 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Theodor Dan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 December 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (231 lb; 16 st 7 lb) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Alleyn's School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | King's College London | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Theodor Dan (born 26 December 2000) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Saracens and the England national team.
Dan was born in London, England on Boxing Day 2000, to Romanian parents Octavian and Diana. [2] Growing up in Herne Hill – interspersed with visits to Bucharest and Târgu Jiu – he began his rugby journey when he was five years old, playing for Blackheath until the age of seventeen. [3] He was educated at Alleyn's School and currently studies at King's College London for a bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics and economics. [4]
During his youth, Dan played as a centre and wing, before being recruited into the academy at Saracens as a teenager. He credits his late grandfather Ion Dijmarescu, a professor of engineering who played as a tighthead prop in the Romanian first division, for instilling his love of the sport. [5]
Dan joined the Saracens junior academy in 2017, aged sixteen. While representing the club's U16s team at the Wellington Festival, he was persuaded to convert to hooker by Saracens academy coach and ex-player Kelly Brown. His transition to the front-row began with an apprenticeship loan spell at Old Alleynians. [2] Dan describes Saracens first-team hooker and British & Irish Lions international Jamie George as a key mentor. [3]
Dan represented the club in the Under-18 Academy League, before signing his first Saracens contract and graduating into the senior academy in June 2019. [6] During his development, he spent time on loan at Bishop's Stortford in National League 1, the third tier of English rugby, playing under the tutelage of former Bath, Newcastle and Northampton player Andy Long. [3]
In November 2021, Dan made his Saracens first-team debut in a victory over Harlequins in the pool stages of the 2021–22 Premiership Rugby Cup, and featured regularly in the Premiership Rugby Cup campaign, sometimes playing as a flanker. [7] He was also dual-registered with Ampthill during the season and made several appearances for the club in the Championship, scoring one try [8] His Premiership debut for Saracens followed at the end of the 2021–22 Premiership regular season, against Gloucester. [7] Subsequently, Dan was promoted into the Saracens first-team squad ahead of the 2022–23 season. [9]
After starting the 2022–23 season on loan at Ampthill, injuries saw Dan recalled to the Saracens first-team. Following his first Premiership start in October 2022, he enjoyed a breakthrough season, earning the most league starts at hooker for the club, and scoring five tries – the most of any Saracens forward that season. [2] This culminated in Dan winning his first Premiership title on 27 May 2023, helping Saracens to victory in the final against Sale Sharks, as he played for 70 minutes after entering the match as an early replacement. [10]
His name made the announcement of the 17 players awarded Elite Player Squad (EPS) deals on the Rugby Football Union deals. [11]
Dan is qualified to represent both England and Romania at international level. [3] He has played for the England U18s, making his debut against France in March 2019. [6] A year later, he scored two tries in four appearances for the England U20s during the abridged 2020 Six Nations. [8]
On 30 June 2023, Dan received his first senior international call-up, when England head coach Steve Borthwick named him in the country's 41-man training squad, in preparation for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. [12] On 5 August Dan made his Test debut coming on as a second-half substitute in a warm-up defeat to Wales at the Millennium Stadium. [13] Two days later he was included in the squad for the World Cup. [14]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 September 2023 | Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France |  Chile | 10–0 | 71–0 | 2023 Rugby World Cup |
| 2 | 36–0 | |||||
| 3 | 27 October 2023 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France |  Argentina | 21–17 | 26–23 | 2023 Rugby World Cup |
Saracens Rugby Club are an English professional rugby union club based in North London, England, currently playing in Premiership Rugby, which is the highest level of competition in English rugby.
Benjamin Ryder Youngs is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers, and is the all time appearance record holder with 127 caps for the England national team.
Daniel Richard Cole is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers and the England national team.
Jamie Edward George is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Saracens and captains the England national team.
Benjamin Arthur Earl is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Premiership Rugby club Saracens and the England national team.
Jack Steven Willis is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Top 14 club Toulouse and the England national team.
Jack Singleton is an English professional rugby union player who plays at hooker for Premiership Rugby club Gloucester.
Freddie Nicholas Overbury Steward is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a fullback for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers and the England national team.
Jack Corstiaan van Poortvliet is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers and the England national team.
Beck Cutting is an English rugby union player. He plays for Ampthill in the RFU Championship.
Hugh Peter Tizard is an English professional rugby union player, currently playing as a lock for Saracens, which competes in Premiership Rugby, the top-level competition of English rugby. He previously played for Harlequins.
Oliver Stonham is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a flanker for Kubota Spears.
Joshua Hallett is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a centre for Premiership Rugby side Saracens.
Toby Knight is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a back row forward for Premiership Rugby side Saracens.
Sam Crean is an English professional rugby union player, who currently plays as a prop forward for Premiership Rugby side Saracens.
Oliver Hartley is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for Premiership Rugby club Saracens.
James Hadfield is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Saracens.
Tobias Elliott is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a utility back for Premiership Rugby club Saracens.
