Ben Foden

Career

Foden was educated at Bishop Heber High School in Malpas, Cheshire before moving to Bromsgrove School for sixth form. His Bromsgrove School teacher Paul Mullan was a big influence on his career, as was his dad, Rob, who coached Ben and brother Tom's youth team.

His career has been divided between playing at scrum-half and fullback, though he can also operate on the wing. In an interview in March 2009, Foden accepted that his future lies at playing fullback.

Foden played for Cheshire and North of England U16s, and England U16s. He then went on to play for England U19s, and England Counties.

Club

He joined Sale Sharks in 2004, and Sale Sharks coach Philippe Saint-André saw him primarily as a full-back, commenting after a strong performance from Foden against Newcastle Falcons, "If he's not a full-back I will eat my French beret. There is not a lot of competition among England full-backs and he deserves to go on tour with England – as a full-back not a scrum-half." Despite these ringing words of endorsement from his coach, Foden's desire to play scrum half saw him sign for Northampton Saints on the basis of a promise to play him at his preferred position; a promise that Sale Sharks could not give him, considering his fantastic performances at full-back, and the club presence of England international scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth and the arrival of Welsh international Dwayne Peel for the next season. In the 2005–2006 season, Foden played as a replacement in the final as Sale Sharks won their first ever Premiership title.

He began his Northampton Saints career competing with Lee Dickson for the scrum half position, however he was still utilised in his position of full back. Dickson won the battle for the scrum half shirt, and Northampton frequently used Foden in the position of full back. Many fine performances confirmed Foden's great potential at full back and has since become a regular fixture in the number 15 jersey for both club and country. In the 2008–09 season, he helped the Saints win the European Challenge Cup.

In March 2011, following a Saints win over Wasps, Foden was arrested following an altercation with a taxi driver in London, but both Northampton and the RFU were happy to let the issue lie after he accepted a police caution.

In May 2014, Foden won the Aviva Premiership title with Northampton, playing 80 minutes plus extra time in the final against Saracens at full back and scoring a try.

Since then Foden has been a regular fixture in the Saints side, most recently featuring on the wing for most of the 2016/17 season and thriving there, scoring five tries in position out wide that season. The most recent of those tries came as Saints secured their place in the European Rugby Champions Cup for the upcoming campaign as they fought off Stade Francais in the European Champions Cup play-off final.

International

He was included in the England U21s team for the 2005 Six Nations and World Championships, and the 2006 Six Nations and World Championship. Foden was a member of the 2006 Grand Slam winning England U21 squad, playing in all five matches and notching up three tries. He went on to play at the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Championship later that year, sharing the number 9 jersey with Danny Care. He played for the England Sevens in 2006/7 and 2007/8, and the England Saxons at the 2008 Churchill Cup against USA before being included in the England Elite Playing Squad.

Foden was named in the England Elite Playing Squad for the Six Nations on 14 January 2009, and earned his first cap for the England v Italy match on 7 February 2009 when he came on as a replacement at scrum-half for Harry Ellis, with England winning 36–11.

He was included in the England squad for the 2009 summer tour against the Barbarians and Argentina and made his first start for England in the uncapped game against the Barbarians on 30 May 2009, a game which saw him playing on the wing and scoring a try in the 32nd minute.

Despite fullback Delon Armitage being injured for the 2009 Investec Autumn Internationals, Foden was not included in the squad – manager Martin Johnson instead preferring to play wings Ugo Monye and Mark Cueto out of position. By the 2010 Six Nations, Armitage was fit again, though a series of below par performances saw Foden seize the 15 shirt, with substitute performances against Ireland and Scotland, before gaining his first Test start against France. An improved performance by the England side saw Foden score his first try in a Test match, though the team lost 12–10.

Foden retained his starting place for the summer tour to Australia, playing with club colleague Chris Ashton. Although England lost the first Test, they won the second 20–21. Foden cited this as his greatest day as a rugby player. He also featured as a replacement in an uncapped game for England against the New Zealand Maori side.

He also had the distinction of gaining more metres (100.6) in the 2011 RBS 6 Nations than any other player in the Championship. Teammate Chris Ashton was third with 74, half a metre behind Maxime Médard, of France.

He was named in the elite player squad for the 2010–11 season. Later that year he cemented his place as England's first-choice fullback, his early flirtation with scrum-half shelved after some strong form. Foden was a key member of the side that beat Australia twice in 2010 and also started all of England's Six Nations games as they came up short of a Grand Slam in 2011.

And Foden was later selected in England's World Cup squad, holding off the challenge of Delon Armitage to retain the fullback shirt during England's disappointing campaign.

International tries

† Full international cap not awarded for Barbarians Test match

Personal life

Ben is married to Una Healy of British-Irish girl group, The Saturdays. They married on 30 June 2012 in her native Ireland. On 13 March 2012, Una gave birth to their daughter, Aoife Belle Foden, who is the couple's first child. Una confirmed on her Instagram page in September 2014 that she and husband Ben Foden are expecting their second child together due in 2015. Their son Tadhg John Foden was born on the 2 February 2015.