Pat Sanderson

Who is Pat Sanderson?

Patrick Harold Sanderson is a former England international rugby union player and a former flanker for Worcester. He is the brother of the former England player Alex Sanderson.

His early rugby union career blossomed at Bury Grammar School, Littleborough RUFC and then at Kirkham Grammar School and included his first international cap for the England 16 Group Schools team. He joined Manchester Sale in 1996 and was capped by England U21s and England A. He moved to Harlequins where he played in the 2001 Powergen Cup final, when Quins lost to Newcastle by 30–27.

Sanderson was first capped on England's 1998 southern hemisphere tour as a 20-year-old, facing New Zealand twice and South Africa, and he won another three caps on the 2001 tour to North America.

At the end of the 2003–04 season he moved to newly promoted Worcester Warriors, as captain, he was instrumental in ensuring the Warriors remained in the Premiership. He started every Premiership game last in 2004/5 and Sanderson was nominated for Zurich Player of the Season 2004–05 and the PRA Players’ Player of the Year. This consistency resulted in an England recall for the autumn test opener against Australia in November 2005. Despite some impressive performances in the 2005 autumn internationals and being made captain for England's tour to Australia in 2006, he fell out of favour with England when Brian Ashton replaced Andy Robinson as coach in late 2006 and has not featured since.