Simon Easterby

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Simon Easterby (born 21 July 1975 in Harrogate, North Yorkshire) is an English-born Irish rugby union footballer. He plays for Llanelli Scarlets, whom he captains, and is a recently retired Ireland international. His regular position is at blindside flanker, but he is equally adept on the openside.

His father is English and his mother Irish. He is the brother of Guy Easterby, also an Ireland international. He was educated at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire. Easterby made his first international appearance in a Six Nations victory over Scotland at Lansdowne Road in 2000 and then became a regular in the side, being ever-present for the remainder of that Six Nations competition. Easterby then played in all three of the games during the summer tour but he missed all of the following season due to injury and did not return until the game against Scotland in September 2001. After Ireland's defeat, he lost his place but he did win a cap as a replacement against Samoa in November 2001. In 2002 he played a part in the first ten of Ireland's games - eight as a starter - but after that, he lost his place and he did not return until playing in two Tests during the summer tour of 2003 against Tonga and Samoa.

He has been virtually ever-present for Ireland since then; he has to date received 65 caps and scored 40 points. Described as the "elder statesman among Ireland's back-row options", one newspaper has suggested that "[2007] could well be Easterby's last Six Nations campaign"^[1] As it turned out, Easterby would play in one more Six Nations Championship in 2008, after which he retired from international rugby to concentrate on his club career.^[2]

He plays his club rugby in Wales where he is captain of the Llanelli Scarlets.

Easterby received a call-up to the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, after Lawrence Dallaglio fractured his ankle in the first game of the tour. He forced his way into the Test team and covered himself in glory. He took over the leadership duties for the 2005 Autumn series in the absence of injured duo Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell.

[edit] Family

Simon Easterby is married to Sara Elgan Rees, the the daughter of ex-rugby player Elgan Rees who played for the Neath Rugby Football Club and the British and Irish Lions. Sara Rees Easterby is a TV presenter and a fluent Welsh speaker. Their daughter, Soffia Easterby, was born in 2007.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Scarlets profile
• Ireland profile