 Wand in September 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | William George Wand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 31 December 2001 (age 22) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Spalding, Lincolnshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (207 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Spalding Grammar School Brooksby Melton College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Will Wand (born 31 December 2001) is an English professional rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby. His usual position is centre. He previously played for Coventry and Cambridge. [1] [2]
Wand joined Spalding RFC at the age of 4 and progressed through the age ranks. He also attended Spalding Grammar School before leaving for Brooksby Melton College to continue playing in the ACE league. [3] [4] [5]
Wand made his debut for Cambridge in September 2021, after signing for the club a month prior, in a National League 1 match against Rams RFC at 19 years old. [6]
On 11 December 2021, Wand earned his first start of the season in his favoured position of outside centre and was named man of the match after scoring two tries against league leaders Rosslyn Park and received National 1 player of the week shortly after. [7] [8] [9]
He finished the 2021-22 season with 20 appearances and 7 tries. [10]
After an impressive debut senior season in National League 1, Wand earned a move to Championship club Coventry ahead of the 2022-23 season. [11] [12]
On 9 September 2022, Wand made his Championship debut for Coventry at home against Bedford Blues. [13]
He finished the 2022-23 season with 19 appearances and 3 tries. [14]
It was announced that Wand had re-signed with Coventry ahead of the 2023-24 season. [15] [16]
On 8 September 2023, Wand was named man of the match in Coventry's first game of the season after scoring against Saracens in the newly formed Premiership Rugby Cup competition. Coventry won the game 28-14. [17] [18]
Wand won the Championship’s Player of the Month award for September 2023 after outstanding performances in the Premiership Rugby Cup. He scored 2 tries in 4 appearances. [19]
On 23 March 2024, Wand equalled a Coventry club record against Hartpury after scoring 4 tries in a league match. [20] [21] [22]
Wand claimed Coventry’s 2023/24 Players’ Player award after he finished the season with 23 appearances, 22 of which came as part of the starting line-up, and scored 14 tries altogether. [23]
Wand was named in the 2023/24 Championship ‘Team of the Season’. [24]
On 21 June 2024, Leicester Tigers announced the signing of Wand for the 2024–25 season. [24] [25] [26]
Wand made his Premiership debut on 5 October 2024 at Kingston Park against Newcastle Falcons and scored an intercept try with his first touch of the ball. [27]
Wand has a younger brother, Tom, who played in the Leicester Tigers academy as a loosehead prop. As of the beginning of the 2023-24 season, he signed for National 2 South team Bury St Edmunds. [4] [28]
| Club | Season | Competition | Appearances | Tries | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | 2021-22 | National League 1 | 20 [10] | 7 [10] | 35 |
| Coventry | 2022-23 | Championship | 14 [14] | 2 [14] | 10 |
| Championship Cup | 5 [14] | 1 [14] | 5 | ||
| 2023-24 | Premiership Rugby Cup | 4 [14] | 2 [14] | 10 | |
| Championship | 19 [14] | 12 [14] | 60 | ||
| Leicester | 2024-25 | Premiership | 5 [14] | 1 [14] | 5 |
| Premiership Rugby Cup | 2 [14] | 2 [14] | 10 |
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