Lee Mossop

Lee Mossop

Personal information
Full name	Lee Mossop
Born	(1989-01-17) 17 January 1989 (age 34) [1] Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
Playing information
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) [1]
Weight	17 st 13 lb (114 kg) [1]
Position	Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2008–13 Wigan Warriors 95 7 0 0 28 2009(loan) Barrow Raiders 1 0 0 0 0 2009(loan) → Huddersfield Giants 5 1 0 0 4 2014–15 Parramatta Eels 3 0 0 0 0 2015–16 Wigan Warriors 54 4 0 0 16 2015(loan) → Workington Town 1 0 0 0 0 2017–21 Salford Red Devils 79 7 0 0 28 Total 238 19 0 0 76 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2011–21 England Knights 1 0 0 0 0 2012–13 England 5 0 0 0 0
Source: [2] [3] [4]

Lee Mossop (born 17 January 1989) is an English retired professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop forward for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League ^{[2] [3]} and the England Knights and England at international level. ^[4]

He previously played for the Wigan Warriors over two separate spells in the Super League, and on loan from Wigan at the Barrow Raiders and Workington Town in the Championship, and the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. Mossop has also played for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. ^[5]

Background

Mossop was born in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England.

Lee attended St John Rigby College in Orrell from 2005 to 2007 and gained A-levels in subjects such as Physical Education and Business Studies.

In his youth he played for amateur side Hensingham ARLFC.

Playing career

2000s

Mossop made his début in the Challenge Cup victory against Pia Donkeys on 20 April 2008. ^[6] where he impressed scoring a try. He was involved in four games off the bench in total in 2008. He was given a three-year deal with Wigan in 2008.

In April 2009, Mossop was loaned to Barrow following an appearance for Wigan during their 2009 Challenge Cup fixture against Barrow. ^[7] He impressed at Barrow making four appearances scoring a try.

In May 2009 it was announced that Lee would join Huddersfield on a month loan, and it was subsequently announced that Lee would be staying at Huddersfield on a season long loan with Wigan having the option to recall Lee at any time if needed.

In July 2009 it was announced that Lee would rejoin Wigan from his loan spell at Huddersfield due to injuries to captain Sean O'Loughlin and Harrison Hansen ^[8] He went on to make 11 appearances that season, scoring 1 try.

2010s

Mossop started 2010 brightly in Wigan colours and attracted interest from Australian NRL side Canterbury-Bankstown.

Mossop playing for Wigan in 2010

However, on 29 March 2010 Mossop signed a five-year deal at the Wigan club which would see him stay as a Cherry and White until the end of the 2014 season.

Mossop started the 2011 season as a prop and impressed many in that position. He made 29 appearances for Wigan in 2011's Super League XVI, scoring tries against Salford, Huddersfield and rivals St Helens in Wigan's 10–32 win at Widnes in June.

Mossop played in Wigan's 2011 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos at Wembley Stadium. He came on off the bench before having to leave the field after dislocating his shoulder. Mossop still came back on at half time despite his dislocated shoulder and played a pivotal role in the scoring of Jeff Lima's second try. Mossop helped Wigan towards their 18th Challenge Cup success. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

In October 2011, Mossop was announced in the 22-man squad for the England Knights, a team of emerging Super League players and future England Rugby League stars. He played in two games for the Knights against France and his home-county, Cumbria, winning both of them.

In March 2012, England coach Steve McNamara announced his England Elite 32-man squad which Mossop was included in. This was Mossop's first inclusion in the England Rugby League first team squad.

He made his England first team début in the International origin game against the Exiles on 16 March 2012 where he came on off the bench. Josh Charnley and Carl Ablett also made their England débuts in this game. He backed up this England début by being picked again for the second and final Exiles game of the series. He also came off the bench in this game.

Mossop earned his first 3 England caps in the 2012 Autumn International series against France and Wales which England won. He came of the bench for the first game and managed to earn a starting spot at prop in the following two games.

On 23 April 2013 Wigan Warriors and Parramatta Eels announced that Mossop would be joining the NRL competition for two years commencing 2014. ^[12]

Before leaving Wigan he played in the 2013 Challenge Cup Final victory over Hull F.C. at Wembley Stadium, ^[13] and also in the 2013 Super League Grand Final victory over the Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford. ^[14]

Mossop made his début for the Parramatta Eels on 6 June 2014 against the North Queensland Cowboys. After the match Mossop stated that "The Aussies like to rate the NRL competition as the best in the world and they’re probably not wrong", "It’s a lot faster but a lot of people expect it to be harder but I think Super League is a more physical competition". On 8 July 2014, after a match against the Melbourne Storm, it was revealed that Mossop would be out for the season after sustaining an injury to his left shoulder. ^{[15] [16] [17]}

A season later, Mossop went on to rejoin Wigan after an injury hit stint in the NRL. During this second spell at Wigan he played in the 2015 Super League Grand Final defeat by the Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford. ^[18]

Mossop completed his move to Salford from Wigan on 3 November 2016. He played in the 2019 Super League Grand Final defeat by St. Helens at Old Trafford. ^{[19] [20] [21]}

On 17 October 2020, he played in the 2020 Challenge Cup Final defeat for Salford against Leeds at Wembley Stadium. ^[22] In round 11 of the 2021 Super League season, Mossop was sent off in Salford's match against Leeds after punching Konrad Hurrell. ^[23]

On 9 August 2021 Mossop announced his immediate retirement as a rugby league player on medical advice. In the announcement Mossop said "... after seeing the surgeon last week, he has told me there are no more surgeries he can offer to help prolong my career anymore and instead, it will be one final operation to give me a better quality of life with my wife and young children". ^[24]

References

1. "Lee Mossop Wigan Warriors". www.superleague.co.uk. Rugby Football League. 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
2. "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
3. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
4. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
5. "Ex-Hensingham amateurs go head to head in Super League Grand Final". News and Star. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
6. "Wigan Cruise to Victory Over Pia". St Helens. 20 April 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2008.^{[ dead link ]}
7. "Barrow Raiders Sign Wigan Forward". North West Evening Mail. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
8. http://www.rleague.com/db/player/m/mossop_lee/index.php Mossop recalled to Wigan squad
9. Scott, Ged (27 August 2011). "Leeds 18-28 Wigan". BBC Sport . Retrieved 21 November 2019.
10. Wilson, Andy (27 August 2011). "Leeds Rhinos 18-28 Wigan Warriors – Challenge Cup final match report". The Guardian. London.
11. Brown, Oliver (28 August 2011). "Challenge Cup final 2011: Wigan's warrior spirit shades controversy in emphatic win over Leeds Rhinos". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
12. "Lee Mossop & Gareth Hock sign with the Parramatta Eels - Parramatta Eels". Archived from the original on 26 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
13. "Hull FC 0-16 Wigan Warriors". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
14. "Wigan see off Warrington in X-rated Grand Final to complete double". Guardian. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
15. "Custom Match List - Rugby League Project".
16. "Parramatta Eels English Import Lee Mossop Claims Super League is More Physical Than the NRL". 14 June 2014.
17. "Parramatta Eels forward Lee Mossop ruled out for the season". 8 July 2014.
18. "Leeds pip Wigan to seal treble after brilliant, breathless Grand Final". Guardian. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
19. "St Helens give Justin Holbrook the perfect send-off with commanding Grand Final victory over Salford". Telegraph. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
20. Unwin, Will (12 October 2019). "St Helens 23-6 Salford Red Devils: Super League Grand Final – as it happened". The Guardian.
21. "St Helens win 2019 Super League League Leaders' shield". Sky Sports.
22. "Leeds beat Salford 17-16 after Luke Gale lands late winning drop-goal". BBC Sport.
23. "Leeds coach Richard Agar pleased after 'eventful' win against Salford". www.skysports.com.
24. Wallworth, Luke (9 August 2021). "Captain Lee Mossop forced to retire through medical orders". Salford Red Devils. Retrieved 9 August 2021.

External links

• Salford Red Devils profile
• SL profile
• Statistics at wigan.rlfans.com