Will Butt
{{Short description|English rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Will Butt
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2000|1|15}}
| birth_place = Winchester, Hampshire, England
| height = {{convert|1.90|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|105|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}}
| school = Canford School
| university = University of Bath
| relatives =
| ru_position = Centre
| youthyears1 = 2014–2021
| youthclubs1 = Bath
| years1 = 2021–
| clubs1 = Bath
| apps1 = 63
| points1 = 35
| years2 = 2021
| clubs2 = → Coventry (loan)
| apps2 = 6
| points2 = 20
| repyears1 = 2025–
| repteam1 = England A
| repcaps1 = 1
| reppoints1 = 0
| clubupdate = 25 May 2025
| repupdate = 23 February 2025
}}
Will Butt (born 15 January 2000) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Premiership Rugby club Bath Rugby.
Early life
He grew up in Dorset.{{cite web|url= https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/all/domestic-club-rugby-union/english-premiership/430595/van-graan-backing-butt-to-take-his-chance-in-the-centre/ |website=The Rugby Paper|accessdate=16 April 2025|title= Johann Van Graan backing Will Butt to take his chance in the centre|date=29 September 2024}} He played junior rugby for Wimborne RFC in Wimborne, Dorset, in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/9686686.rugby-havant-heroics-from-reigning-champions-wimborne/ |website=Bournemouth Echo|accessdate=16 April 2025|title= Rugby: Havant heroics from reigning champions Wimborne|date=
4 May 2012}} He studied at Canford School in the county. Butt started playing age group rugby union for Bath Rugby at the age of fourteen years-old and captained Bath at under-18 level during the 2017-18 season. He attended the University of Bath where he played first-XV rugby in BUCS Super Rugby.{{cite web|url=https://www.bathrugby.com/teams/men/player/will-butt|website=Bath Rugby|accessdate=11 November 2022|title=Will Butt}}
Club career
He plays at centre. In April 2021, Butt joined Coventry of the RFU Championship on loan from the Bath Rugby academy.{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/bath-rugby-duo-head-championship-5279189|website=Somerset Live|accessdate=11 November 2022|title=Bath Rugby duo head to Championship side on loan|first=John|last=Evely|date=9 April 2021}} During that loan spell he made six appearances, and equalled the Coventry club record for tries in a single match when he scored four tries in a league game against the Jersey Reds, in May 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/bath-rugby-will-butt-coventry-20607502 |website=Coventry Telegraph|accessdate=11 November 2022|title=Bath Rugby on-loan ace Will Butt equals Coventry Rugby try-scoring record|first=Bobby|last=Bridge|date=15 May 2021}}
He graduated from the Bath Rugby academy to the senior squad in the summer of 2021, ahead of the 2021-22 season.{{cite web|url= https://premiershiprugby.com/content/senior-academy-trio-graduate-to-bath-rugby-senior-squad |website=Premiership Rugby|accessdate=16 April 2025|title= SENIOR ACADEMY TRIO GRADUATE TO BATH RUGBY SENIOR SQUAD}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bathrugby.com/content/i-want-to-be-wearing-that-bath-shirt-out-on-the-rec-as-much-as-possible-butt|website=Bath Rugby|accessdate=11 November 2022|title=I want to be wearing that Bath shirt out on the Rec as much as possible - Butt}} He made his Premiership Rugby debut in December 2021 away against Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens.{{cite web|url=https://www.bathrugby.com/content/butt-set-for-premiership-debut-at-franklins-gardens|website=Bath Rugby|accessdate=11 November 2022|title=Butt set for Premiership debut at Franklin's Gardens}} On 11 November 2022, Butt scored a last minute try to secure for Bath a 19-18 home league win over Leicester Tigers at The Rec.{{cite web|url=https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/butt-scores-sensational-late-try-7813246|website=Somerset Live|accessdate=11 November 2022|title=Will Butt scores sensational late try to see Bath Rugby beat Leicester Tigers|first=Sam|last=Jess|date=11 November 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2022/11/11/will-butt-completes-smash-grab-raid-finish-leicester/|url-access=subscription|title=Will Butt completes smash and grab raid to finish off Leicester|first=Gary|last=Fitzgerald|website=The Daily Telegraph|date=11 November 2022|accessdate=11 November 2022}}
In February 2025, he made his fiftieth appearance for Bath against Ampthill in the Premiership Rugby Cup.{{cite web|website=Bathrugby.com|accessdate=16 April 2025|url= https://www.bathrugby.com/content/butt-to-make-50th-appearance-for-bath|title= Butt to make 50th appearance for Bath|date=8 Feb 2025}} The following month, on 16 March 2025, he played in the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby Cup final as Bath beat Exeter Chiefs 48-14 to lift the trophy.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c3rnzw04rdzo|title=Bath win Premiership Cup to end trophy drought|first=Chris|last=Harby|publisher=BBC Sport|date=16 March 2025|accessdate=16 March 2025}}
International career
In February 2025, Butt started for England A in a victory against Ireland Wolfhounds at Ashton Gate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c15q99p0wvyo|title=Van Poortvliet stars as England A beat Ireland|publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 February 2025|access-date=3 April 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Bath Rugby squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butt, Will}}
Category:People educated at Canford School
Category:Alumni of the University of Bath
Category:English rugby union players