Tough. Honest. Uncompromising.
From his early years as a boy in Yorkshire to his successes on the rugby pitch as Ireland’s most-capped flanker and a British and Irish Lion, Easter’s Rising charts the personal and professional journey of Simon Easterby, one of Rugby Union’s most popular forwards.
Simon was born in Harrogate to an English father and an Irish mother and was educated at the prestigious Roman Catholic school, Ampleforth College. He made the choice to play for Ireland by turning down a personal invitation from Clive Woodward to join the England squad in 2000, a particularly bold move considering he had been out of contact with the Irish team for three years at that point.
Despite his proud decision to play for Ireland, Simon’s national identity and loyalties have been questioned throughout his career with many asking why an Englishman with an English accent would want to play for Ireland. Over the years he’s been labelled an ‘Irish-Yorkshireman’, ‘Englishman’, ‘English-born Irishman’, ‘Irishman’ and more recently, a ‘naturalised Welshman’, but for Simon it is this combination of Irish, English and Welsh ties that have made him what he is today – and all the stronger for it.
With a reputation for putting his body on the line, as many of his opponents have found out to their cost and as his own injuries testify, Simon Easterby, or ‘Beasterby’ to give him his nickname, has long been one of the most ferocious forwards in the game.
Simon moved to Wales to join Llanelli RFC in 1999 before going on to captain the newly-formed regional side, the Llanelli Scarlets, for five consecutive seasons. He played in more than 200 games for the teams until he was forced to retire due to a knee injury in 2010. During his international career, Simon became a regular for Ireland after making his debut for the team in 2000 and was called-up to play for the British and Irish Lions during their tour of New Zealand in 2005.
Simon is married to Sarra Elgan, a television presenter and daughter of former Welsh rugby player Elgan Rees, who was also a British and Irish Lion. They have two children and live near Bridgend in South Wales.
Published in paperback on the 25th of November 2011
by Y Lolfa, priced £9.95
