Tom Roebuck

Last updated

Tom Roebuck
Born (2001-01-07) 7 January 2001 (age 24)
Inverness, Scotland
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight96 kg (212 lb; 15 st 2 lb)
School Wirral Grammar School for Boys
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Current team Sale Sharks
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018– Sale Sharks 91 (205)
Correct as of 19 January 2025
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2018–2019 England under-18 6 (20)
2020–2021 England under-20 7 (5)
2024– England 6 (20)
Correct as of 12 July 2025

Tom Roebuck (born 7 January 2001) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks.

Contents

Early life

Roebuck was born in Inverness, Scotland. He attended Christleton High School before moving on to Wirral Grammar. [1] He played youth rugby at Chester RUFC.

While at Wirral he played in the 2018 U18 Vase Final at Twickenham stadium. They were defeated by Langley School 48–22, although Roebuck did score a try in his side's defeat. [2]

Club career

As part of Sale Sharks' Under-18 squad Roebuck played in their undefeated tour of Ireland in 2017, beating both Munster and Leinster development sides. [3]

Roebuck made his debut as a senior Sale Sharks player in the opening match of the inaugural Premiership Rugby Cup on 26 October 2018, a 35–3 defeat to Worcester Warriors. [4] He signed his first senior contract with Sale in November 2018. [1]

Roebuck spent periods during 2019 on loan at both Sale FC and Fylde RFC. He made a handful of appearances for the first team in the 2019–20 season and scored his first senior try for the club in a 17-36 Premiership Rugby Cup victory over Saracens. [5] He made 5 Premiership appearances in the 2020–21 season, starting on the wing in 3 matches.

Roebuck began to appear for the first team with a much greater regularity during the 2021–22 season under Sale's new director of rugby Alex Sanderson. During this run of appearances he scored his first try in the European Rugby Champions Cup in a 25–19 defeat to ASM Clermont. [6] He went on to score a brace of tries in the following match against Ospreys, securing a 49–10 victory for Sale. [7] Roebuck again scored in the away leg during the Round of 16 against Bristol Bears. [8] Sale would then fall in the quarter finals to Racing 92. [9]

Roebuck scored his first try in Premiership Rugby during Sale's 35–26 win over the league leaders Leicester Tigers, [10] and followed this up by scoring two tries in the next round against Harlequins which ensured a 14–36 victory for Sale at the Stoop. [11] Roebuck started regularly for the club for the remainder of the season and scored a try in Sale's final game against Bristol in a 42-19 win. [12]

In May 2023 Roebuck scored a try during their Premiership semi-final victory over Leicester. [13] He also scored a try in the final as Sale were defeated by Saracens to finish league runners-up. [14]

International career

Youth

Roebuck was first called up for an England age grade training camp in September 2017, at the age of 16. [15] He was subsequently called up to an England Under-17 training camp in February 2018. [16]

In May 2018 Roebuck was called up to the Great Britain Under-18 7s squad for the Youth Olympic Games qualifiers held in Panevezys, Lithuania. [17] They were defeated by Germany in the quarter-finals and eventually finished fifth, failing to progress to the Youth Olympic Games. [18]

Roebuck was first called up to the England Under 18 squad in July 2018 for the Aon U18 International Series in South Africa. [19] He featured in all 3 of England's matches during the tournament: a 41–21 loss to France Under-18, [20] a 26–20 loss to Wales Under-18 [21] and a 41–22 loss to South Africa Schools. [22] Roebuck scored two tries in the match against South Africa Schools.

Roebuck was next named in the England Under 18 squad for fixtures against Scotland and France in March 2019. [23] He scored two tries in England's 36–21 win over Scotland. [24] Coach Jim Mallinder named Roebuck as part of his England squad for the 2019 U18 Six Nations Festival. [25] Roebuck started on the wing for England's 38–20 win over Wales, [26] while he was not selected for England's win over Ireland [27] [28] or their loss to France. [29]

Roebuck was named as part of an England Under-20 training camp in November 2019. [30] He went on be named as part of England's Elite Player Squad for the 2020 Under-20 Six Nations in January 2020. [31] Roebuck started all four of England games which were played before the tournament was ended early by the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, scoring a try in their opening fixture against France. [32] [33]

Roebuck was selected for a friendly against a London Irish XV in March 2021 [34] and for a friendly against a Newcastle Falcons XV two weeks later. [35] Alan Dickens, England Under-20 head coach then named Roebuck as part of the squad for the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. [36] [37] Roebuck made his first appearance off the bench in England's 24–15 victory over Ireland in the third round of the competition. [38] He then started England's wins over Wales and Italy at Cardiff Arms Park as they secured their grand slam. [39] [40]

Senior

Roebuck was called up to the senior England squad for a training camp in October 2022. [41]

Roebuck was included in the England side for their 2024 summer tour. [42] On 22 June 2024, he made his senior Test debut, off the bench as a substitute, in a 52–17 victory against Japan. [43] [44] Later that year on 24 November 2024, Roebuck scored his first international try in a 59–14 victory over Japan at Twickenham. [45]

Roebuck made his first international start in the last round of the 2025 Six Nations Championship and scored a try as England beat Wales at the Millennium Stadium to finish runners up. [46] [47] Later that year he was selected for their 2025 tour of Argentina and scored two tries in their opening match. [48] He also started in the next game as England completed a series victory. [49]

List of international tries

as of 5 July 2025.

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
124 November 2024 Twickenham Stadium, London, EnglandFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 57–1459–14 2024 end-of-year games [45]
215 March 2025 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, WalesFlag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 12–068–14 2025 Six Nations Championship [47]
35 July 2025 Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFlag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 8–035–12 2025 Summer Tour [48]
420–0

References

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  2. Lakey, Chris (16 March 2018). "Langley School rampant at Twickenham as they clinch U18 Schools Vase victory". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  3. "Sharks U18's Celebrate Double Irish Success". Sale Sharks. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  4. "Worcester hammer Sale in Cup opener". BBC Sport. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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  6. "Sale suffer narrow defeat at Clermont". BBC Sport. 16 January 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  7. "Sale 49–10 Ospreys". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  8. Henson, Mike (15 April 2022). "Heineken Champions Cup: Bristol 29-35 Sale (agg 39-44)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
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  12. "Sale dominate Bristol in final day win". BBC Sport. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  13. "Sale Sharks 21-13 Leicester Tigers: Sharks reach first Premiership final in 17 years". BBC Sport. 14 May 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  14. Hurcom, Sophie (27 May 2023). "Premiership final: Saracens 35-25 Sale - Sarries win sixth title in Twickenham thriller". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
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  18. May 2018, The TRU Team Monday 7. "Team GB U18 finish fifth at Youth Olympic Games qualifiers in Lithuania". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 9 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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  22. "ENGLAND U18S DEFEATED BY SOUTH AFRICA SCHOOLS IN U18 INTERNATIONAL SERIES". Northumberland Rugby. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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  27. "U18 Six Nations Festival Guide: Round 2 rolls into view". Six Nations Rugby. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
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  30. "England men U20s squad for November training camp". Gloucester Rugby. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  31. team, TRU (4 January 2020). "England announce U20s Elite Player Squad for 2020 campaign". Talking Rugby Union. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  32. "Connor Doherty & Tom Roebuck Called Up For England's U20s Six Nations Opener". Sale Sharks. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  33. "France U20 v England U20". AllRugby. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
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  40. "England seal Grand Slam glory with Italy win". Six Nations Rugby. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  41. "Owen Farrell: Saracens fly-half one of three withdrawals from England training camp in Jersey". BBC Sport. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  42. Jones, Chris (10 June 2024). "Curry included in England squad for summer tour". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  43. Mann, Mantej (22 June 2024). "Smith stars as England cruise past Japan in Tokyo". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  44. Kelleher, Will (22 January 2025). "Tom Roebuck: England wing who relishes 'ferocious' high-ball battle" . The Times. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  45. 1 2 Telfer, Alastair (24 November 2024). "England hammer Japan to finish autumn on a high". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  46. Cantillon, Michael (12 March 2025). "Six Nations: Tom Roebuck in for first England start as Marcus Smith returns, Tommy Freeman moves to centre vs Wales". Sky Sports. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  47. 1 2 Henson, Mike (15 March 2025). "Ten-try England rout Wales but title bid falls short". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  48. 1 2 Bradshaw, Joe (5 July 2025). "Ford inspires England to fine win in Argentina". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  49. Mann, Mantej (12 July 2025). "Van Poortvliet's late try seals England series win in Argentina". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2025.