Alex_Walmsley

Alex Walmsley

Alex Walmsley

GB & England international rugby league footballer

Alex Walmsley (born 10 April 1990) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for St Helens in the Betfred Super League, and England and Great Britain at international level.

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He previously played for the Batley Bulldogs in the Championship and has spent time on loan from Saints at his former club in the second tier.[3][4]

Background

Walmsley was born in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England.

Club career

Walmsley started his career in the amateur leagues, playing for Dewsbury Celtic, and his university team, Leeds Met Carnegie.[5] In 2011, he received the National Conference League player of the year award.[6]

In February 2012, Walmsley signed for Batley following a spell on trial at the club.[7] He won Batley's player of the year award and the Championship Young Player of the Year during his only season with the club, before signing with St Helens for the start of the 2013 season.[8]

Walmsley briefly returned to Batley at the start of 2013 on a dual registration before establishing himself in the St Helens first team that season.[9]

St Helens reached the 2014 Super League Grand Final, and Walmsley was selected to play from the interchange bench in their 14–6 victory over the Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford.[10][11][12][13]

Walmsley's form in 2015 saw him named to the Super League Dream Team for the first time as well as earning him a nomination for the Man of Steel award.[14]

He played in the 2019 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Warrington Wolves at Wembley Stadium.[15]

He played in the 2019 Super League Grand Final victory over the Salford Red Devils at Old Trafford.[16][17][18]

Walmsley played in St Helens 8-4 2020 Super League Grand Final victory over Wigan at the Kingston Communications Stadium in Hull.[19]

On 17 July 2021, he played for St. Helens in their 26-12 2021 Challenge Cup Final victory over Castleford.[20] On 9 October 2021, he played for St. Helens in their 2021 Super League Grand Final victory over Catalans Dragons. It was the club's third successive championship victory in a row.[21] On 13 September 2022, Walmsley was ruled out for the remainder of the 2022 Super League season and the World Cup with a foot injury.[22] On 18 February 2023, Walmsley played in St Helens 13-12 upset victory over Penrith in the 2023 World Club Challenge.[23] In round 2 of the 2023 Super League season, Walmsley scored two tries for St Helens in a 24-6 victory over Castleford.[24] In the 2023 Challenge Cup semi-final, Walmsley suffered a knee injury following a cannonball tackle from Leigh player John Asiata. St Helens would go on to lose the match 12-10 and Walmsley was later ruled out for 12 weeks.[25][26] Walmsley played 18 games for St Helens in the 2023 Super League season as the club finished third on the table. He played in St Helens narrow loss against the Catalans Dragons in the semi-final which stopped them reaching a fifth successive grand final.[27]

International career

Walmsley was a member of the England team which played in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[28] In the final against Australia, Walmsley came off the bench in England's 6–0 defeat.[29][30]

He was selected in squad for the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour of the Southern Hemisphere.[31] He made his Great Britain test debut in the defeat by Tonga.[32]

References

  1. [1]
    FreeBMD Entry Information
  2. [2]
    "Alex Walmsley". St Helens RFLC. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  3. [3]
    "Profile at loverugbyleague.com". loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. [4]
    "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. [5]
    "The stars of 2013: The talents that will hit the big time next year". The Independent. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  6. [6]
    "Top Conference award for Alex". Batley and Birstall News. Johnston Press. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  7. [7]
    "Batley Bulldogs complete Walmsley deal". Batley and Birstall News. Johnston Press. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  8. [8]
    "St Helens sign Batley Bulldogs prop Alex Walmsley". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  9. [9]
    "New St Helens Super League signing Alex Walmsley hoping for big start against Huddersfield Giants". Huddersfield Examiner. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  10. [10]
    "St Helens 14 Wigan Warriors 6: Moment of madness from Wales international Ben Flower costs Wigan dear". Daily Telegraph. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  11. [11]
    "St Helens win Grand Final after Wigan's Ben Flower is sent off". Guardian. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  12. [12]
    "St Helens 14–6 Wigan Warriors". BBC Sport. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  13. [13]
    Cartwright, Phil (11 October 2014). "St Helens v Wigan as it happened". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  14. [14]
    Trio up for Man of Steel award
  15. [15]
    "St Helens 4-18 Warrington RESULT: Challenge Cup Final as it happened from Wembley". Daily Mirror. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  16. [16]
    "St Helens give Justin Holbrook the perfect send-off with commanding Grand Final victory over Salford". Telegraph. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  17. [17]
    Unwin, Will (12 October 2019). "St Helens 23-6 Salford Red Devils: Super League Grand Final – as it happened". The Guardian.
  18. [18]
    "St Helens win 2019 Super League League Leaders' shield". Sky Sports.
  19. [19]
    "Super League Grand Final: Wigan 4-8 St Helens". BBC Sport.
  20. [20]
    "How St Helens players have celebrated their first Challenge Cup win in 13 years". www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  21. [21]
    "Super League Grand Final: Catalans Dragons 10-12 St Helens: Saints win three in a row". BBC Sport.
  22. [22]
    "England prop Alex Walmsley ruled out of World Cup". www.independent.co.uk.
  23. [23]
    "St Helens stun Penrith to win World Club Challenge". BBC Sport.
  24. [24]
    Bower, Aaron (26 February 2023). "World champions St Helens comfortably sweep Castleford aside in opener". The Guardian.
  25. [25]
    "Paul Wellens: St Helens boss accuses RFL of failing to protect players after Leigh cup loss". BBC Sport.
  26. [26]
    "St Helens duo out for the season after "incredibly dangerous" tackles". www.seriousaboutrl.com. 25 July 2023.
  27. [27]
    "Paul Wellens Q&A: Saints review of year and a look to 2024". www.sthelensstar.co.uk. 14 October 2023.
  28. [28]
    "England rugby league World Cup squad revealed - and James Roby is back in the fold". Daily Mirror. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  29. [29]
    "Australia beat England in closest Rugby League World Cup final in decades". TheGuardian.com. 2 December 2017.
  30. [30]
    "2017 Rugby League World Cup final: When is it, who's involved, and how to watch?". 28 November 2017.
  31. [31]
    "Zak Hardaker shock inclusion in 24-man Great Britain squad for tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea". Telegraph. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  32. [32]
    "Great Britain left bruised at Tonga party". Times. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
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