = 2004–2006 | clubs1 = Saracens | apps1 = 5 | points1 = 15

| years2 = 2006–2011 | clubs2 = London Irish | apps2 = 136 | points2 = 128

| years3 = 2011–2016 | clubs3 = Toulon | apps3 = 161 | points3 = 170

| years4 = 2016–2019 | clubs4 = Pau | apps4 = 62 | points4 = 25

| years5 = 2019–2022 | clubs5 = Biarritz | apps5 = 73 | points5 = 35

| years6 = 2022– | clubs6 = Nice | apps6 = 20 | points6 = 15

| clubupdate = 24 April 2023

}}

Steffon Armitage (born 20 September 1985) is an English professional rugby union player who currently plays for French club Stade Niçois.

Early life and career

File:Steffon Armitage 2015-10-17.jpg

Born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago in 1985,{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/15888.html |title=Steffon Armitage | Rugby Union | Players and Officials | ESPN Scrum |publisher=En.espn.co.uk |accessdate=2015-11-12}} Armitage grew up in the south of France, where he and his brothers played for Rugby Nice Côte d'Azur Université-Racing.

Armitage began his professional rugby career at Saracens, before signing for London Irish in 2006. Armitage started for London Irish in the 2009 Premiership final against Leicester Tigers, which the Tigers won 10–9.{{cite web|last=Palmer |first=Bryn |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/8048413.stm |title=BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | Leicester 10-9 London Irish |publisher=BBC News |date=2009-05-16 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}

National team

At international level, Armitage was a member of the England Saxons squad that won the 2008 Churchill Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=20248|title=England Saxons put Scots to sword to retain Barclays Churchill Cup|publisher=Rugby Football Union|date=21 June 2008|access-date=7 August 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116042014/http://www.england-rugby.com/EnglandRugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=20248|archive-date=16 November 2008}} On 1 July 2008 he was selected to represent the England Saxons again.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7481130.stm|title=Tindall left out of England squad|publisher=BBC|date=1 July 2008|accessdate=7 August 2009}}

Armitage was called up for the England elite squad ahead of the 2009 Six Nations Championship to replace the injured Lewis Moody,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/7851675.stm|title=Armitage replaces injured Moody |publisher=BBC|date=26 January 2009|accessdate=7 August 2009}} making his full international debut in England's 36–11 win against Italy in the opening game.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7873600.stm|title=England 36–11 Italy |publisher=BBC|date=7 February 2009|accessdate=7 August 2009}} He started both matches in England's drawn two test series against Argentina in June 2009.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8093870.stm|title=Argentina 24–22 England|publisher=BBC|date=13 June 2009|accessdate=7 August 2009}} Armitage went on to win two further England caps in the 2010 Six Nations, coming off the bench in England's wins over Wales and Italy.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/8455347.stm |title=BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Chris Ashton & Shontayne Hape win England squad calls |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-01-13 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/statsguru/rugby/player/15888.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match |title=Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - Steffon Armitage - Test matches |publisher=En.espn.co.uk |accessdate=2015-11-12}}

Move to France

In May 2011, Armitage was granted an early release from his contract with London Irish to allow him to join French club RC Toulon.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/13114736 |title=Steffon Armitage to leave London Irish for Toulon - BBC Sport |publisher=Bbc.com |date=2011-05-13 |accessdate=2015-11-12}} In his first season in France, Armitage scored 7 tries in 27 matches. Armitage was in the starting 15 for 23 matches, and a substitute in 4.{{cite web |url=http://www.laprovence.com/actu/sports-en-direct/rugby-rct-steffon-armitage-designe-meilleur-joueur-etranger-pour-2011-2012|title=Steffon Armitage designated as best foreign player|accessdate=20 November 2012}}{{cite web|title=Steffon Armitage Profile|url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-1497.html|publisher=Itsrugby.co.uk|accessdate=7 December 2012}} During this season, Armitage played for Toulon in the finals of the Top 14 and the Amlin Challenge Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.rctoulon.com/joueur/steffon-elvis-armitage/ |title=Steffon Elvis ARMITAGE - RCT - Rugby Club Toulonnais |publisher=Rctoulon.com |date=1985-09-20 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}

In July 2012, Armitage was provisionally suspended for abnormal drug test results.,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/18995125|title=Steffon Armitage provisionally suspended after drug test result|work=BBC Sport |date=26 July 2012 |accessdate=27 July 2012}} but was cleared to play all the games of the new season with Toulon, both in the Top 14 and Heineken Cup. In November, Armitage was cleared of the doping charge.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20106644|title=Steffon Armitage cleared of doping charge by French Rugby|work=BBC Sport |date=26 October 2012 |accessdate=8 November 2012}} On 19 November, Armitage was designated as best foreign player in the Top 14 by the Oscars of Midi Olympique (French Rugby Newspaper). In May 2013 he played as a replacement as Toulon won the 2013 Heineken Cup Final by 16–15 against Clermont Auvergne.{{cite web|url= http://www.espn.co.uk/heineken-cup-2012-13/rugby/story/182967.html|title= Toulon claim Heineken Cup glory|date=18 March 2013|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=20 May 2013 }}

Armitage won a second Heineken Cup with Toulon playing against Saracens in May 2014.{{cite news|author=Paul Rees |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/24/toulon-saracens-heineken-cup-final-match-report |title=Toulon and superb Jonny Wilkinson crush Saracens in Heineken Cup final | Sport |work=The Guardian|date=24 May 2014 |accessdate=2015-11-12}} On 26 May 2014, Armitage was named 2013–14 ERC European Player of the Year.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27578299 | title=Steffon Armitage named ERC European Player of the Year | publisher=BBC | date=26 May 2014 | accessdate=28 May 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.ercrugby.com/news/28636.php | title=Steffon Armitage of Heineken Cup champions, RC Toulon, has been named ERC European Player of the Year 2014. | publisher=ERC | date=26 May 2014 | accessdate=28 May 2014}} In that same year, Armitage was part of the Toulon side that beat Castres to win the Top 14 title.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27650545 |title=Jonny Wilkinson ends career with Toulon victory in Top 14 final - BBC Sport |publisher=Bbc.com |date=2014-06-01 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}

In 2015, Armitage won a third European title with RC Toulon,{{cite web|last=Cole |first=Rob |url=http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/30897.php |title=REPORT: Toulon make history with three in a row : European Rugby Champions Cup (EPCR) |publisher=Epcrugby.com |date=2015-05-02 |accessdate=2015-11-12}} and was again on the shortlist for European player of the year, losing out narrowly to Nick Abendanon who plays for Clermont Auvergne, the team Toulon defeated in the final.

Armitage plays as a flanker and a number 8. He is known for his strength, speed and his effectiveness in ruck turnovers. Armitage has been considered to be one of the best players in the world due to his technical ability at the breakdown and his capacity to win a high number of turnovers each game. Given the English national team's lack of players with Armitage's skill set, many experts have argued that the 'exceptional circumstances' clause in England's policy banning overseas based players should be invoked to allow the triple European Championship winner to represent England, despite playing his club rugby at Toulon.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/eddie-jones-steffon-armitage-should-have-been-called-upon-1.2374280 |title=Eddie Jones: Steffon Armitage should have been called upon |publisher=Irishtimes.com |date=2015-10-01 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/10787415/Steffon-Armitages-form-for-Toulon-is-so-good-it-is-crying-out-for-England-overseas-rule-to-be-broken-just-this-once.html |title=Steffon Armitage's form for Toulon is so good it is crying out for England overseas rule to be broken - just this once |work=The Telegraph|date=24 April 2014 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/may/17/stuart-lancaster-steffon-armitage-england-rugby |title=Stuart Lancaster and England should find a way to select Steffon Armitage | Robert Kitson | Sport |work=The Guardian|date=2014-03-13 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite web|last=McLeman |first=Neil |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/toulon-coach-bernard-laporte-slams-6572732 |title=Toulon coach Bernard Laporte SLAMS England selection policy after World Cup elimination - Mirror Online |work=Mirror|date=2015-10-04 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite web|url=http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/columnists/jeremy-guscott/21898/jeremy-guscott-stuart-lancaster-must-not-bow-to-prl-double-standards/ |title=Jeremy Guscott: Stuart Lancaster must not bow to PRL double-standards |publisher=The Rugby Paper |date=2015-05-06 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite news|author=Eddie Butler |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/may/02/toulon-steffon-armitage-england-clermont-auvergne-nick-abendanon |title=Toulon's Steffon Armitage adds yet more mystery to his England exile | Eddie Butler | Sport |work=The Guardian|date=2 May 2015 |accessdate=2015-11-12}}{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12062/9814937/stuart-barnes-england-cannot-afford-to-overlook-steffon-armitage |title=Stuart Barnes: England cannot afford to overlook Steffon Armitage | Rugby Union News |publisher=Sky Sports |accessdate=2015-11-12}}

Despite speculation about a possible return to the English Premiership, Armitage opted to move to another Top 14 team Pau in the summer of 2016 seemingly ending any possibility of earning more international caps for England.

Later career

On 9 July 2019, the San Diego Legion announced that Armitage would join them for the 2020 season in Major League Rugby in the United States,{{Cite web|url=https://www.sdlegion.com/pr/european-rugby-player-of-the-year-announces-commitment-to-play-in-major-league-rugby-for-san-diego-legion/|title=SD LEGION {{!}} European Rugby Player of the Year Announces Commitment to Play in Major League Rugby for San Diego Legion|date=2019-07-09|website=SD LEGION|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-09}}

but on 24 September 2019, the San Diego Legion announced it had released Armitage in the wake of his conviction for sexual assault and his suspended sentence, after he had groped a woman in 2018 in France.{{Cite web|url=https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/09/24/san-diego-rugby-team-releases-player-after-sexual-assault-conviction/|title=San Diego rugby team releases player after sexual assault conviction|date=2019-10-25|website=fox5sandiego|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-25}}

After being released from his San Diego Legion contract, Steffon signed a contract to remain in France, continuing his career with Pro D2 side Biarritz Olympique

For the 2022-23 season he rejoined his boyhood club Stade Niçois, in the French third division.{{cite web | url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/rugby/rugby-top-14-steffon-armitage-va-quitter-biarritz-pour-rejoindre-nice-en-troisieme-division-ca232cbc-c6dd-11ec-a959-908096d3998a | title=Rugby. Top 14 : Steffon Armitage va quitter Biarritz pour rejoindre Nice, en troisième division | date=28 April 2022 }}