Alex Waller

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Alex Waller
Waller playing for Northampton Saints in 2013
Birth nameAlexander Marshall Waller[1]
Date of birth (1990-02-14) 14 February 1990 (age 35)[2]
Place of birthKettering, England
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Weight118 kg (18 st 8 lb)[1]
SchoolWellingborough School
Notable relative(s)Ethan Waller (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2024 Northampton Saints 370 (110)
Correct as of 8 June 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2015 England A 3 (0)
2015 England XV 1 (0)
Correct as of 7 June 2017

Alexander Marshall Waller (born 14 February 1990) is an English former rugby union player who played as a prop for his whole career with Northampton Saints.

Club career

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Born in Kettering, Waller is a product of the Northampton Saints Academy and made his debut in November 2009 against Ospreys.[2] Waller came off the bench as a substitute replacement for Soane Tongaʻuiha in the 2011 Heineken Cup final at the Millennium Stadium which they lost against Leinster to finish runners up.[3]

Waller soon established himself in the Saints' first team and featured in their double winning season five years after his first run out in a Saints shirt. The young prop came off the bench as a substitute in the 2013–14 European Challenge Cup final which saw Northampton beat Bath at Cardiff Arms Park to lift the trophy.[4] A week later Waller scored the winning try in extra time of the Premiership final as Northampton defeated Saracens at Twickenham to become league champions for the first time in their history.[5]

Waller helped Northampton secure European Champions Cup rugby for 2017–18 as Saints beat Stade Français in the European Champions Cup play-off final to claim the last spot in the top-tier of Europe for the following season.[6] Waller became a regular fixture in the Saints team and in the 2017–18 campaign racked up his 150th consecutive appearance in the Premiership to take the record for the most consecutive appearances in the league’s history.[7] He also turned out for his 200th appearance in a Saints shirt that season.[8]

In August 2018 Waller was named club co-captain.[9] That season he captained the Northampton side that won the Premiership Rugby Cup.[10]

Waller played in their 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup semi-final elimination against Leinster.[11] The following month he started in the 2024 Premiership final which saw Northampton defeat Bath to become league champions for the first time in a decade.[12] Ultimately this was his last game as he retired from rugby at the end of that season.[13]

International career

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In January 2014 Waller was named as an injury replacement in the England A squad for the game against Ireland Wolfhounds.[14] The call up marked his first inclusion in any of England's representative teams.[15] He made his debut in the match as England slipped to a 14–8 defeat,[16] and earned a second cap the following week in a draw against Scotland A.[17]

In May 2014, Waller was among a group of 16 players called up after the Premiership Final to join up with the senior England squad for their three Test summer tour of New Zealand.[18]

Waller was named on the bench for a non-capped England XV game against the Barbarians at Twickenham on 31 May 2015.[19]

Honours

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Northampton Saints

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Alex Waller". ESPN Scrum. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Alex Waller". Northampton Saints. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b Palmer, Bryn (21 May 2011). "Leinster 33-22 Northampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b Osborne, Chris (22 May 2014). "Amlin Challenge Cup final: Bath 16-30 Northampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b Hassan, Nabil (31 May 2014). "Premiership final: Saracens 20-24 Northampton Saints". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Saints 23 Stade Français 22: Friday night May lights strike again". Northampton Saints. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Premiership Rugby on Instagram: "It's been quite an #AvivaPrem season for @alexwaller01 at @officialnorthamptonsaints #northampton #saints #rugby #rugbyunion #rugbygram #rugbyfamily"".
  8. ^ "Premiership Rugby |".
  9. ^ "Northampton Saints: Dylan Hartley and Alex Waller to share captaincy". BBC Sport. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Premiership Rugby Cup Final: Northampton beat Saracens with three first-half tries". BBC Sport. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  11. ^ Bradley, Jonathan (4 May 2024). "Leinster beat Saints to make Euro final with Lowe treble". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  12. ^ a b Hurcom, Sophie (8 June 2024). "Northampton hold off 14-man Bath in Premiership final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Alex Waller: Northampton Saints prop to retire at end of season". BBC Sport. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Rokoduguni named in exciting Saxons squad". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  15. ^ "Waller called up into Saxons training squad". Northampton Saints. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  16. ^ "England Saxons 8–14 Ireland Wolfhounds". BBC Sport. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  17. ^ "England Saxons and Scotland A play out draw in Glasgow". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  18. ^ "Northampton prop Alex Waller added to England squad for New Zealand tour". Sky Sports. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  19. ^ Osborne, Chris (31 May 2015). "England 73-12 Barbarians". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
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