View source for Stuart Abbott

{{short description|England international rugby union player (born 1978)}}
{{About|the English rugby player|the Scottish footballer|Stuart Abbot}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Stuart Abbott<br /><small>[[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]]</small>
| image = 
| birth_name = Stuart Abbott
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|6|3|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Cape Town]], South Africa
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.82|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|89|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| ru_position = [[Centre (rugby union)|Centre]]
| repyears1   = 2001      
| repteam1    = [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa U23]]
| repyears2   = 2003–2006 
| repteam2    = [[England national rugby union team|England]]               | repcaps2    = 9  
| reppoints2  = 10
| ru_ntupdate = 25 June 2014
| years1  = 1999      
| clubs1  = [[Griffons (rugby team)|Griffons]]   
| apps1   = 25 
| points1 = 30
| years2  = 1999–2000 
| clubs2  = [[Leicester Tigers]]                 | apps2   = 2  
| points2 = 0
| years3  = 2000–2001 
| clubs3  = {{rut|Western Province}}             
| apps3   = 12 
| points3 = 15
| years4  = 2001      
| clubs4  = [[Stormers (rugby club)|Stormers]]   
| apps4   = 9  
| points4 = 0
| years5  = 2001–2006 
| clubs5  = [[Wasps RFC|London Wasps]]           
| apps5   = 100 
| points5 = 60
| years6  = 2006–2007 
| clubs6  = [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]]         
| ru_clubupdate  = 25 June 2014
| ru_currentclub = retired
| other          =
| occupation     =
| family         =
| spouse         =
| children       =
| relatives      =
| school         = [[Diocesan College|Bishops Diocesan College]]
| university     = [[Stellenbosch University]]
}}

'''Stuart Richard Abbott''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 3 June 1978) is a South African born [[rugby union]] footballer who played [[Centre (rugby union)|centre]] for London Wasps and [[England national rugby union team|England]].

Abbott was born in [[Cape Town]], South Africa. His mother was English. He was educated at Western Province Prep School and [[Diocesan College|Bishops]], where he says he was [[caning|caned]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/2367088/Abbott-takes-it-in-his-stride.html|title=Abbott takes it in his stride|last=Ackford|first=Paul|date=23 October 2005|work=The Telegraph|accessdate=14 February 2011}}</ref> [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springbok]] centre [[Robbie Fleck]], and [[Selborne Boome]] went to the same school. He took a degree in economics at [[Stellenbosch University]] and played for the [[Griffons (rugby team)|Northern Free State Griffons]] in the [[Currie Cup]]. He later played for [[Western Province (rugby team)|Western Province]] and [[South Africa national rugby union team|South Africa U23]]

During the [[1999 Rugby Union World Cup|1999 World Cup]], Abbott signed for English club [[Leicester Tigers]], who had lost several players to international duty, and made two appearances, on the recommendation of former Tigers and [[South Africa national rugby union team|Springbok]] [[Fly-half (rugby union)|fly-half]] [[Joel Stransky]].

In 2001 he played for the South African [[Super 12]] side [[Stormers (rugby club)|Stormers]]. In November 2001 Abbott was signed by English club [[Wasps RFC|Wasps]]. He rocketed to prominence in 2002–03 as a prime force in the team that won the [[Zurich Premiership]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/english/2947768.stm |title=Wasps romp to title |publisher=BBC|date=31 May 2003 |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref> he repeated this for 2003–04 when the club reached the finals of both the [[Heineken Cup]] and the end-of-season [[Zurich Premiership]] playoffs. Wasps won both finals and Abbott scored a try in both.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/english/3754577.stm |title=Wasps 10-6 Bath |publisher=BBC|date=29 May 2004 |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/european/3733109.stm |title=Wasps 27-20 Toulouse |publisher=BBC|date=23 May 2004 |access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref> He formed an exciting centre partnership with Fraser Waters.

He turned down an approach from South Africa coach [[Rudolf Straeuli]] prior to the World Cup but decided to play for England. Abbott scored on his England debut when he scored one of the five tries in England's 43–9 [[2003 Rugby Union World Cup|Rugby World Cup]] warm up match with [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]] at the [[Millennium Stadium]] in August 2003.<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/3176179.stm
|title=England crush woeful Wales
|publisher=[[BBC]]
|date=23 August 2003|access-date=13 October 2020}}</ref> After impressing again in a pre-World Cup trial against [[France national rugby union team|France]] two weeks later, was selected in England's World Cup squad.

In 2003, he appeared in three [[2003 Rugby Union World Cup|Rugby World Cup]] games, adding a second try in the runaway win over [[Unión de Rugby del Uruguay|Uruguay]].<ref>{{cite news
|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/rugby_world_cup/3230061.stm
|title=England hammer Uruguay
|publisher=[[BBC]]
|date=2 November 2003|access-date=13 October 2020}}</ref> England went on to win the World Cup and with his teammates Abbott was appointed an [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] in the 2004 [[New Year Honours]]. He missed out on the 2004 [[Rugby Union Six Nations Championship|Six Nations Championship]] through injury but showed his class for his club, earning his call up for the 2004 summer tour. He struggled with injuries after the World Cup and broke his leg in 2005 in a Heineken Cup game between Wasps and Biarritz.
He enjoyed a very successful period at [[Wasps RFC|London Wasps]] winning the [[Heineken Cup]], [[Zurich Premiership]] and in his last season there, the [[Powergen Cup]].

In 2006, he joined the newly promoted [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]] for the 2006–07 season, but only made 17 appearances for them. On 24 October 2007 Abbott announced his retirement due to a [[shoulder]] injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/my_club/harlequins/7060002.stm|title=Abbott career cut short by injury|date=24 October 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=14 February 2011}}</ref>

==Post-retirement life==
In May 2008 Abbott was announced Backs Coach at Rosslyn Park FC, who finished second in the 2008/2009 season.

He subsequently moved back to [[Cape Town]]. As of 2025, he was working as a fuel wholesaler.<ref> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2025/04/09/where-is-stuart-abbott-now-england-2003-world-cup-win/</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070822060915/http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=4163 England profile]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224559/http://www.quins.co.uk/PlayerDisplay.ink?skip=0&season=2006%2F2007&Playertype=P Harlequins profile]
* [https://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1591 Sporting heroes]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110605084113/http://www.wasps.co.uk/PlayerDisplaySS.ink?skip=0&squadno=5400&season=05%2F06&seasonl=2005%2F2006&Playertype=P Wasps profile]
* [http://statistics.scrum.com/rugby_stats_05.asp?ID=KAB4 Profile at scrum.com]

{{England Squad 2003 World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Stuart}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century South African sportsmen]]
[[Category:Alumni of Diocesan College, Cape Town]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:Harlequin F.C. players]]
[[Category:Leicester Tigers players]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Cape Town]]
[[Category:South African people of English descent]]
[[Category:South African rugby union players]]
[[Category:Stellenbosch University alumni]]
[[Category:Stormers players]]
[[Category:Wasps RFC players]]
[[Category:Rugby union centres]]
[[Category:2003 Rugby World Cup players]]