Date of birth | 24 August 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Melrose, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 119 kg (262 lb; 18 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Hawick High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rory Sutherland (born 24 August 1992) is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for French Top 14 club Oyonnax and the Scotland national team. [2]
Sutherland is a former Trinity Primary and Hawick High School pupil.
Sutherland came through the ranks with his hometown club and school sides before representing the Borders and Scotland at under-17 and under-18 in the back-row.
He switched to loose-head prop during his first season of senior rugby at Hawick and, after a season with Biggar, caught the attention of RBS Premiership runners-up and Border League winners Gala.
In 2017, Sutherland suffered a serious adductor injury that threatened his career and required him to spend time in a wheelchair. [3] [4]
While on the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa it was announced that Sutherland would join Worcester Warriors ahead of the 2021/22 season. On 5 October 2022 all Warriors players had their contracts terminated due to the liquidation of the company to which they were employed. [5] Following the termination of his Worcester Warriors contract, Sutherland signed a short-term contact with Ulster. [6] He left Ulster at the end of the season. [7] After the 2023 Rugby World Cup he joined Oyonnax on a one year contract to play in the French Top 14. [8]
Sutherland received his first call up to the senior Scotland squad by coach Vern Cotter on 19 January 2016 for the 2016 Six Nations Championship. [9] Sutherland got his first Scotland cap during the Six Nations against Ireland in 2016. By 2021, he had made 18 appearances for Scotland, 16 as a starter and two as a replacement. [10]
In 2023 Sutherland was selected in Scotland's 33 player squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. [11]
In May 2021, Sutherland was selected in the 37-man squad for the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. [12] He took to the field in the opening warmup match against Japan at Murrayfield, becoming Lion #840. [13] After strong performances in the tour's warm-up matches, he was selected on the substitutes' bench for the first Test but was subsequently elevated to the starting line up just hours before kick-off. He played 55 minutes as the Lions won 17–22 to lead the series. [14] [15] Then he came off the bench the following week for his second Test cap. [16]
Sutherland is married and they have three children. [17]