Jackson Wray

Jackson Wray
Wray in 2015
BornJackson Moore Wray
(1990-11-10) 10 November 1990 (age 35)
Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight112 kg (17 st 9 lb)
SchoolThe King John School
UniversityHerts (class of '11)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number 8
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2023 Saracens 309 (135)
2010–2011 →Bedford Blues (loan) 14 (5)
Correct as of 27 May 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010 England U20 9 (0)

Jackson Moore Wray (born 10 November 1990) is an English former rugby union player. A back row, he spent his whole career with Saracens and represented England at youth level.

Career

Born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, his family moved to Essex where he grew up and spent his childhood and teenage years. He started playing rugby at The King John School before joining Westcliff RFC at the age of fourteen. Two years later he joined Barking RFC and then moved on to become part of Saracens Academy.

In October 2008, Wray made his Sarries debut during a defeat against Scarlets in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. His performances benefited from a spell on loan with Bedford Blues during the 2009–10 RFU Championship campaign. Wray really burst on to the scene in the first half of the 2010–11 season, recording a man of the match performance in front of the TV cameras against Bath at the Recreation Ground before becoming a mainstay in Mark McCall's side from 2013–14 season onwards.

Wray represented England at under-16 level. He played for the England U20 side that were runners up during the 2010 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and later that year was a member of the squad that finished fourth at the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship. In August 2014, Wray was included in a training camp with the senior England squad however he remained uncapped.

During his time at Saracens, Wray won five Premiership titles in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2023, featuring in all five finals. He was named in the Premiership Rugby Team of the Year at the end of the 2016–17 season. Wray also helped Saracens win the European Champions Cup in 2016, 2017 and 2019.

In July 2020, it was announced that Wray had signed a contract extension with Saracens until the end of the 2022–23 season. In May 2023, it was confirmed Jackson Wray would retire at the end of the 2022–2023 season. His last game for the club saw them defeat Sale Sharks to become league champions again. In total Wray made over 300 appearances for Saracens.

Honours

Saracens
Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Aviva Premiership Rugby – Saracens". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  2. ↑ Metcalfe, Neil (13 May 2019). "Sweet success for Sunderland-born Jackson Wray as Saracens take Heineken Cup success in Newcastle". The Herts Advertiser. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 Phillips, Chris (8 March 2012). "Jackson Wray thinking big after Sarries deal". The Echo. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  4. ↑ Jones, Chris (6 October 2017). "Saracens star Jackson Wray ready to tackle big battles on the horizon". The Standard. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Jackson Wray". Saracens. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Wray shines for Sarries". The Echo. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  7. ↑ "Jackson Wray". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  8. ↑ "The INCREDIBLY Talented U20 Class Of 2010". Ultimate Rugby. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  9. ↑ "England: Stuart Lancaster puts Jackson Wray through his paces in Loughborough training camp". Sky Sports. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  10. 1 2 Hassan, Nabil (30 May 2015). "Premiership final: Bath 16-28 Saracens". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  11. 1 2 Pilnick, Brent (28 May 2016). "Premiership final: Saracens 28-20 Exeter Chiefs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  12. 1 2 Williams, Adam (26 May 2018). "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 10-27 Saracens". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  13. 1 2 Pilnick, Brent (1 June 2019). "Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 34-37 Saracens". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 Hurcom, Sophie (27 May 2023). "Premiership final: Saracens 35-25 Sale - Sarries win sixth title in Twickenham thriller". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  15. 1 2 Pearey, Alan (31 May 2017). "A statistical review of the 2016-17 Aviva Premiership season". Rugby World. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  16. ↑ Greenwood, Will (5 May 2017). "Will Greenwood's Aviva Premiership team of the season". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  17. 1 2 Standley, James (14 May 2016). "Saracens beat Racing 92 to win first European Champions Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  18. 1 2 Standley, James (13 May 2017). "European Champions Cup: Saracens beat Clermont 28-17 to retain European title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  19. 1 2 Mann, Mantej (11 May 2019). "Leinster 10-20 Saracens: English side win third Champions Cup in Newcastle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  20. ↑ "Wray commits to Sarries for three years". Saracens. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  21. ↑ "Jackson Wray to retire from rugby - Saracens". Saracens. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  22. ↑ "Jackson Wray: Saracens forward to retire at end of the season". BBC Sport. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "Saracens 57-15 Ealing: Players 'showed faith in club', says Mark McCall as Sarries promoted back to Premiership". BBC Sport. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2026.