James Hume (rugby union)
Irish rugby union player (born 1998)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Hume (born 7 September 1998) is an Irish rugby union player who plays centre for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster.
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| Born | 7 September 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 97 kg (15.3 st; 214 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Royal Belfast Academical Institution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born in Belfast, Hume attended Royal Belfast Academical Institution and was a key part of the team that won three Ulster Schools' Cups in a row between 2015 and 2017.[2] After leaving school, he joined the Ulster academy ahead of the 2017–18 season,[3] while playing club rugby for Banbridge.[4] He made his debut for Ireland under-20s in their 41–38 defeat at the hands of Wales during the 2018 Six Nations Under 20s Championship on 23 February 2018.[5] He also represented the under-20s at the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship.[6]
He made his senior debut for Ulster on 29 September 2018, featuring off the bench in the province;s 64–7 defeat at the hands of Munster.[7][8] He made 11 appearances, including 5 starts, in 2018–19.[1] He signed his first senior contract with Ulster in February 2019, to join the senior squad ahead of the 2019–20 season.[9] That season, he made ten appearances, including nine starts, and scored two tries.[1]
In 2020–21 he established himself as Ulster's first choice outside centre, making 20 appearances including 19 starts, 132 tackles, and 155 carries with 43 defenders beaten,[10] and was named Young Player of the Year in the Ulster Rugby Awards.[11] He made his senior debut for Ireland in a 71–10 victory over the United States on 10 July 2021.[12]
In 2021–22 he made 18 appearances, all starts, scoring four tries,[1] was named in the 2021–22 United Rugby Championship Dream Team,[13] and was awarded Ulster's Men's Player of the Year and Rugby Writers' Player of the Year awards.[14] He was called up to the Ireland squad for their 2022 tour of New Zealand.[15] He made his hundredth appearance for Ulster against the Dragons on the opening night of 2025–26 season.[16]
