Charlie Gamble

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Charlie Gamble
Birth nameCharles Gamble
Date of birth (1996-04-25) 25 April 1996 (age 29)
Place of birthChristchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight107 kg (236 lb)
SchoolSt Bede's College, Christchurch
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Number 8
Current team New South Wales Waratahs
Youth career
–2013 St Bede's College
2014–2016 Crusaders Academy
2015–2016 Canterbury U19
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018 Petersham ()
2019–2023; 2024 Eastern Suburbs 29 (30)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–2019 Sydney 5 (10)
Correct as of 6 January 2020
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019– New South Wales Waratahs 56 (25)
Correct as of 31 May 2025
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2025 First Nations & Pasifika XV 1 (0)
Sports career
Country New Zealand
SportTrack and field
Events
Sports achievements and titles
Personal bests
  • 48.10 m (Discus throw)[1]
  • 13.22 m (Shot put)[1]

Charles Gamble (born 25 April 1996)[2] is a New Zealand professional rugby union player and former youth track and field athlete.[3] Playing for the New South Wales Waratahs in the Super Rugby, Gamble's playing position is typically openside flanker (No. 7), however he has been deployed across the back row, mostly as a blindside flanker (No. 6).

Early life and athletics

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Gamble was born in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand in 1996.[2] He attended St Bede's College, Christchurch and represented their 1st XV before leaving school in 2013.[2][3] In his youth, Gamble was a track and field athlete, specialising in shot put and discus throw. Gamble represented New Zealand in athletics, and was notably a competitor at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) in 2013[1] and the IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics in 2013.[1] The latter event, which took place in Donetsk, Ukraine, saw Gamble finish 18th in the heats of the boys' discus throw.[4] As at 2020, Gamble held the St Bede's College Athletic record for 5kg shot put in under-14s and under-19s age groups and 1.25kg discus throw in under-14s and under-16s age groups.[5]

Rugby career

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Early career

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Gamble played his early rugby for St Bede's College, playing his first match for the school at 14-years-old and being named Man of the Match.[3] He spent a total of three years with the school's 1st XV before leaving in 2013 and took up an invitation to the Crusaders Academy.[3] Gamble played for the region's under-19 side (Canterbury) and played openside flanker for the Crusaders' "B" team, known as the Crusaders Knights.[3] The 2015/16 Crusaders Academy cohort featured notable peers such as George Bridge and Braydon Ennor.[6] Gamble was then called-up to the New Zealand U20 team under coach Scott Robertson. He played in a trial match with the side, however was not called-up again, and did not earn an international cap for the team.[3]

Senior career

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After a long-term foot injury prevented Gamble from playing rugby, he contemplated a return to athletics.[3] After allegedly putting his CV on a rugby website, Gamble was approached by the "subbies" club Petersham in Sydney alongside a part-time delivery job.[3] Gamble stated that he had not lived anywhere outside of Christchurch and left for Sydney within two weeks.[3] Gamble was Petersham's first team openside flanker for 2018. The team, whom were the Kentwell Cup defending champions, won the premiership in 2018.[3][7] Following a highly successful season with Petersham, Gamble was swiftly headhunted by Eastern Suburbs after head coach Pauli Taumoepeau sought reinforcements in the back-row for his injury-depleted squad,[3] which had also suffered the retirement of first-choice flanker Rowan Perry.[8] Gamble seamlessly established himself in the starting lineup and quickly emerged as one of the standout performers in the 2019 Shute Shield season.[8]

In August 2019, Gamble was named in the Sydney 33-man squad ahead of the 2019 National Rugby Championship (NRC).[9][10] Gamble made his formal debut for Sydney on 14 September 2019 (Round 3) against Queensland Country. Scoring in the first two minutes of the match, Gamble earned a score assist in the first-half in an overall dominating performance from the team.[11] Winning 47–26,[12] Gamble was credited by the Green and Gold Rugby (GAGR) blog for his outstanding performance and declared him a "rising star".[11] Gamble followed up this performance with another appearance in the subsequent round, which culminated in a heavy 76–29 defeat to the Fijian Drua.[13] Over the course of the 2019 National Rugby Championship season, he made a total of five appearances for Sydney.[14] That year, Sydney concluded the competition at the bottom of the standings, earning the wooden spoon.[15]

Waratahs

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Further information: 2023 Waratahs season and 2025 Waratahs season

In October 2019, the New South Wales Waratahs announced the signing of Charlie Gamble on a one-year contract ahead of the 2020 Super Rugby season.[16][17] Gamble was not a part of the team that played in the cancelled 2020 season between January and March 2020 or the newly created Super Rugby AU for the remainder of 2020. Gamble made his Waratahs debut on 2 April 2021 against the ACT Brumbies at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).[18] Debuting in Round 7 of the 2021 Super Rugby AU season, Gamble came on as a substitute in the 61st minute, replacing openside flanker Carlo Tizzano. The Waratahs lost at home 22–24.[19] Gamble featured in two additional fixtures during the 2021 Super Rugby AU season,[20] a campaign in which the Waratahs endured a winless run and ultimately finished at the bottom of the table. In the ensuing Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition (2021)—which introduced cross-border fixtures against New Zealand franchises—he was named as the starting openside flanker in two of the Waratahs' five matches, a first for Gamble with the Waratahs.[20] Ultimately, the team's struggles persisted, as they extended their winless streak and once again finished in last place.[21] In 2022, Gamble solidified his standing within the Waratahs' ranks, securing the starting role at openside flanker in fourteen of the team's fifteen fixtures during the Super Rugby Pacific season.[20] His consistently high-calibre performances did not go unnoticed: he was named the Waratahs' Forward of the Season,[22] and prompted The Sydney Morning Herald's Iain Payten to remark in April: "Such was the impact of Gamble's form that [Michael] Hooper's absence was scarcely felt. Even upon the Wallabies captain's return, head coach Darren Coleman was compelled to shift Gamble to the No. 6 jersey—a testament to the fact that he had been NSW's standout performer in nearly every match."[3]

In 2023, Gamble's involvement was notably curtailed during a season in which the Waratahs were heavily impacted by injuries across the squad.[23] He started in two of the opening four matches of the Super Rugby campaign,[20] but a shoulder injury sustained in Round 4[24] sidelined him until Round 9.[20] Upon his return, Gamble primarily featured as a substitute, with limited opportunities to reestablish a consistent starting role amid a disrupted and injury-stricken season for the team.[23][20] In 2023 Gamble signed a one-year contract extension with the Waratahs.[22]

Despite a dismal 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season for the Waratahs—who finished last on the ladder with just two wins from fourteen matches[25]—Gamble re-established himself as the team's starting openside flanker,[20] following the retirement of the former captain Michael Hooper in late 2023. Gamble stepped into a key role, starting in twelve of the team's fourteen fixtures and contributing two tries over the course of the season,[20] and also underwent surgery to treat a leg laceration early in the teams campaign in a squad plagued by injuries.[26] In September Gamble returned to the Eastern Suburbs to play in the Shute Shield Grand Final,[27] where he played a key role in helping the club secure its first premiership in 55 years.[27] His leadership qualities were further recognised during the Waratahs' 2025 pre-season tour of Japan in November 2024, where he was named co-captain, alongside Hugh Sinclair, for their match against the Kubota Spears.[28] In 2024 Gamble signed a two-year contract with the Waratahs.[29]

2025 marked another standout year for Gamble, who played a pivotal role in a revitalised Waratahs side. Starting in eleven of the team's fourteen regular-season matches,[20] he amassed an impressive 140 tackles and secured nine turnovers, underscoring his consistency and defensive impact.[30] While the Waratahs ultimately fell short of a finals berth, the team showed marked improvement under new head coach Dan McKellar, with Gamble emerging as one of their most dependable performers. Gamble delivered a standout performance in the post-season clash against the touring British & Irish Lions, further cementing his reputation as a player of international calibre. Playing the full 80 minutes at Sydney Football Stadium,[31] he recorded 12 tackles with a perfect 100% success rate and effected four turnovers,[32][33] showcasing his breakdown expertise in a hard-fought 10–21 defeat.[31] His impact was such that teammate Hugh Sinclair publicly stated Gamble had done enough to warrant selection for the national squad.[34] RugbyPass analyst John Ferguson echoed that sentiment in his post-match review, writing: "Gamble is the first top-tier openside flanker the Lions have faced on their tour — and it showed."[32] He went on to note: "Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt would've liked what he saw, and he could do far worse than bring Gamble into the national camp should injury affect his flanker stocks."[32]

Personal life

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Gamble is of Tongan descent.[35] In February 2025, ahead of the 2025 Super Rugby season's Culture Round, Gamble wrote an article in Rugby.com.au about his pride of ancestry (Tonga, New Zealand) and how the sport of rugby connects people through its diversity of cultures.[36]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Charlie Gamble | Profile | World Athletics". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 7 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Charlie Gamble | Player Profile | NSW Waratahs". nsw.rugby. New South Wales Rugby Union. Archived from the original on 7 July 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Payten, Iain (29 April 2022). "From the world's best club to Sydney subbies: How the Waratahs unearthed a hidden star". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Results – Discus Throw (1.500kg) Boys – Qualification" (PDF). media.aws.iaaf.org. IAAF. 13 July 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 July 2025.
  5. ^ "St Bede's College Athletic Records as at 1st January 2020". cloudfront.net. 21 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Braydon Ennor | Crusaders Rugby". crusaders.co.nz. Crusaders. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025.
  7. ^ "Premiers – Kentwell Cup". NSW Suburban Rugby.
  8. ^ a b Findlay, Matt (29 May 2019). "Charlie Gamble: The former Subbies player who might just be the best No.7 in the Shute Shield". rugbynews.net.au. Archived from the original on 3 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Sydney and Country confirm NRC squads". nsw.rugby. New South Wales Rugby Union. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Familiar faces grace Country Eagles line-up headed to Dubbo". Daily Liberal. Australian Community Media. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b Roberts, Reg (14 September 2019). "Sydney superb in upsetting QLD Country". Green and Gold Rugby. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020.
  12. ^ Greenwood, Emma (14 September 2019). "NRC: Sydney shock Queensland Country in 47–26 upset". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019.
  13. ^ Greenwood, Emma (21 September 2019). "NRC: Drua race back into finals contention with 76–29 drubbing of Sydney". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019.
  14. ^ "Charlie Gamble | Player Statistics | It's Rugby". It's Rugby. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025.
  15. ^ "NRC | Rugby.com.au". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Gamble signs on with NSW Waratahs". nswwaratahs.com.au. New South Wales Rugby Union. 9 October 2019. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019.
  17. ^ Warren, Adrian (9 October 2019). "Waratahs take punt on Kiwi forward who bypassed New Zealand". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Easter weekend extra special for Canterbury family as son makes debut for Waratahs". 1News. 5 April 2021. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Brumbies fend off late surge to narrowly beat Waratahs". super.rugby. SANZAAR. 2 April 2021. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Charlie Gamble: Stats – All Rugby". All Rugby. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025.
  21. ^ "2021 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Standings". super.rugby. SANZAAR. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022.
  22. ^ a b Worthington, Sam (15 March 2023). "Struggling Waratahs celebrate 'huge signing' as Charlie Gamble locks in until end of 2024". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024.
  23. ^ a b Decent, Tom (22 March 2023). "Waratahs injury woes continue as Jorgensen and Gleeson ruled out of Chiefs clash". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023.
  24. ^ Payten, Iain (17 March 2023). "Waratahs blown away after a costly five-minute hurricane". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023.
  25. ^ "Super Rugby Pacific Standings 2024". TNT Sports.
  26. ^ Worthington, Sam (13 May 2024). "'Horrendous' injury to Charlie Gamble adds to Waratahs crisis as wooden spoon looms". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024.
  27. ^ a b Geddes, Jon (3 September 2024). "Clutch grand final play shows Charlie is no gamble for Wallabies". rugbynews.net.au. Archived from the original on 24 October 2024.
  28. ^ Morton, Finn (25 November 2024). "What's driving Tahs tour co-captain Charlie Gamble during pre-season". RugbyPass. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024.
  29. ^ "BREAKING: Charlie Gamble re-signs for a further two seasons". waratahs.rugby. New South Wales Rugby Union. 10 May 2024. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Charlie Gamble | All Things Rugby". allthingsrugby.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025.
  31. ^ a b English, Tom (5 July 2025). "Lions toil in unimpressive win against Waratahs". BBC Sport. BBC. Archived from the original on 5 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  32. ^ a b c Ferguson, John (7 July 2025). "Lions tour Aussie takes: Gamble top tier No.7, Fin Smith rattled". RugbyPass. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  33. ^ Worthington, Sam (7 July 2025). "'Not real confidence, but there's a quiet resolve': We have good news and bad for hopeful Wallabies fans". Nine.com.au. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  34. ^ Williamson, Nathan (6 July 2025). "From delivering beers to delivering against the Lions: Charlie Gamble's wild ride into Wallabies contention". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  35. ^ Wasiliev, Nick (20 July 2025). "Tupou, Beale headline First Nations & Pasifika XV team to take on Lions". Rugby.com.au. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  36. ^ "How Rugby Connects through its Diversity of Cultures". Rugby.com.au. 25 February 2025. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025.
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