Introduction
Ed Craig (born 20 July 1996, age 23, weight 113kg) is an Australian rugby union player who has played for Australian Schoolboys and Australian Under 20’s. He plays hooker for Eastwood Rugby Club's first grade side in Sydney's Shute Shield competition and for Sydney in the National Rugby Championship (NRC). In February 2020 Craig got his first Super Rugby call-up with the Queensland Reds, as a replacement for injured Reds and Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
Early life and junior rugby
Ed Craig (Edward James Craig) was born in Sydney, Australia, and grew up in the suburb of Eastwood. He played his junior club rugby at the local Hillview Rugby Club (now Central Eastwood), junior rep rugby with Eastwood Rugby Club and school rugby with Epping Boys High School (EBHS).
In his younger years Craig played flanker, before switching to hooker in his mid teens.
He was a member of the Epping Boys High School 1st XV in 2012, 2013 (v-captain) and 2014 (captain).
In 2013 he was chosen in the Combined High Schools (CHS) 1st XV and selected for the Combined States team in the 2013 Australian Schoolboy Rugby Championships, aged 17.
In 2014, Craig was captain of the CHS 1st XVand selected for the NSW 1st XVwhich went on to win the national title at the Australian Schoolboy Rugby Championships that year. From there he was selected for the Australian Schoolboys side that toured NZ in 2014and was starting hooker in the two Tests played against the Fijian Schoolboy and NZ Schoolboy sides. Craig was awarded the Volvo Australian Schools Rugby Scholarshipin 2014, along with Australian Schoolboys teammate Hugh Summerhayes. Craig is an Associate Member of Australian Schools Rugby.
Rugby career
Craig was part of the NSW Waratahs Gen Blue squadin 2015and 2016, and played for NSW in the Australian Super Under 20s Championship in both years.
In 2016, he was called into the Australian Under 20’s side for the World Rugby U20's Championships in Manchester, England, where he played in Tests against Scotland and NZ.
Craig has played all of his club rugby in colts and grade for Eastwood in the Shute Shield competition in Sydney. He started playing in Eastwood colts 1st XV while still at school in 2014, and again in 2015, and then moved into Grade at the age of 20. He initially played in both 1st and 2nd Grade behind Eastwood’s two contracted Waratah Super Rugby hookers Hugh Roach and Damien Fitzpatrick in 2016, 2017and 2018.
In 2019 Craig played every gamefor Eastwood’s 1st Grade side, coming second in the Shute Shield Club Championshipand losing to Warringah in the semi-final. Craig was named Eastwood Rugby Club’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ in 2017, played in the Shute Shield second grade Grand Finalin 2018, and named in Eastwood's 'All Stars' teamin 2018. By the end of round 6 in 2019, he had made the sixth most tackles (71) of any player in the Shute Shield competition.
His was selected for the Greater Sydney Ramsin the National Rugby Competition (NRC) in 2017and the new Sydney NRC team in 2019.His performance in the 2019 NRC competition was featured on the Waratahs news feed at the end of round 6, highlighting 2 tries, 66 tackles (4th highest for any player), 6 turnovers, 30 carries, 3 clean breaks and a 90% success rate in lineouts. Craig has played in 52 first grade games for Eastwood (at end 2019 season) scoring 14 tries (70 points). A showreel of 2019 season highlights on YouTube.
In February 2020 Craig got his first Super Rugby call-up to the Queensland Reds, as replacement for injured Reds and Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
Outside rugby
Craig has a Bachelor of Education (Health and Physical Education) from the University of Sydney. He teaches Christian Studies and PDHPE at Sydney's Barker College, a co-ed secondary Combined Associated School (CAS), and coaches junior rugby at the school.