Barnes Stuart

Stuart Barnes scores against Leicester

 

Player Stuart Barnes

Stuart Barnes

Position: Fly Half

Born: 22nd November 1962. in Grays, Essex

Height: 5ft 6ins

Weight: 11st 12lbs

Education: Bassaleg School, Newport and St Edmund Hall, Oxford University.

Achievements: Gained Oxford Blues in 1981/82/83, England B international (six times as captain.)

Honours: 11 caps for Welsh Schools. Capped 10 times for England, Capped 8 times for the British and Irish Lions.

Debut game: 7th September 1985 v Plymouth Albion

Final game: 7/5/1994 v Leicester, Pilkington Cup Final

Number of Appearances: 196

Career details:

Terrific turn of pace and a great tactician of the game.

Captained Newport Schools, Gwent Schools, Welsh Schools (Intermediate and Senior age groups) and Oxford University before arriving at Bath via Newport and Bristol

While at Bristol his England debut was against Australia in November 1984, eventually winning a total of 10 caps by 1993

Won 11 caps for Welsh Schools but changed senior allegiance to England against Australia in 1984.

8 caps for England, opting out of representative rugby to concentrate on Club rugby after the game against Fiji in Sura.

Returned to the England squad in the 1992/93 season and regained the fly half position with a dazzling display against Scotland. Was picked for the Lions tour of New Zealand in 1993

Moved to Bath in 1985. Debut game against Plymouth Albion and went on to make 200 appearances for Bath. Captained the side to win the first League / Cup double.

Played for the Barbarians on 11 occasions, including the Hong Kong 7s in 1982 and 1989. He scored 2 tries, 19 conversions and 8 penalties(70 pts) in Barbarian colours.

He appeared in two of Bristol’s Cup Final matches (winning one) and in 6 winning Cup Finals with Bath

His full Club record: – A total of 196 appearances 53 tries, 313 conversions, 22 drop goals and 230 penalties, thereby amassing total points of 1604.

In a brilliant partnership with Richard Hill, Barnes proved to be the master of taking and giving of near flat passes, and introduced a superior brand of tactical awareness. Orchestrated by the coaching staff, it was to revolutionize Bath’s style of play and lead to a run of Cup and League success.

Stuart followed Richard Hill’s term of captaincy with the following impressive record:-

Played       Won     Lost       Drawn     For         Against

1988-1989                       44          36            6               2       1262           521 Cup and League Champs.

1989-1990                       41          35            5               1       1166           379 Cup winners

1990-1991                       34          29            4               1         984           392 League Champs.

Called “Mr Fantastic” by the press after securing the Courage League championship in 1991

Will be remembered for his last gasp drop goal against Harlequins in the dying seconds of the 1992 Cup Final at Twickenham

Stuart Barnes has built an equally impressive career off the field as a journalist and a polished and well informed Sky TV rugby commentator.