Pat Richards

Pat Richards (born 27 February 1982) is a former professional rugby league footballer.

Richards played for Parramatta Eels between 2000 and 2003.

In 2001 he was unable to play in the grand final due to a broken leg.

After the 2003 season Richards moved to Wests Tigers after being told by Parramatta coach Brian Smith that he was unwanted for the next season and that he should focus on his cricketing career and forget Rugby League altogether.

An Ireland international er, he played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers, with whom he won the 2005 NRL Premiership, and the Wigan Warriors and the Catalans Dragons in the Super League, winning the 2010 and 2013 Super League Grand Finals with the former.

Richards enjoyed a successful 2005 season with the Tigers.

He scored a club record 20 tries during the season, since surpassed by Taniela Tuiaki.

Richards' drop kicks/outs and towering kick-offs were instrumental in gaining valuable field position for the team during their premiership year.

Despite suffering an ankle ligament injury the week prior, Richards was cleared to play in the 2005 NRL Grand Final against North Queensland Cowboys.

Richards' try from a Benji Marshall flick pass was a highlight of the Wests Tigers' win.

Richards later said of the painkillers required to play, "The doctor pretty much injected all over the ankle. It probably would have been about five or six and a couple in the knee. As I was running I couldn't feel anything. It was like running on memory because I couldn't feel my foot hit the ground."

In the moments after the premiership victory, Channel 9 sideline commentator Matthew Johns interviewed Richards live on national television and asked him to describe the feeling of winning a premiership.

Richards replied "Mate there was no way in the world I was going to miss this game, and I f***ing, oh sorry, it's the best feeling ever".

In the coming days, the Wests Tigers club were forced to make an apology for the inappropriate language used by some of their players.

Richards signed a two-year contract with Wigan for the 2006 and 2007 seasons in June 2005.

Speaking from Sydney on the day of his signing for Wigan, Pat Richards said, "I had three enquiries from leading Super League clubs but I feel sure that Wigan is the club for me. They are strengthening well for next year and Ian Millward is a very successful coach. I am looking forward to joining the club."

Head Coach Ian Millward also commented, "Pat is the ideal player for the modern game. He is over 6 feet tall, fields high balls very well and has a special and powerful kicking game. In keeping with the modern game he gives us cover for several positions. He also has an Irish background and he may bring a bit of the Irish luck with him."

Because of his Irish EU passport he did not count in Wigan's overseas quota.

He started his Wigan career playing in the rather than his usually position of.

He scored 12 tries and kicked 12 goals in 25 appearances during the 2006 season but there was some criticism of Wigan coach Ian Millward for playing him out of position as it was clear that Richards was not suited to playing at centre.

After Ian Millward was sacked, incoming coach Brian Noble immediately moved him to the wing, where he scored a brace of tries in a thrashing of Huddersfield Giants.

Richards never played centre again.

At the start of 2007 he was given the squad number 5 and was also promoted to first goal kicker after the other goal kickers, Michael Dobson, Danny Orr and Wayne Godwin left Wigan at the end of 2006.

Despite not previously being a regular goal kicker, Pat quickly developed the skills.

After 27 appearances in 2007 he scored 14 tries, kicked 103 goals and was Man-of-the-Match 4 times.

Mid-way through the season, Richards was moved to full back after Michael Withers' retirement.

On 21 September 2007 he kicked the vital drop goal to give Wigan a 31–30 win over Bradford Bulls.

It completed the biggest comeback in Super League history at that point (and still stands as the biggest comeback in playoff history).

In 2008, Richards was the Wigan Player of the Season scoring 19 tries and getting a total of 375 points in one season meaning he was the top points scorer in Super League that year as he was the previous year.

He also signed a new 3-year deal with Wigan mid-2008 stating he and his family were settled at the club and loved the town.

Richards made himself available for Ireland's 2008 Rugby League World Cup campaign.

In August 2008, Richards was named in the Ireland training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Ireland squad.

He featured prominently in the tournament; in Ireland's win over Samoa on 5 November, Richards scored 22 of the team's 34 points, including three tries.

Richards continued to be a stand out performer for Wigan in 2009 and was again selected to play for Ireland in the 2009 European Cup.

While in Super League, Richards won the Man of Steel award in 2010 and is the highest overseas points-scorer in the competition's history.

Born in Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia to Irish parents.

Richards attended St Therese Primary School and Westfields Sports High School.

He played junior rugby league for the Cabramatta club.

Richards was an accomplished cricketer before deciding to take up rugby league on a full time basis.

Richards' try-scoring exploits and accuracy with the boot proved vital for Wigan's push for honours in 2010.