Ian Prior (rugby union)

Ian Prior

Birth name	Ian Prior
Date of birth	(1990-08-21) 21 August 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth	Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight	83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-Half/ Fly-half Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014–2017 Perth Spirit 18 (138) 2017–2018 Harlequin F.C. 5 (0) 2018–2024 Western Force 48 (82) Correct as of 22 October 2016 Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2011 Queensland Reds 6 (0) 2012–2013 Brumbies 25 (15) 2014–2017 Western Force 35 (82) 2020 Western Force 2 (13) Correct as of 18 July 2020 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2010 Australia U20 2 (0) 2024- Zimbabwe 7 (95) Correct as of 19 July 2025

Ian Prior (born 21 August 1990) is an Australian-born Zimbabwe international rugby union player who previously played for the Western Force in Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman. He previously played for the Force, Reds and Brumbies teams in Australia at Super Rugby level, as well as for English club Harlequins. Prior's usual position is scrum-half but he can also play fly-half.

Rugby union career

Prior played for the Australia under-20 team at the 2010 Junior World Championship in Argentina. ^[1]

He made his Super Rugby debut for the Reds against the Lions in Johannesburg during the 2011 Super Rugby season. Prior moved to Canberra prior to the start of the 2012, where he signed a two-year deal to play for the Brumbies.

He joined the Perth-based Western Force ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season. ^[2] After the removal of the Force from the Super Rugby competition in the latter half of 2017, Prior signed a short-term deal to play for English club Harlequins, ^[3] and then rejoined the Force as captain for the new World Series Rugby season in 2018. ^[4]

Later that year, he was also targeted as a potential player for Zimbabwe, ^[5] but took no part in their Africa Cup campaign. ^[1] Prior remained captain of the Western Force for the 2018 National Rugby Championship. ^[6]

He made his international debut for Zimbabwe in 2024, playing a vital role in the country's victorious 2024 and 2025 Rugby Africa Cup campaigns, the latter of which saw Prior awarded the Player of the Tournament accolade as Zimbabwe qualified for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. He was also the top scorer with 52 points. ^[7]

Super Rugby statistics

As of 15 July 2017  ^[8]

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
2011	Reds	6	0	6	44	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2012	Brumbies	12	4	8	386	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2013	Brumbies	13	2	11	347	0	5	0	0	10	0	0
2014	Force	15	8	7	715	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015	Force	9	1	8	136	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2016	Force	13	7	6	485	0	8	6	0	34	0	0
2017	Force	13	5	8	485	0	6	12	0	48	0	0
Total		80	27	53	2678	1	19	18	0	97	0	1

International Statistics

Cap.	Opponents	Results (Zim 1st)	Position	Points	Dates	Venue
1.	Uganda	22–20	Flyhalf	7 (2 conv, 1 pen)	20 July 2024	Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
2.	Namibia	32–10	Flyhalf	9 (3 conv, 1 pen)	24 July 2024	Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
3.	United Arab Emirates	62–22	Flyhalf	15 (6 conv, 1 pen)	5 November 2024	The Sevens Stadium, Dubai
4.	South Korea	27–22	Flyhalf	12 (3 conv, 2 pen)	16 November 2024	Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, Incheon
5.	Morocco	43–8	Flyhalf	23 (4 conv, 5 pen)	8 July 2025	Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
6.	Kenya	29–23	Flyhalf	14 (1 conv, 3 pen, 1 drop)	13 July 2025	Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
7.	Namibia	30–28	Flyhalf	15 (3 conv, 3 pen)	19 July 2025	Mandela National Stadium, Kampala

Legend: pen = penalty (3 pts.); conv = conversion (2 pts.), drop = drop kick (3 pts.).

References

1. "International career". Its Rugby. 26 July 2016.
2. "Brumbies halfback to join Force". The Sydney Morning Herald . 24 April 2013.
3. "Ian Prior: Harlequins bring in scrum-half on short-term deal". British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
4. Taylor, Nick (21 April 2018). "New captain Ian Prior excited to lead fresh Western Force culture". The West Australian. Perth. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
5. "Zimbabwe Rugby Union target Aussie rugby star". New Zimbabwe. 30 April 2018.
6. Taylor, Nick (20 August 2018). "Wallabies full-back Dane Haylett-Petty locks in Western Force return". The West Australian. Perth. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
7. Muchinjo, Enock (19 July 2025). "Zimbabwe Qualify for Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 with Win Over Namibia". Rugby Afrique. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
8. "Player Statistics". Its Rugby. 26 July 2016.

External links

• Brumbies profile