Jonathan Joseph (rugby union)

Early career

Joseph began his rugby career at Derby RFC, where he played alongside local legends James Reid and Jamie Turner (who he partly credits for his success)

Joseph attended Millfield School and came through the London Irish academy after he spent his teenage years playing at Newbury RFC. At club level, his first senior rugby came on loan to Barnes RFC as injury replacement for Andy Whale, but his breakthrough season was for Irish in 2010-11 where he played in 13 Premiership games and scored five tries. His remarkable rise was marked with a nomination for the Land Rover Discovery of the Season award in 2012. He left London Irish at the end of the 2012-13 season having made 44 appearances and scored 13 tries.

Club career

Joseph joined Bath at the start of the 2013-14 season and quickly forged a successful midfield partnership with inside centre Kyle Eastmond.

After a relatively quiet inaugural season, Joseph more than hit his straps in his second, proving to be sublime in attack and robust in defence. During their European Champions Cup match away at Stade Toulousain in January 2015, Bath showed scant regard for the French team's vast rugby pedigree and ran in four tries with Joseph providing the catalyst for what many commentators regard to be one of the finest European cup rugby tries of all time. Collecting the ball inside his own half, Joseph wriggled and side-stepped past a number of players before chipping ahead and collecting. After a searing run, again escaping the tackles of many of the Toulouse defenders he released teammate Ross Batty, who in turn passed to Francois Louw to complete the move in scoring a what was a truly audacious try.

England

Joseph progressed through the England age-grade ranks, appearing for England U20s in the 2011 Junior World Championships and playing off the bench in the final against New Zealand alongside future England teammates George Ford, Owen Farrell, Joe Launchbury and Christian Wade amongst others.

Joseph was one of thirteen uncapped players selected by England head coach Stuart Lancaster for the 2012 mid-year tour of South Africa. He made his debut in the first test in Durban, before injury to Brad Barritt allowed him to start the subsequent two tests at outside-centre alongside Manu Tuilagi. He was ruled out of the 2013 Six Nations through injury but was named to start both test matches in the subsequent tour to Argentina.

Joseph started for England in the 2015 Six Nations tournament as a result of injuries to Barritt and Tuilagi. He scored 3 tries in the opening two matches, against Wales then Italy and was named man of the match in the latter.

On 14 May 2015, it was announced Joseph had won the Rugby Players' Association 'Player's Player of the Year' and 'England Player of the Year' for his outstanding performances for both club and country during the 2014/15 season.

Joseph was the highest try scorer of the year out of all of England's players, scoring 8 tries throughout 2016. This included a hat-trick against Italy during England's grand slam at the 2016 Six Nations.

British and Irish Lions

Joseph was selected as one of the 41 British and Irish Lions to tour New Zealand in summer 2017.

International tries