Jonah Holmes

Jonah Holmes
Birth nameJonah Holmes
Date of birth (1992-07-24) 24 July 1992 (age 32)
Place of birthStockport, Greater Manchester, England
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight98 kg (15 st 6 lb; 216 lb)
Notable relative(s)Andy Holmes (uncle)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Fullback
Current team Ealing Trailfinders
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2014 London Wasps 15 (10)
2010–2011 Rosslyn Park 12 (0)
2011–2013 Henley Hawks 16 (50)
2012–2013 London Welsh 1 (0)
2013–2017 Yorkshire Carnegie 85 (250)
2017–2020 Leicester Tigers 45 (120)
2020–2022 Dragons 31 (70)
2022– Ealing Trailfinders 0 (0)
Correct as of 26 May 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–2021 Wales 7 (10)
Correct as of 16 September 2023

Jonah Holmes (born 24 July 1992)[1] is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship. He scored two tries in six appearances for Wales before moving to Ealing, which effectively ended his international career.[2]

Early life

Holmes was born in Stockport, England. He played junior rugby for London Scottish until the age of 16[3] but then left to only play with his school St Benedict's School, Ealing where he was considered a star in the making.[4]

Professional career

Holmes initially played scrum-half, but during a loan spell with Henley Hawks, he switched to the back three, playing wing and full-back.[5] At the suggestion of Lyn Jones, who was his coach during a brief spell at London Welsh, he concentrated solely on the back three.[3]

In 2013 Holmes joined Leeds Carnegie, since renamed Yorkshire Carnegie, on loan from London Wasps.[6] Holmes scored six tries in his first six games for the Yorkshire side.[7] Holmes made the move permanent in the summer, as part of a swap deal with Glyn Hughes.[8] On 23 December 2013, after scoring 22 tries in 34 games, signed a new long term deal with Yorkshire.[9]

On 1 June 2017 it was announced that Holmes would join Leicester Tigers for the 2017–18 season.[10] Holmes scored 10 tries in 11 games during the 2017/18 season and provided a Man of the Match performance against Northampton Saints at Twickenham in October 2018, he was called up to the Wales squad on 16 October 2018.[11] He qualifies through his grandparents.[11] Holmes made his international debut for Wales on 17 November 2018 against Tonga at the Millennium Stadium. Holmes left Leicester at the end of the 2019–20 season, a year before his contract was due to end to join the Dragons in Wales.[12] On 20 September 2020, Holmes made his debut against Bristol Bears in a Challenge Cup quarter final defeat.

International tries

Try Opponent Location Venue Competition Date Result
1  Canada Cardiff, Wales Millennium Stadium 2021 Summer Internationals 3 July 2021 Win
2

Personal life

Holmes is the nephew of Olympic gold medal-winning rower Andy Holmes and is a graduate in biomedical sciences from Birkbeck, University of London.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Jonah Holmes". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Wales star ends international career as move to English rugby's second tier is officially announced". WalesOnline. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b "20 Questions: Jonah Holmes – Yorkshire Carnegie wing". The Rugby Paper. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  4. ^ "St Benedict's old boy Jonah Holmes has been named in Wales' autumn squad". chiswickherald.co.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Young Gun: Jonah Holmes – Wasps and Henley full-back". The Rugby Paper. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Jonah Holmes is ideal for Leeds Carnegie". Bradford Telegraph & Argus. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Holmes relishing his education at Leeds". 8 February 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Wasps swap Jonah Holmes for Yorkshire's Glyn Hughes". 26 September 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Future looks bright for Holmes with new deal". Yorkshire Post. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Tigers add duo to backline options" (Press release). Leicester Tigers. 1 June 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Jonah Holmes: Leicester fullback included in Wales' Autumn Internationals squad". ESPN. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Tigers add international ahead of next season". Leicester Tigers. Leicester Football Club. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Championship Tales: Jonah Holmes". RFU.com. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.