Emeka Ilione
Birth nameRemigius Chukwuemeka Ilione
Date of birth (2002-03-20) 20 March 2002 (age 21)
Place of birthMansfield, England
SchoolNottingham High School
Rugby School
UniversityUniversity of Nottingham
Rugby union career
Position(s) Back Row
Current team Leicester Tigers
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020– →Nottingham (loan) 5 (0)
2022– Leicester Tigers 18 (20)
Correct as of 24 December 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019 England U18 3 (5)
2021–2022 England U20 10 (20)
Correct as of 12 July 2022

Emeka Ilione (born 20 March 2002)[1] is an English professional rugby union player for Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby, his preferred position is back row.[2]

Career

Ilione was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and attended Nottingham High School where he took up rugby at age 11,[3] before attending Rugby School where he was head boy.[4] He joined Leicester Tigers academy at under 13s.[3] In 2021 his potential was highlighted by Maro Itoje naming him in a theoretical British-Nigerians XV.[5]

In August 2019 Ilione scored a try for England under-18 in a defeat against South Africa.[6] He was a member of the squad that won the 2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and started in the fixture against Scotland.[5][7] The following year saw him score tries against Wales and Ireland during the 2022 U20 tournament.[8][9]

Ilione was offered a professional contract with Leicester in the summer of 2022,[10] making his club debut on 29 March 2022 in a Premiership Rugby Cup match against London Irish at Welford Road. He made his Premiership league debut- on 7 January 2023 as a 79th minute replacement against Newcastle Falcons, and a week later made his European Rugby Champions Cup debut on 13 January 2023 in a win at ASM Clermont Auvergne.[11]

Ilione balances his professional rugby career with studying medicine at the University of Nottingham.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Emeka Ilione profile". ItsRugby. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Emeka Ilione Leicester Tigers profile". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b Mockford, Sarah (1 September 2020). "Hotshot: Leicester back-row Emeka Ilione". Rugby World. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  4. ^ Savage, Angus. "This is the best schoolboy rugby XV in the World in 2020 - NextGenXV". RugbyPass. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b Morgan, Charlie (25 June 2021). "Four new faces of English rugby: A medical student, the son of an All Black, a code-hopping prop and Ben Youngs' understudy". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Tigers' England captain scores in final U18s match". Leicester Tigers. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  7. ^ Barnes, David (25 June 2021). "England U20 31-12 Scotland U20". The Scotsman. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Under-20 Six Nations: England U20s 43-14 Wales U20s". BBC Sport. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  9. ^ O'Sullivan, John (12 March 2022). "Ireland now one step from Under-20 Grand Slam after memorable win over England". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Graham Rowntree's son among six academy players to move up the ranks at Leicester". RugbyPass. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Champions Cup: Handre Pollard starts at fly-half with Freddie Steward on the wing for injury-hit Leicester Tigers". Planet Rugby. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Leicester Tigers: Emeka Ilione 'passionate' about combining rugby with medical degree". BBC Sport. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
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