Full name | William Wesley Twelvetrees | ||||||||||||||||
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Nickname | 36 | ||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 15 November 1988 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Chichester, England | ||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||
Weight | 103 kg (227 lb; 16 st 3 lb) | ||||||||||||||||
School | The Weald School, Billingshurst | ||||||||||||||||
Spouse | Georgie Twelvetrees | ||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
Playing career | |||||||||||||||||
Position | Centre/Fly-Half | ||||||||||||||||
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Amateur clubs | |||
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Years | Club / team | ||
2006–2008 | Leicester Lions |
Professional / senior clubs | |||
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Years | Club / team | Apps | (points) |
2008–2009 2009–2012 2012– |
Bedford Blues Leicester Tigers Gloucester Rugby |
31 46 98 |
(161) (301) (255) |
Correct as of 27 February 2016
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National team(s) | |||
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Years | Club / team | Apps | (points) |
2013– 2013 |
England Saxons England British and Irish Lions |
19 |
(15) |
Correct as of 21 March 2015
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William Wesley Twelvetrees (born 15 November 1988) is a rugby union footballer who currently plays centre or fly-half for Gloucester Rugby and inside centre for the England national rugby team.
Whilst playing for the Leicester Tigers, Twelvetrees was nicknamed '36' based on the Irish-accented pronunciation of Twelvetrees by club captain Geordan Murphy, which sounded like "twelve threes" .
Twelvetrees grew up in Wisborough Green, West Sussex. He is the son of Kevin Twelvetrees, a tree surgeon, and Beverley Twelvetrees. He attended Wisborough Green Primary School and later The Weald Secondary School in Billingshurst. He is the youngest of four brothers who were all encouraged to play rugby by their mother, Beverley, with his older brothers Jonathan and twins Matthew and Joseph providing suitable competition.
Growing up, Twelvetrees was active in a range of sports including football and cricket. During his youth he spent his summer weekends playing for Wisborough Green Cricket Club where he was proficient with the bat: "Billy’s still got the biggest hit for Wisborough Green Cricket Club. From the most distant wicket he cleared the pavilion with a six." This is not true however, as know one has ever done this in the cricket clubs history, especially not Billy.
Twelvetrees spent his youth at a succession of Sussex rugby clubs, including a spell at Haywards Heath in the same side as Joe Marler but it was a family friend (a part-owner of Leicester Lions) who would provide Twelvetrees with his first foray into professional rugby. While Twelvetrees was with the Lions, a coach there put him in touch with the-then Leicester Tigers academy manager, Andy Key, and after playing summer Sevens by way of a trial, he was taken on.
As a junior, Twelvetrees played for Pulborough, Horsham and Haywards Heath. He joined the Leicester Tigers academy from Leicester Lions in 2007, and moved to Bedford Blues for the 2008–09 season. After an outstanding season for Bedford, in which he scored 18 tries, 16 conversions and 13 penalties, he re-signed for Tigers in 2009.