Ben Lucas (rugby union)

Last updated • 2 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Ben Lucas
Ben Lucas MHR 2015.JPG
Birth nameBenjamin Lucas
Date of birth (1987-12-30) 30 December 1987 (age 36)
Place of birth Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight81 kg (12 st 11 lb; 179 lb)
School St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
University Griffith University
Rugby union career
Position(s)

Scrum-half, Fly-half, Fullback,

Wing, Centre
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2007 East Coast Aces 4 (12)
2014 Queensland Country 0 (0)
2014–16 Montpellier 43 (163)
2016–17 Toyota Verblitz 7 (12)
2018–19 FC Grenoble 6 (5)
2019–2021 Coca-Cola Red Sparks 7 (61)
2022– Skyactivs Hiroshima ()
Correct as of 6 December 2021
Super Rugby
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2008–14, 2018 Reds 82 (76)
2020 Sunwolves 0 (0)
Correct as of 21 February 2021
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2006 Australia U20 2 (0)
Correct as of 21 February 2021

Benjamin Lucas (born 30 December 1987) is an Australian rugby union player who used to play for Montpellier as a fly-half in the Top 14.

Contents

Career

Educated at Robertson State School, then St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace [1] Lucas is a former Australian schoolboy representative. [2]

Lucas caught the eye of then Australian coach John Connolly when he claimed a personal tally of 35 points in the Brisbane club competition final where his club Sunnybank beat the Gold Coast by 85–19, Lucas creating nearly every play from Fly Half. [1]

Lucas missed out on 2007 Rugby World Cup selection after inside back Berrick Barnes secured the last spot, [2] but was invited to train with the Queensland Reds in preparation for the 2008 Super 14 season. Reds coach Phil Mooney switched Lucas to halfback after injury to halfback Sam Cordingley and Will Genia. Lucas was selected in the Australia A for the Pacific Nations Cup, then selected as starting flyhalf for the first game against Japan. He was expected to be selected in Australia's team for the Tri Nations, his versatility of being able to play quality rugby at both halfback and flyhalf to work in his favour as Australia lack quality depth in both positions off the bench. However, he was not included in the Wallabies squad. [3]

In 2009 a rib injury sidelined Lucas, which allowed Genia to regain the Reds No 9 jersey. End of season injuries saw Lucas switch to fullback against the Crusaders, then Lucas switch back halfback at the end of the season after Genia was sidelined. [4]

While Lucas continued to show versatility in 2010, Genia's form, consistency and leadership kept him ahead of Lucas in the halfback role, and Genia also assumed the captaincy as well, after a season-ending injury to James Horwill in the first game of the year. Lucas' versatility however kept him in the squad, and he signed another two-year contract. [3] Lucas continued at fullback, including a solid effort in the Reds victory over the Highlanders in the final round at Suncorp Stadium. However, Lucas left the field prematurely with a knee injury. [5] In the 2011 Super Rugby season Lucas become a regular fullback for the Reds, substituting for injured regular fullback Peter Hynes. [6] However, in 2011 Wallabies selection continued to elude him, and despite recognition of his utility value he was overlooked for the Rugby World Cup. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensland Reds</span> Australian rugby union club, based in Brisbane

The Queensland Reds is the rugby union team for the Australian state of Queensland that competes in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996, they were a representative team selected from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland. With the introduction of the professional Super 12 competition they moved to a model where players are contracted to the Reds through the Queensland Rugby Union rather than selected on the basis of club form.

Gregory Peter Stephen Alexander, also known by the nickname "Brandy", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, who has since become a radio, television commentator and rugby league journalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Larkham</span> Australian rugby union player and coach

Stephen Larkham is a retired Australian rugby union professional player, currently in the role of head coach for Brumbies. He spent his career with the Brumbies in Super Rugby, for whom he played from the inception of the professional Super 12 in 1996 through 2007. He is best known for his long tenure with the Wallabies at international level, for whom he played 102 times. After initial selection at fullback from 1996 to 1997, Larkham was the first-choice Australian fly-half from 1997 to 2007, playing in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups. He is married to Jacqueline and has two children, Jaimee and Tiahna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton Schifcofske</span> Australian dual-code rugby footballer

Clinton Schifcofske, also known by the nickname of "Choka", is an Australian former professional rugby league and rugby union footballer. During his career, he played for the Crusaders in the Super League. as well as the South Queensland Crushers, the Parramatta Eels and the Canberra Raiders in Australia, as a fullback. In the sport of rugby union, he played for Irish club Ulster in the Celtic League competition and also he spent a year with Queensland Reds in Super Rugby..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karmichael Hunt</span> Australian international rugby league footballer

Karmichael Neil Matthew Hunt is an Australian professional rugby league coach and former player who is the current head coach of the Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup, as well as the Cook Islands national rugby league team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunnybank Rugby</span> Rugby team

Sunnybank Rugby Union Club is an Australian rugby union club based in the Brisbane suburb of Sunnybank, Queensland, currently competing in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition. It was established in 1969 and has won three premierships since it entered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berrick Barnes</span> Australia international rugby union & league footballer

Berrick Steven Barnes is a former Australian professional rugby union footballer. His usual position is fly-half or inside centre. He is previously played with Japanese Top League clubs Panasonic Wild Knights and the Ricoh Black Rams, as well as in the Super Rugby competition with the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds. He also played for the Wallabies in international matches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quade Cooper</span> New Zealand-Australian rugby union player

Quade Santini Cooper is a professional rugby union player and occasional boxer. Although born in New Zealand, he has represented Australia in rugby at international level. He currently plays for Hanazono Liners in Japan, and is a former player for the Queensland Reds and the Melbourne Rebels in the Super Rugby competition in Australia. His preferred position is fly-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lachlan Turner</span> Rugby player

Lachlan 'Lachie' David Turner is an Australian professional rugby union player who retired at the end of 2018 season. In his usual position of wing. He has a strong kicking game, which allows him to also play at fullback.

Peter Hynes is a retired Australian professional rugby union footballer. He played on the wing or at fullback for the Queensland Reds and Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Genia</span> Australian rugby union player (born 1988)

Sanchez William Genia is a professional rugby union player, currently playing scrum-half for the Kintetsu Liners in Japan. He had previously played Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds (2007–2015) and Melbourne Rebels (2018–2019). He also had previously played for Stade Français in France's Top 14 from 2015 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt To'omua</span> Rugby player

Matthew Papali'i To'omua is an Australian rugby union professional player who has played close to 60 times for Australia since 2013. He plays for the Mitsubishi Dynaboars in the Japanese League One and his usual position is at fly-half or inside centre. He has previously played for the Brumbies in Australia, for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby and for Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James O'Connor (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

James David O'Connor is an Australian professional rugby union footballer who currently plays for Queensland Reds in Super Rugby. He made his international debut for Australia in 2008 at the age of eighteen. He has played for the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby. In 2013 he played for English Premiership side London Irish, and in the 2014–15 season he moved to France to play in the Top 14 competition for Toulon. His regular playing positions are Fly-half, Centre, Fullback and Wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathan Eyres-Brown</span> Rugby player

Nathan Eyres-Brown is an Australian rugby union footballer. His usual position is fullback or wing. He played for the Australian Sevens team in 2009, and played Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Morahan</span> Rugby player

Luke Morahan is an Australian rugby player currently playing for the Bristol Bears in the English Premiership since 2017. Morahan's main position is on the wing, however, he does also play fullback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Kingi</span> Rugby player

Richard Kingi is an Australian professional Rugby union footballer. While his usual position is half back, he often plays on the wing and sometimes at fullback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Harris (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Michael Harris is a professional rugby union football player for Pau in the Top 14. He has also been capped ten times for Australia. Harris began his career in 2007 with North Harbour in New Zealand's ITM Cup before moving to Australia in 2011. He played for the Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels in Super Rugby and then joined French club Lyon for two seasons from late 2016. He moved to Japan for the 2018–19 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Frisby</span> Rugby player

Nick Frisby is an Australian international rugby union player who plays with the Western Force in Super Rugby AU. His regular playing position is scrum-half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Petaia</span> Rugby player

Jordan Petaia is an Australian rugby professional player currently playing for the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby and for Australia in international matches. A utility back, Petaia is most often used in the centres for both club and country.

John Michael O'Neill was an Australian rugby union international.

References

  1. 1 2 Lutton, Phil (9 April 2008). "Nine is fine for Lucas". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Lucas looms as Wallabies bolter". Sport. ABC. Australian Associated Press. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  3. 1 2 "| QLD Reds Rugby".
  4. "Queensland Reds receive boost in wake of Will Genia news with utility Ben Lucas re-signing". Fox Sports. 29 April 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  5. "| QLD Reds Rugby".
  6. "Ben Lucas set to set replace Peter Hynes as Queensland Reds fullback for match with Brumbies". Fox Sports. 2 March 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2021.