Andy Goode

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Andy Goode bigraphy, stories - English rugby union player

Andy Goode : biography

3 April 1980 –

Andrew James Goode (born 3 April 1980 in Coventry) is a rugby union footballer who plays fly-half (and occasionally fullback) for London Wasps and he is a former England player

Career

Goode attended King Henry VIII School in Coventry and Bromsgrove School in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. He started playing rugby union at the age of five at Barkers Butts, before moving to Nuneaton at 12. Up until then he had played at scrum half but soon found out he enjoyed the game better at fly-half. He also played for Warwickshire and the Midlands. He joined Coventry aged 16.

In 1998 Goode was selected to play for England Schools U18 and has since represented England at U21 level, playing at the 2000 SANZAR tournament in New Zealand, as well as appearing 5 times for England A in 2001 and 2002. He has now also played 14 times for England.

Goode joined Leicester Tigers as a youngster, despite his youth he played a substantial part in Tigers record four successive Premiership titles and also won two Heineken Cup winners medals. He later moved to Saracens and after moved back to his old club Leicester in 2003.

After good performances for Tigers and the England A side, Goode made his England début as a replacement for Charlie Hodgson in the 2005 Six Nations victory over Italy, in which he also scored his first points from a conversion.

Goode was nominated for Zurich Player of the Season 2004-5 and the PRA Players’ Player of the Year. He also ended the season voted player of the year by the Leicester Tigers members and players and in March 2008, Goode became the all-time leading points scorer in the Guinness Premiership, overtaking Jonny Wilkinson.

Following Leicester’s 07/08 season, Goode was left Welford Road and signed for French club CA Brive. Goode had a very impressive start in the Top 14 scoring 235 points in his first season. Making him the second highest point scorer in the 2008-09 Top 14 season.

Just before the 2009 Six Nations, Goode was called up to train with the England team and was subsequently named in the starting line-up for match against . Goode went on to score the opening try of the 2009 Six Nations and converted it himself ending the match with 16 points. While playing against Argentina Saturday, 6 June 2009 he scored 22 points against Argentina at Old Trafford. He then scored 17 points against them in the match in Salta.

He spent the early part of 2010 on loan to South African Super 14 franchise, the Sharks. He made his Sharks debut off the bench against the Crusaders but was sin-binned six minutes from full-time in this game following a head high tackle on Dan Carter.

In February 2010, Goode signed with then Guinness Premiership side Worcester Warriors. He joined the side in the summer, in preparation for the new season starting in September 2010.

Goode scored a try, two conversions, a penalty and a drop-goal in leading Worcester Warriors to victory in the second leg of the Championship final against Cornish Pirates. This guaranteed promotion to the Aviva Premiership for the 2011/2012 season.

He returned to Welford Road in April 2012 for the match against Leicester Tigers but was sent off in the first half by referee Wayne Barnes after hitting his old team Tom Croft high and late with his arm. His red card left his team with a difficult task and Worcester lost 43-13. Despite this performance Andy Goode’s consistent kicking performances were important in ensuring they ended the season above London Wasps and Newcastle Falcons.

On the 5th March 2013 it was announced that Goode would join London Wasps from the start of the 2013/2014 season.