this picture is of Peter Hewatt, NOT Mike Catt
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Full name | Michael John Catt | ||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 17 September 1971 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.77 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Weight | 13 st 8 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
School | Grey High School | ||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||
Playing career | |||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback, Fly-half, Inside centre, outside centre, Wing | ||||||||||||||||
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Professional / senior clubs | |||
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Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
1992–2004 2004–10 |
Bath London Irish |
227 46 |
(837) (43) |
Correct as of 10 July 2014
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Provincial/State sides | |||
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Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
Correct as of 10 July 2014
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National team(s) | |||
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Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
1994–2007 1997–2001 |
England British and Irish Lions |
75 1 |
(142) (0) |
Correct as of 10 July 2014
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Coaching career | |||
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Years | Club / team | ||
2008–2012 2012–2015 2016- |
London Irish (Attack Coach) England (Backs coach) Italy (Attack coach) |
Michael John "Mike" Catt OBE (born 17 September 1971) is a South African-born former English rugby union rugby player who played for London Irish and Bath. He earned 75 international caps for England and played in two World Cup Finals, in 2003 (when England won) and 2007. With his appearance in the October 2007 final, at age 36 years 1 month, he became the oldest ever player to play in a Rugby World Cup final.
Catt was born on 17 September 1971 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth until 1989 and represented Eastern Province at rugby union. His mother Anne was English, through whom he qualified to play for England later on, and as a student he toured England. At the time, South Africa was banned from international competition because of the country's apartheid policy. He moved to England after leaving school.
Catt joined Bath in 1992 as understudy to Stuart Barnes and made his debut as a 21-year-old against Nottingham R.F.C. later the same year. He had a testimonial year with Bath in 2004, but at the end of the 2003–04 season, Bath decided not to renew his contract and he moved to London Irish. At the start of the 2007–08 season, he announced he was going to be backs coach for London Irish as well as a player. With the Exiles, he has enjoyed a fruitful twilight of his career and in May 2006 was named Guinness Premiership Player of the Season. He holds the honour of being the oldest ever player to play in a Guinness Premiership final (May 2009), aged 37, when he was a player / coach at London Irish.
On 8 May 2010 he played the final competitive club match of his career. Already a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to rugby.