James Hanson
Hooker
|
Profile
|
|
|
Height:
|
183cm
|
|
Weight:
|
104kg
|
|
Date Of Birth:
|
15/09/1988
|
|
Place of Birth:
|
Brisbane
|
|
Rugby Career
|
|
|
Senior Club:
|
University
|
|
Stats
|
|
|
Provincial Rugby Caps:
|
47
|
|
Provincial Rugby Points:
|
25 (5t)
|
|
Provincial Rugby Debut:
|
Feb 2010 v Crusaders, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
|
|
Super Rugby Caps:
|
47
|
|
Super Rugby Points:
|
25 (5t)
|
|
Super Rugby Debut:
|
Feb 2010 v Crusaders, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
|
|
Test Rugby Caps:
|
1
|
|
Test Rugby Debut:
|
2012 v All Blacks, Suncorp Stadium
|
Hooker James Hanson is the yardstick for the St.George Queensland Reds in terms of resilience and consistency with the powerful No.2 selected in the Reds matchday squad for each of their 35 matches during the past two Super Rugby seasons. During this period, only once has James been an unused replacement, in 2012 against the Brumbies in Canberra.
He now enters 2013 with 35 Super Rugby and Queensland caps to his name and is on track to reach the milestone 50-game mark for the Reds after re-committing his future to the province midway
through 2012.
Hanson’s efforts in 2012 were initially recognised with selection in the Wallabies’ June Test National Training Squad setup, while he was also flown to South Africa ahead of the Australia’s Rugby Championship against the Springboks as injury cover.
His call-up to the national squad came just days after James captained University to their second Queensland Premier Rugby title in three years, when the Red Heavies toppled Sunnybank in a one-sided affair at Ballymore.
In 2011, James was just one of six players to feature in every game of the Reds Super Rugby Championship winning campaign. His efforts didn’t go unnoticed by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, who selected James in the Wallabies initial 40-man Samoa and Tri Nations squad. James was rewarded with selection in Australia’s first Test of 2011 against Samoa on the bench and was unlucky not to take the field to earn his maiden Test cap.
James had his first taste of Super Rugby when he made his debut for Queensland in a 2010 encounter against the Crusaders from the bench. He excelled in his opportunities before later in the year captaining Premier Rugby heavyweights University to the Hospital Cup.
In late 2009, James made the decision to join North Harbour in New Zealand’s National Provincial Rugby Competition for a short-term offseason stint. The squad also included soon-to-be Reds centre Mike Harris. The move paid dividends with his introduction to Super Rugby coming only months later in early 2010.
A mobile hooker with a high work rate, James joined the senior squad from the QAS Reds Academy at the end of 2008 and was chosen on the Reds end of season Development Tour of Ireland and France.
In 2007, James played for the Melbourne Rebels in the inaugural Australian Rugby Championship, winning the team’s most improved award. He scored a slashing 30m try for the Rebels in the final against the Central Coast.
His junior representative honours include: Queensland and Australian Schoolboys (2005), QAS Under 19s (2006), Australian U19s (2006, 2007) and Australian Under 20s (2008).
DID YOU KNOW?
Just hours before his scheduled holiday flight to America, James received a phone call from the Wallabies who required him to travel to South Africa for an injury-hit Australian line-up ahead of their 2012 Rugby Championship clash against the Springboks. James cancelled his trip to the United States and instead flew to Sydney before joining the team in Pretoria.
***Updated 14/05/2013***