Martin Osborne Johnson CBE is an English retired rugby union player who represented and captained England and Leicester in a career spanning 16 seasons. He captained England to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup, and is regarded as one of the greatest locks ever to have played, and one of England's greatest ever players.
Jonathan Peter Wilkinson, is an English former rugby union player. A fly-half, he played for Newcastle Falcons and Toulon and represented England and the British & Irish Lions. He is particularly known for scoring the winning drop goal in the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final and is widely acknowledged as one of the best rugby union players of all time.
Newcastle Falcons is a rugby union team that play in Premiership Rugby, England's highest division of rugby union.
Timothy Richard George Stimpson is a former rugby union international full back. During his career he played for Wakefield, West Hartlepool, Newcastle Falcons, Leicester Tigers, Perpignan, Leeds Tykes and Nottingham, England and the British and Irish Lions. His international career was a start-stop affair, however, he excelled at club level. In particular, during his five-year spell at Leicester Tigers between 1998–2003, as a goalkicker, he was an integral part of the dominant Leicester side that won the league four times in succession to add to back-to-back Heineken Cup, becoming the Premiership's top points scorer in the process.
Martin Edward Corry MBE is a retired English rugby union player who represented and captained England and Leicester Tigers in a career spanning 14 seasons. Corry played 64 times for England between 1997 and 2007, played 7 tests for the British & Irish Lions on tours in 2001 & 2005, and played 290 times for Leicester between 1997 and 2009. Earlier in his career he played top division rugby for Newcastle Gosforth and Bristol. A versatile player his principal positions were number eight and blindside flanker, he also played lock more as his career progressed.
Andrew James Goode is a sports pundit and retired rugby union player. Goode had an 18-year professional career playing over 400 games and scoring over 4,000 points. He played professionally in England, France and South Africa featuring for Leicester Tigers, Saracens, Worcester Warriors, Wasps and Newcastle Falcons in England's Premiership Rugby, CA Brive in France's Top 14 and for Super Rugby's Sharks in South Africa. Goode represented England 17 times between 2005 and 2009 scoring 107 points.
Martín Leandro Castrogiovanni is a retired Italian rugby union player. He was born in Paraná, Argentina, but qualified for Italy through his heritage. Castrogiovanni moved to Italy as a teenager and represented the Italian national team 119 times over 14 years. In Italy he played for Calvisano between 2001 and 2006, before moving to England to play for Leicester Tigers where he played 145 games over seven seasons, winning four Premiership Rugby titles. In 2013 he moved to Toulon where he won a Heineken Cup, before finishing his career with Racing 92 in Paris.
Sébastien Bruno is a French rugby union footballer who plays as a hooker for Toulon and formerly for France. Born in Nîmes, Bruno joined Sale Sharks from French club Béziers, making his debut against Leicester Tigers in 2004. In the 2005–2006 season, Bruno played as a replacement in the final as Sale Sharks won their first ever Premiership title. He made his international debut in 2002 against Wales, and was selected as a member of France's 2007 Rugby World Cup squad held in France. Bruno returned to France for the 2009–10 Top 14 season signing for Toulon.
Alesana "Alex" Tuilagi is a former Samoan rugby player. He is a retired rugby player, currently residing in Fogapoa Savaii and has appeared numerous times for his national team Samoa. He previously played for Parma in Italy and for Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership and more recently Newcastle Falcons. As an incredibly strong player, Tuilagi uses his blend of pace and power to good effect, proving a nightmare for many defences. Such a combination of speed and strength makes him very difficult for defences to handle.
Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe is an Argentine rugby union footballer. He played for Toulon in the French Top 14, having moved from Sale Sharks in England's Guinness Premiership. He previously played for Liceo Naval. He usually plays in the back row.
Tobias Gerald Albert Cecil Lieven Flood is an English rugby union coach and former player. He is currently kicking and skills coach at Newcastle Falcons in Premiership Rugby. During his playing career his position was fly half or inside centre. He played over 300 games in his club career across his three professional clubs, Newcastle Falcons, Toulouse and Leicester Tigers. He played 60 international matches for England between 2006 and 2014.
Dominic Waldouck is an English rugby union coach and former player. His playing position was centre.
Akapusi Qera is a Fijian professional rugby union player. A Flanker or No.8. He is married to wife Phillipha Talei and together they have four children. Qera is also from a Christian sporting family; his father was an international cricketer for Fiji and his brother also played international rugby for Fiji. He is also a first cousin of Fiji test international Viliame Veikoso. Qera is a current test international and 15's captain for Fiji Qera has also represented the Barbarians.
Dean Richards is a rugby union coach and former player for Leicester Tigers, England and British & Irish Lions. He was most recently the Director of Rugby at Newcastle Falcons, a position he held for ten years between 2012 and 2022.
Vereniki Goneva is a Fijian rugby union footballer who plays for Mont-de-Marsan in France's Pro D2, the second division. He plays as a centre or wing.
Kieran Brookes is an English rugby union player who plays for Toulon and played for England. He usually plays as a tighthead prop, but can also cover as a loosehead prop. He was educated at Kirkham Grammar School.
Jonathan James May is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Gloucester and the England national team.
Michael McCarthy is an English-born retired Irish professional rugby union player who was educated at Sedbergh School. He plays his club rugby for the Irish provincial team Leinster Rugby in the Pro14, having joined from rival Irish team Connacht in 2013. He can play in the second row or as a flanker.
James Cronin is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing for Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby, he previously represented his native province of Munster in the URC and French club Biarritz in the Top 14. He plays as a prop and represented Highfield in the All-Ireland League.
The 2018–19 European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage is the first stage of the 24th season of European club rugby union, and the fifth under the European Rugby Champions Cup format.
