 A portrait photograph of Mark Edmondson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 3 November 1979 Lancaster, Lancashire, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mark Edmondson (born 3 November 1979), also known by the nickname of "Edmo", is an English former rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s.
Edmondson was born in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. He attended Morecambe Community High School.
Edmondson signed as a professional for Super League champions St. Helens at the age of 17 and played with the club until 2005 before leaving to play in Australia for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL.
Edmondson's time at St Helens coincided with one of the most successful periods in the history of the club. He was a member of the team that won the Grand Final against Bradford in October 1999. The club retained their Super League title in 2000 beating Wigan 29–16. [3] They won the Challenge Cup in 2001; 13–6 over Bradford, [4] with the final held at Twickenham Stadium for the first time, [5] and the 2001 World Club Challenge, earning a 20–18 win over the Broncos. [6] The club regained the Super League title in the 2002 Grand Final, [7] Sean Long snatching a last minute 19–18 win over the Bradford with a drop—goal. [8] In 2004, St Helens defeated Wigan 32–16 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff in front of a capacity crowd of 73,734 people to win the Challenge Cup,. [9]
Edmondson played alongside some of Britain's greatest players such as Paul Sculthorpe, Sean Long, Keiron Cunningham, Paul Newlove, Chris Joynt, Tommy Martyn and Paul Wellens.
Edmondson represented the England International rugby league team and toured South Africa, Tonga, Fiji and Australia in 2002.
Edmondson was selected for the England team in 2005 but withdrew to undergo shoulder corrective surgery.
In 2006, Edmondson moved to Australia to join the Sydney Roosters coached by Ricky Stuart.
After pre-season shoulder reconstruction, Edmondson made his début for the Sydney Roosters against the Brisbane Broncos at Aussie Stadium, Sydney. Edmondson suffered further injuries and his contract with the Sydney Roosters was terminated in 2007.
After a period of rehabilitation for his injuries, Edmondson returned to England and signed for the Salford City Reds. He made his début against the Leeds Rhinos in round one of the Super League in 2007.
After further time out of the game with injury, Edmondson signed for the Castleford Tigers on 30 October 2007. He failed the club's medical and he retired from rugby league at the age of 28.
After retirement, Edmondson pursued courses in sport performance and established a consultancy to service high performance sport.
Martin Gleeson is an English rugby league coach and former professional player. He represented both Great Britain and England internationally as a centre. His clubs as a player include the Huddersfield Giants, St Helens, the Warrington Wolves, the Wigan Warriors, Hull F.C. and the Salford City Reds. His honours include winning the Super League in 2002 and 2010 and the Challenge Cup in 2004.
St Helens R.F.C., commonly known as Saints, is a professional rugby league club in St Helens, Merseyside, England. Founded in 1873, the club is one of the oldest members of the Rugby Football League, and one of the most successful clubs in its history. The club plays their home games at the Totally Wicked Stadium and currently compete in Super League, the top tier of British rugby league system. Since 1961 the club's home colours have been distinctive white shirts with a prominent red "V" on the chest of the jersey.
Paul Sculthorpe MBE is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a loose forward, stand-off or second-row forward in the 1990s and 2000s. He played for England and Great Britain at international level, as well as representing Lancashire. He began his club career at the Warrington Wolves before joining St Helens, with whom he won a total of four Grand Finals, four Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges, as well as becoming the first player to win the Man of Steel Award on two consecutive occasions. He is the older brother of former player Danny Sculthorpe.
Tim Jonkers is a former Ireland international rugby league footballer who played as a second-row forward in the 1990s and 2000s. He played his club football with St Helens, with whom he had Challenge Cup and Super League grand final success, as well as the Wigan Warriors, Salford City Reds and Leigh Centurions. He also represented Lancashire.
Jason Paul Cayless is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played as a prop in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the Parramatta Eels, Sydney Roosters and the Wests Tigers in the NRL and St Helens in the Super League.
Sean Bernard Long, also known by the nickname of "Longy", is an English former professional rugby league footballer, who is the current head coach of Oldham RLFC in the RFL Championship. He has played in the 1990s and 2000s. An England and Great Britain international scrum-half, Long is regarded by many as one of the finest British players of his generation. He began his career with the Wigan Warriors, and also played for the Widnes Vikings and Hull FC, but is best known for his time playing for St Helens in the Super League with whom he won a total of four Super League championships and five Challenge Cups, as well as numerous individual accolades including the Man of Steel award, and three Lance Todd Trophies.
Mickey Higham is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a hooker in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s.
Adrian Lam is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league coach, and former player, who is currently the head coach of the Super League club Leigh Leopards.
Anthony Stewart is an English former rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.
Gary John Connolly is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s as a fullback and centre for St Helens, Canterbury Bulldogs, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and for the Great Britain national side. He also played rugby union for Harlequins, Orrell and Irish side Munster.
Lee Andrew Gilmour is an English assistant coach at Wakefield Trinity in the Super League and a former professional rugby league footballer. He played in the Super League for the Wigan Warriors, the Bradford Bulls, St Helens, the Huddersfield Giants, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and the Castleford Tigers. Gilmour represented Great Britain and Scotland at international level.
Harvey Howard is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain and England international representative prop, he played club football in England for Widnes, Leeds, Bradford Bulls and Wigan, and in Australia for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, Western Suburbs Magpies and the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 2000 grand final.
Chris Joynt is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain international representative prop, second-row and loose forward, he played his club football with St Helens, with whom he won numerous titles, as well as Oldham and a stint in Australia with the Newcastle Knights. He lifted many trophies throughout a glittering Knowsley Road career, including consecutive Super League championships in 1999 and 2000.
The 2001 World Club Challenge was contested between Super League V champions, St. Helens and 2000 NRL season premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. The Broncos made the trip to England to play St Helens before the start of the 2001 NRL and Super League seasons and were beaten by two late drop goals from the home side in the final minutes.
Vila Matautia is a Samoan former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He was a Samoan international and played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. He also played with St Helens in the Super League, having championship and Challenge Cup Final success with them.
Elliott Whitehead is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Catalans Dragons in the Super League, and England and Great Britain at international level.
St Helens Rugby Football Club was established in 1873 as St Helens Football Club. They are a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union, after the Great Schism of 1895. They played in the first ever Challenge Cup Final in 1897 and have since been winners of the competition on 12 occasions. St Helens have played in the premier competition of rugby league, the Super League for each of its 14 seasons to date and have won the title on 5 occasions.
John Bateman is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays second-row or lock forward for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League, and England and Great Britain at international level.
1997 in rugby league centered on the Super League II and Australasia's split season.
The 2014 World Club Challenge was the 15th consecutive annual World Club Challenge and was contested by Super League XVIII champions, Wigan Warriors and 2013 NRL Premiers, the Sydney Roosters. The 2014 World Club Challenge marked a return to Australia, 20 years after the last Australian based game. It was played on 22 February 2014 at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The Roosters won the match 36–14.