| Date of birth | 17 February 2005 [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Birkenhead | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (14 st 0 lb; 196 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Packwood Haugh Oundle School Stowe School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Archie McParland (born 17 February 2005) is an English rugby union player who plays as a scrum half for Northampton Saints.
The scrum-half became Saints’ youngest player in the professional era (at 17 years and 222 days old) when he made his professional debut against London Irish in the Premiership Rugby Cup while still in Saints’ Under-18s set-up – before signing his first professional contract with the Club ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Originally joining Saints’ Academy set-up as a fly-half, Archie McParland converted to No.9 in his Under-15s season and has kicked on ever since – being capped by England at Under-18s, Under-19s and Under-20s
Born in Birkenhead, he attended boarding school in Shropshire and then at Oundle School in Northamptonshire and then Stowe School. He joined the Northampton Saints academy at U13 level. Initially a fly-half he switched to scrum half in 2020. [3]
He became the youngest player in the professional era to play for the Northampton Saints first-team when he played at the age of 17 years and 222 days old against London Irish in the Premiership Rugby Cup in September 2022. [4] In March 2023, he was promoted to the senior academy at Northampton. [5]
The following season he scored a hat trick of tries in the competition in an 82–12 win over Doncaster Knights. [6] He made his Premiership Rugby debut in October 2023 against Sale Sharks. [7] He spent time on loan at Bedford Blues in the Rugby Championship during the 2023–24 season. [8]
He signed a new long-term contract with Northampton in February 2025, having only missed one game in the Premiership that season. [9]
In 2023, he played for the England U18. [10] He played as part the England national under-20 rugby union team which won the 2024 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. [11] [12] In November 2024, he was called up to the England A national rugby union team. [13]