Paolo Odogwu
Birth namePaolo Chukwudi Odogwu
Date of birth (1997-02-18) 18 February 1997
Place of birthCoventry, England
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight98 kg (216 lb; 15 st 6 lb)
SchoolKing Edward's School, Birmingham
Leicester Grammar School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Outside Centre
Current team Benetton Rugby
Youth career
2014–2016 Leicester Tigers
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2019 Sale Sharks 29 (35)
2017 → Sale FC (loan) 24 (100)
2017 → Rotherham (loan) 1 (0)
2019–2022 Wasps 42 (80)
2022–2023 Stade Français 12 (5)
2023− Benetton 5 (5)
Correct as of 9 Dec 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015 England U18 2 (10)
2016–2017 England U20 5 (0)
2023– Italy 6 (10)
Correct as of 29 September 2023

Paolo Odogwu (born 18 February 1997) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a winger for Benetton Rugby in the United Rugby Championship. [1]

Rugby career

After playing many positions at age grade level for King Edward's School Birmingham and Walsall RFC including prop, and number 8;[2] Odogwu was deemed "too fast" to be a forward and focused his talent in the centres and on the wing.[2]

Odogwu spent his academy years at Leicester Tigers, scoring a memorable try in Marcos Ayerza's testimonial match at Welford Road, beating three players from the halfway line to score in the corner.[3] He was released by Leicester in the summer of 2016 and signed for Sale Sharks.[4]

Sale Sharks

Odogwu rose to fame after his performances for Sale in the Aviva Premiership Singha 7s tournament, scoring 8 tries in the group stage, breaking the record of 7 set by Christian Wade the previous year. This earned him the man of the round award.[5]

In September 2016 Odogwu made his senior debut for Sale in the second round of the Premiership season against Harlequins, impressing onlookers with footwork, pace and power.[6] The following month saw him score his first try for the club against former side Leicester in round 5.[7]

Odogwu left Sale at the end of the 2018–19 season after spending 3 seasons at the club and making 29 first team appearances, signing for Coventry-based club Wasps.[8]

Wasps

Odogwu scored six tries for Wasps at the 2019 Premiership 7s, helping the team reach the final in what was his first outing for the club, becoming the Premiership Rugby 7's All-time top try scorer.[9] Odogwu was banned for 6 weeks in November 2019 after making contact with the head of Sale Sharks player Rohan Janse van Rensburg with his boot whilst fielding a high kick.[10]

He scored his first tries for the club in round 2 of the 2020-21 Premiership season against Gloucester; finding his way over the tryline twice in the last 2 minutes of the game to help Wasps to a try bonus point.[11] After some excellent form in late 2020 and early 2021 Odogwu earned his first man of the match award in a thrilling 44–52 victory away to Bath.[12]

Odogwu was made redundant along with every other Wasps player and coach when the team entered administration on 17 October 2022.[13]

Stade Français

On 27 October 2022 it was confirmed that Odogwu had signed for French Top 14 side Stade Français until the end of the season.[14]

International

Odogwu, who is of Nigerian and Italian descent,[2] represented England under 18's.[15] He then played for England U20 in the 2016 Six Nations Under 20s Championship[16] and came off the bench in the final of the 2017 World Rugby Under 20 Championship as England finished runners up to New Zealand.[17] In January 2021 he was called into the England Senior Test team for the 2021 Six Nations.[18] Odogwu was not selected for England.

He was subsequently named in Italy's training squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[19] On 5 July 2023, he was selected by Kieran Crowley to be part of an Italy squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches. He made his debut against Ireland in the second match of 5 August 2023 .[20]

On 22 August 2023, he was named in the Italy's 33-man squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "PAOLO ODOGWU È UN NUOVO LEONE BIANCOVERDE". Benetton Rugby. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Bridge, Bobby (4 December 2020). "Paolo Odogwu: 'Pigeon holed' as a prop to breaking barriers and defences at centre". CoventryLive. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  3. ↑ Meagher, Gerard (5 September 2015). "Argentina warm up for Rugby World Cup with nine tries to beat Leicester". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  4. ↑ Middleton, Nathan (13 June 2016). "Sale Sharks: CorpArq owner Simon Orange makes investment promise". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "Odogwu excited by Wade comparison". Premiership Rugby. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Sale Sharks 19-10 Harlequins". Sky Sports. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  7. ↑ Williams, Adam (1 October 2016). "Premiership: Sale Sharks 34-30 Leicester Tigers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "Paolo Odogwu: Wasps to sign Sale Sharks winger for 2019-20 season". BBC Sport. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Bridge, Bobby (14 September 2019). "Wasps lose to Saracens in Premiership 7s final at Franklin's Gardens". CoventryLive. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "Paolo Odogwu: Wasps wing gets six-week ban for kicking opponent". BBC Sport. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Premiership: Gloucester 40-24 Wasps". BBC Sport. 28 November 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  12. ↑ Bridge, Bobby (8 January 2021). "Bath 44-52 Wasps: Paolo Odogwu and Tom Cruse land braces in Gallagher Premiership thriller". CoventryLive. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  13. ↑ Bridge, Bobby (17 October 2022). "Wasps' administration confirmed as 167 employees made redundant". CoventryLive. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  14. ↑ "Koch and Odogwu become the latest Wasps players to get a new club". amp.rugbypass.com. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  15. ↑ Bridge, Bobby (9 January 2021). "Paolo Odogwu: Wasps star tipped for Italy Six Nations call-up". CoventryLive. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  16. ↑ Webb, Nick (11 March 2016). "Six Nations: England U20 16-42 Wales U20". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  17. ↑ "Baby Blacks embarrass England in U20 final". News24. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  18. ↑ "JONES ANNOUNCES SQUAD FOR 2021 GUINNESS SIX NATIONS". englandrugby.com. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  19. ↑ "Paolo Odogwu: Coventry-born back named in Italy training squad". BBC Sport. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Italy name training squad ahead of 2023 World Cup". F.I.R. Rugby. 5 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "ITALIA, I 33 AZZURRI PER LA RUGBY WORLD CUP "FRANCIA 2023". Federazione Italiana Rugby (in Italian). 22 August 2023.
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