Everything you ever wanted to know about James Hook but were afraid to ask!
After last night’s big news that #hookyscominghome check out our handy guide to an Ospreys legend.
- Began playing rugby as a junior at Tata Steel and his senior debut came with Aberavon, against Maesteg, in February 2004. The 18-year old Hook scored nine points in a 34-10 win for the Wizards. It was his solitary appearance in an Aberavon shirt
- His Ospreys debut came seven months later, off the bench against Cardiff Blues in a 39-3 win
- Along with Alun Wyn Jones, Hook was one of the first two players signed on a development contract that year following the formation of the first WRU National Academy in 2005
- He appeared off the bench for the Ospreys once more against Connacht at the end of 05/06 after establishing himself in the Premiership with Neath
- In total he played 16 times for the Welsh All Blacks, scoring 199 points.
- Wales capped Hook before he had even started a game for the Ospreys, when he, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans and Richard Hibbard all debuted on the same day, against Argentina in June 2006. Hook came off the bench to score a try in a 27-25 defeat. He started the following week, scoring 10 points as Wales lost 45-27
- His first Ospreys start was on the opening weekend of the 06-07 season, Hook scoring 12 points in a 17-11 win
- He made 25 appearances that season for the Ospreys, scoring 228 points as he helped guide the region to a second Celtic League title and runners-up spot in the EDF Energy Cup Final following a 45-31 defeat to Leicester at Twickenham
- Was one of 13 Ospreys named in Warren Gatland’s first Wales starting line-up, scoring 16 as England were defeated 26-19 at Twickenham on the opening weekend of the 2008 Six Nations. Hook eventually scored 44 points, featuring in all five games, as Wales claimed the Grand Slam
- The Ospreys once again reached the EDF Energy Cup Final that year, with Leicester again the opposition. Hook played a starring role as the Ospreys claimed silverware, kicking 13 points in a 23-6 win at Twickenham
- Featured in all three of the Ospreys Heineken Cup quarter-final defeats between 2008 and 2010.
- Went on the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa, scoring 35 points in six games, without making the test side
- Left the Ospreys at the end of the 2010/11 season, his last appearance coming in an 18-11 Magners League semi-final defeat to Munster at Thomond Park
- He made 107 appearances in his first spell as an Osprey and his 796 points is second only to Dan Biggar
- A member of the Wales squad at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, he played in five games, starting four, including the 9-8 semi-final defeat to France
- Linked up with Perpignan in the French T14 competition that autumn he scored 698 points in 69 games during his three years in France
- Continuing to feature regularly for Wales, he made three appearances off the bench in the 2012 Grand Slam and a further three came during the 2013 Championship win
- In the summer of 2013 James represented the Barbarians against England and the British & Irish Lions, becoming a rare case of someone to play for and against the Lions
- He returned back to the UK ahead of the 2014/15 season when he signed for Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership, helping the Cherry and Whites to success in the European Challenge Cup that season, defeating Edinburgh 19-13 in the final
- James made his last Wales appearance just over a year ago in the 23-19 Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to South Africa
- His total record for Wales is 81 caps and 352 points, making him the fourth highest scorer ever for the national team
- After scoring 10 points for Gloucester last weekend against Saracens, he has now scored 275 points in 62 games for the club
- His career record is 2530 points in 350 matches
#hookyscominghome
