Jonny May

Jonny May
Clément Bucco-Lechat · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Jonny May
Birth date	1990-04-01
Birth place	Gloucester, England
Height	1.88 m
Weight	91 kg
Position	Wing
Currentclub	Leicester Tigers
Nationalteam	England national rugby union team
Repyears	2013–2022

Jonny May is an English professional rugby union player known for his pace and try-scoring ability on the wing. He has played for clubs including Gloucester Rugby, Leicester Tigers, and Leicester, and has been a regular selection for the England national rugby union team across multiple Six Nations Championships and Rugby World Cup tournaments. May emerged from the West Country rugby system and developed into one of England's most prolific finishers, appearing in domestic finals and international test matches.

Early life and education

May was born in Gloucester and raised in the South West of England near Cheltenham. He attended Pate's Grammar School, where he played schoolboy rugby and participated in regional age-group competitions linked to Gloucestershire County RFU pathways. As a youth he represented clubs in the Gloucester Rugby academy structure and featured in age-grade fixtures against opponents from Bath Rugby, Worcester Warriors, and Exeter Chiefs. May combined his early rugby development with studies and regional trials influenced by scouts from the RFU and selectors involved with England Under-20s programmes.

Club career

May progressed through the Gloucester system and made his senior debut for Gloucester Rugby in the Premiership Rugby context, competing against clubs such as Saracens F.C., Wasps RFC, and Northampton Saints. He subsequently joined Leicester Tigers, where he featured in high-profile fixtures including meetings with Harlequin F.C., Sale Sharks, and Bath Rugby. Across his club career May played in domestic cup competitions tied to the Anglo-Welsh Cup and European contests managed by European Professional Club Rugby against opponents like Munster Rugby, Leinster Rugby, and RC Toulon. His club form saw him selected for marquee rounds of the Premiership Rugby season and he contributed tries in derbies versus Bristol Bears and televised encounters with Glasgow Warriors and Ospreys. May's performances in club play attracted attention from national selectors during campaigns involving fixture lists coordinated with the Six Nations Championship and combined club-international player release windows overseen by the Rugby Football Union.

International career

May earned his first call-ups for England under the management of coaches connected to the England national rugby union team staff and made test appearances during seasons featuring tours to nations like Argentina and South Africa. He became a fixture in England squads for the Six Nations Championship, contributing tries in matches versus Scotland national rugby union team, Wales national rugby union team, and Ireland national rugby union team. May was selected for Rugby World Cup squads managed by coaches competing in tournaments staged in host nations such as Japan and France, playing against sides including Australia national rugby union team, New Zealand national rugby union team, and South Africa national rugby union team. On international tours May scored tries in tests against tier-one and tier-two nations, facing opponents from Fiji national rugby union team and Samoa national rugby union team. His international tenure included participation in autumn internationals against touring teams such as Argentina national rugby union team and invitational matches connected to the British and Irish Lions cycle.

Playing style and reception

May is widely recognized for his top-end speed and finishing ability, traits compared in commentary to sprinters and leading wings who played for clubs like Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers. Analysts and former internationals from teams such as England national rugby union team and Ireland national rugby union team have noted his acceleration and positional awareness when finishing wide attacks created by clubs or national setups influenced by strategies from coaches associated with Saracens F.C. and Munster Rugby. Pundits writing for outlets that cover Premiership Rugby and international test series have praised his defensive work-rate and try conversion metrics in comparison to contemporaries who played for Harlequin F.C. and Bath Rugby. Critics have also discussed aspects of his game in relation to high-performance data gathered in matches against Leinster Rugby and Toulon.

Personal life

May has family ties to the Gloucester area and has appeared in community events alongside organisations such as Leicester Tigers Community programmes and charitable initiatives connected to the Rugby Football Union. He has been involved in public-facing campaigns linked to player welfare and grassroots development, appearing at school visits and club outreach projects in partnership with regional rugby bodies like Gloucestershire County RFU and institutions similar to Pate's Grammar School. Off the field May has engaged with media outlets covering Premiership Rugby and has participated in interviews during international windows coordinated with the England national rugby union team press operations.

Career statistics and honours

Over his career May accumulated double-figure try tallies in both Premiership Rugby seasons and international campaigns, scoring in landmark fixtures such as derby matches against Bath Rugby and tests against Scotland national rugby union team. He featured in cup and league finals involving clubs like Leicester Tigers and Gloucester Rugby and received selections for squads competing in Six Nations Championship tournaments and Rugby World Cup events. Individual honours included try-scoring accolades and recognition on international tours overseen by the Rugby Football Union and selection panels associated with the England national rugby union team.

Category:1980s births Category:Living people Category:English rugby union players Category:People from Gloucester