Jono Ross

Jono Ross
Jonathan "Jono" Ross
Full nameJonathan Montague Ross
Date of birth (1990-10-27) 27 October 1990 (age 34)
Place of birthSandton, South Africa
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight111 kg (245 lb; 17 st 7 lb)
SchoolSt Stithians College
UniversityUniversity of South Africa
University of Pretoria
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number 8
Youth career
2007–2008 Golden Lions
2010–2012 Blue Bulls
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011–2013 UP Tuks 19 (35)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011–2012 Blue Bulls 12 (5)
2012–2013 Saracens 2 (0)
2013–2014 Bulls 19 (20)
2013–2014 Blue Bulls 21 (5)
2014–2017 Stade Français 67 (40)
2017–2023 Sale Sharks 150 (65)
Correct as of 27 May 2023

Jonathan "Jono" Ross (born 27 October 1990 in Sandton, Johannesburg) is a South African former rugby union player who played mostly as a blindside flanker but also played at number 8.

Career

Youth

Ross started off playing for the Golden Lions and represented them at the 2007 and 2008 Under-18 Academy Week tournaments. He also represented them in the 2008 Under-19 Provincial Championship competition.

Ross then joined the Blue Bulls and played for their Under-21 team in 2010 and 2011.

Varsity Cup

In addition to playing for the Blue Bulls, Ross also represented UP Tuks in the annual Varsity Cup competition in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Blue Bulls

Ross made his senior debut in 2011, coming on as a substitute in the 2011 Vodacom Cup match against SWD Eagles,[1] as well as in the quarter-final match against former team the Golden Lions.[2]

Ross made his debut in the Currie Cup competition a few months later in 2011 against Griquas[3] and made one further appearance that season. He established himself as a regular in the team for the 2012 Vodacom Cup, making eight starts and scoring a try.

Saracens

At the conclusion of the 2012 Vodacom Cup, Ross joined English side Saracens for one season, making two appearances in the 2012–13 LV Cup.[4]

Back to the Bulls

In 2013, Ross returned to the Blue Bulls and was called into the Bulls Super Rugby side for their match against the Southern Kings,[5] making four appearances in total during the 2013 Super Rugby season including their semi-final elimination against ACT Brumbies.[6]

In only his third ever Currie Cup match – in the 2013 Currie Cup Premier Division season against Western Province – Ross was named captain of the Blue Bulls,[7] becoming the first-ever English-speaking captain of the team. At the end of 2013, he signed a contract extension to tie him to the Blue Bulls until October 2016.[8]

Ross was included in the Bulls squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season[9] and, after four substitute appearances in 2013, made his first Super Rugby start in a 31–16 defeat to the Sharks in Durban.[10][11]

Stade Français

In November 2014, the Bulls announced that they granted Ross an early release from his contract to join French Top 14 side Stade Français.[12] In his first season he played in the 2014–15 Top 14 season final as Stade Français defeated ASM Clermont Auvergne to become Champions of France.[13] In his last season at the club he started in the 2016–17 European Rugby Challenge Cup final at Murrayfield as they overcame Gloucester to lift the trophy.[14]

Sale Sharks

On 11 April 2017, it was announced that Ross would return to England to join Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks on a three-year contract starting in the 2017-18 season.[15] Ross qualified to represent England through a grandparent and at the end of his first season with Sale in May 2018 was called up by coach Eddie Jones to train with the senior England squad although ultimately he did not make an appearance at international level.[16]

Ross was named club captain for the 2018-19 season, taking over from Will Addison.[17] He continued as captain for the 2019–20 campaign and led Sale to their first silverware since 2006 when they defeated Harlequins in the 2019–20 Premiership Rugby Cup final.[18][19] He was retained as captain for the 2020-2021[20] and 2021-2022 seasons.

Ross played the last game of his career when he started in the 2022–23 Premiership Rugby final at Twickenham Stadium which Sale lost against Saracens to finish runners up.[21] At the end of that season he retired from the sport.[22]

  • "SA Rugby Player Profile – Jono Ross". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  • "It's Rugby Profile: Jono Ross". It's Rugby. Retrieved 7 August 2013.

References

  1. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 23–25 SWD Eagles". South African Rugby Union. 16 April 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  2. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – MTN Golden Lions 26–28 Vodacom Blue Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  3. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Vodacom Blue Bulls 44–20 GWK Griquas". South African Rugby Union. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  4. ^ "It's Rugby Profile: Jono Ross". It's Rugby. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Potgieter takes over Bulls captaincy". Supersport. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Super Rugby: Bulls host Brumbies in semi-final". Sky Sports. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Bulls send rookies to Newlands". Media24. Sport24. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Vodacom Bulls name group for Sun City training camp" (Press release). Blue Bulls. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 23 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Vodacom Bulls team". Bulls. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  10. ^ "Match Centre: Sharks v Bulls". SANZAR. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  11. ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Cell C Sharks 31–16 Vodacom Bulls". South African Rugby Union. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Ross released to join French club" (Press release). Bulls. 11 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  13. ^ Bale, Steve (13 June 2015). "Clermont Auvergne 6 Stade Francais 12: Jubilant Stade pip Clermont to Top 14 title". The Times. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  14. ^ Mitchell, Brendon (12 May 2017). "European Challenge Cup final: Gloucester 17-25 Stade Francais". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Sale Sharks sign South African back-row forward Jono Ross from Stade Francais". BBC Sport. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  16. ^ "Danny Cipriani listed as full-back in England training squad for Barbarians squad". BBC Sport. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Jono Ross: Sale Sharks captain extends contract until 2022". BBC Sport. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Sale Sharks 2019/20 Season - Squad Confirmation". Sale Sharks. 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Premiership Rugby Cup final: Sale Sharks edge out Harlequins thanks to late comeback". BBC Sport. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  20. ^ "TEAM NEWS - Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints - Gallagher Premiership Round 1". Sale Sharks. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  21. ^ Hurcom, Sophie (27 May 2023). "Premiership final: Saracens 35-25 Sale - Sarries win sixth title in Twickenham thriller". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Jono Ross: Sale Sharks captain to retire at end of season". BBC Sport. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2024.