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Gareth Hock
Hock playing for Wigan in 2007
Personal information
Full nameGareth Hock
Born (1983-09-05) 5 September 1983 (age 41)
Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1]
Weight15 st 8 lb (99 kg)[1]
Playing information
PositionSecond Row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2003–13 Wigan 191 48 0 0 192
2013 Widnes (loan) 18 10 1 0 42
2014–15 Salford 17 6 0 0 24
2015– Leigh 14 5 0 0 20
Total 240 69 1 0 278
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006 Great Britain 4 0 0 0 0
2008–12 England 5 0 0 0 0
As of 8 August 2015

Gareth Hock (born 5 September 1983) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays in the Championship for English club, Leigh Centurions. A Great Britain and England international representative second-row forward, Hock signed for the Leigh Centurions in 2015 on a contract until the end of 2016.[2]

Career

Wigan-born Gareth Charnock joined Wigan's scholarship scheme from St Jude's, a local amateur team. He changed his surname after his parents separated.[3]

2000s

Hock gained international experience playing in the Great Britain Academy side that toured Australia in 2001. He worked his way up through Wigan's scholarship and Academy systems, playing in the Academy U19s during the 2002 season. However, injury forced him to miss much of the latter part of the year. He was also called up to the England Academy squad to face the Aussie Schoolboys in December 2002. He played in the first Test, scoring a vital try in England's historic victory. He had achieved amateur representative honours, touring with Great Britain U16s and U18s.

He was included in Wigan's 2003 first team squad by head coach Stuart Raper. Gareth made his first team debut that season against Doncaster in the Challenge Cup, scoring two tries after coming on as a substitute. He went on to become a first team regular for the rest of the season. Gareth commented later: "Mick Cassidy was injured early, which was a lucky break for me," he said. "It went well, then Faz (Farrell) got injured and I got a few starts. I’ve enjoyed every minute."[4] He was included in the England A squad to face the Australians at Griffin Park, Brentford on 28 October 2003. He crowned a magnificent season by being named Super League Young Player of the Year. Hock played for the Wigan Warriors from the interchange bench in the 2003 Super League Grand Final which was lost to the Bradford Bulls.

Hock signed a new one-year contract with Wigan in June 2004. His playing career took a turn for the worse when he picked up a medial ligament injury against Bradford on 25 February 2005. The injury required a full knee reconstruction which kept him side-lined until the end of the 2005 Super League season. Gareth was expected to make his return in the 2006 season but suffered a stress fracture to his shin and had to miss the start of the 2006 season.

On 19 May 2006 Hock made his long awaited return to rugby league in Wigan's Rugby League Challenge Cup match against Salford which Wigan lost 16-4, despite being on the losing team Hock made an impressive return.[5] He featured in the next match which was against rivals St Helens, he was again impressive and scored a try but Wigan lost 14-28. His impressive return has meant that Hock is likely to be included in the Great Britain test squad to take on New Zealand only a month after returning from a 2-year injury.

In September 2008 he was named in the England training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[6] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man England squad.[7] He was named in the England team to face Wales at the Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, prior to England's departure for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[8] He went with the England squad to compete in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament in Australia. Group A's first match against Papua New Guinea he played at second-row forward in England's victory.

It was reported in June 2009 that Gareth tested positive for cocaine following tests on an 'A' sample of urine taken during a match between Wigan and Salford.[9][10] A second 'B' sample also returned a positive result for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine.[11] In August 2009, it was confirmed that Hock would face a two-year ban from rugby league as he did not appeal against the mandatory ban.[12]

2010s

On 10 May 2011, Gareth Hock signed a new contract with Wigan until 2015, beginning once his 2-year doping ban has ended on 23 June.[13] He made a high profile return against Huddersfield in a 2011 Super League game.

Since his return from his ban, he has been a consistent member of the Wigan first team, gaining the number 12 jersey in the 2012 season (following the departure of Joel Tomkins to Saracens RUFC). Hock is well known for his aggressive and confrontational style of play and has begun to return to the high standard performances seen before his ban.

On 22 Jan 2013, Wigan announced that Hock would be joining Widnes on a season-long loan.[14] After a possible move to NRL side Parramatta Eels fell through,[15] on 5 September 2013 Salford Red Devils announced he would be signing for them for the 2014 Super League season on a 4-year deal.[16]

On 22 October 2013, England Rugby League issued the following statement: "As a result of serious breaches of team discipline that have fallen below the strict code of conduct as agreed by team management, Gareth Hock has been withdrawn from the England Rugby League World Cup squad with immediate effect. He is replaced by Huddersfield Giants player Brett Ferres. There will be no further comment issued by England Rugby League on this matter."[17]

In 2015 Gareth moved to play for the Leigh Centurions in the Kingstone Press Championship. He made his debut in a comfortable 54-6 victory over Workington Town.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "34. Gareth Hock". Wigan Warriors. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Gareth Hock turns back on Super League offers to join Leigh". Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Hock is Wigan's Rooney". The Observer. 13 April 2003. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  4. ^ Irvine, Christopher (16 October 2003). "Hock making name for himself as part of thriving youth policy". The Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2003. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  5. ^ Wilson, Andy (20 May 2006). "Rutgerson helps power Salford past careworn Warriors". The Observer. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Myler gets England call". England Rugby League. 29 September 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  7. ^ "Purdham earns World Cup call-up". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2008.
  8. ^ "Gleeson to lead new-look England". BBC. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  9. ^ "RFL Statement on Hock". superleague.com. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  10. ^ "Wigan Warriors official statement". Wigan Warriors. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  11. ^ "Wigan Warriors official statement". superleague.co.uk. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  12. ^ "Hock two-year ban confirmed". superleague.co.uk. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2009.
  13. ^ http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=5969&type=1
  14. ^ http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.aspx?id=7869&type=1
  15. ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/parramatta-eels-sign-english-international-forwards-gareth-hock-and-lee-mossop/story-e6frexq0-1226628242010
  16. ^ http://www.superleague.co.uk/article/28788/salford-announce-raft-of-new
  17. ^ "Gareth Hock was 'unfairly treated'". BBC Sport. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  18. ^ http://www.rugbyleaguechampionships.co.uk/match_day/match_report/11041

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