James Lowe (rugby union)

James Francis Rawiri Lowe (born 8 July 1992) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Leinster. Born in New Zealand, he represents Ireland at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.

Early career
Born and raised in the city of Nelson on New Zealand's South Island, Lowe is of Māori and English descent and affiliates to the Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Te Rangi iwi. Lowe attended high school at Nelson College where in addition to playing rugby, he was a junior and senior schools athletics champion and also represented New Zealand Under-15s at basketball. After leaving high school, he began playing local club rugby with the Waimea Old Boys club.

New Zealand
Lowe debuted for his local province, the Tasman Mako, as a 20 year old in 2012, scoring 2 tries in 6 matches as the men from Nelson reached the Championship semi finals. He was firmly established as a regular in the side for Tasman during their Championship winning year in 2013. He contributed 6 tries in 11 appearances as the Mako narrowly saw off, 26–25 in the final to clinch promotion for the 2014 New Zealand domestic season.

He continued his excellent performances in the ITM Cup Premiership, playing all 12 of Tasman's games during the 2014 season as they reached the Premiership final before losing 36–32 to in the final, with Lowe netting an impressive 8 tries during the campaign. 2015 was not so kind to him as injury forced him to miss the entire national provincial championship season, but he bounced back in 2016, playing 6 times and scoring 1 try as the Mako once again reached the Premiership final, before this time succumbing to local rivals,, 43–27.

Strong domestic performances during the 2012 and 2013 seasons saw Lowe land a Super Rugby contract with Hamilton-based franchise, the Chiefs, ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season. He made his Super Rugby debut by coming on as a substitute in the Chiefs' first match of the season against the in Christchurch. With the Chiefs leading 11–10, but the Crusaders on the attack, he scored an intercept try from within his own 22 to help inspire his side to an 18–10 victory. In total he played 10 times and scored 2 tries in his first season in Hamilton as the defending champions were eliminated at the quarter-final stage.

2015 saw him return stronger from Tasman's excellent domestic campaign and he went on to start 12 games for the Chiefs, score 5 tries and also net himself 3 yellow cards. The Chiefs were once again eliminated in the quarter-finals in 2015, but went one step further in 2016, reaching the semi-finals before going down to New Zealand rivals and eventual winners, the. Lowe started 15 times and scored a career high 7 tries to firmly establish himself as a fans-favourite.

Leinster
On 6 March 2017, Lowe signed for Irish province Leinster in the Pro14 ahead of the 2017–18 season. Despite arriving late in the season due to commitments with Tasman, he quickly established himself as a fans' favourite scoring 10 tries and beating 41 defenders. He scored a try in the quarter finals of the Champions cup, seeing off the reigning champions Saracens. Lowe achieved winners' medals in both the European Champions Cup and Pro14 in his first season.

In June 2020, he signed a new three-year contract with Leinster covering the 2021–22 through 2022–23 seasons. Lowe was selected in Leinster's defeat to La Rochelle in the 2023 European Rugby Champions Cup final.

Māori All Blacks
Lowe represented New Zealand Schools in 2010 and was part of the successful side which defeated Australia.

Of Māori descent, Lowe affiliates to the Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Te Rangi iwi. He gained selection for the Māori All Blacks in 2014 and 2016 with his debut coming in a 61–21 win against in Kobe on 1 November 2014, he scored his side's eighth and final try in the 76th minute of the match and also played in the 20–18 victory over the same opposition in Tokyo the following week. Injury prevented him from appearing for the Māori in 2015, but he made the squad again for the 2016 tour, scoring 5 tries in 3 appearances against the, Munster and Harlequins. He played his final game for the Māori All Blacks on 17 June 2017 against the British & Irish Lions at Rotorua International Stadium.

Ireland
Lowe became eligible to play for Ireland in November 2020 due to the then 3-year residency rule. He made his Ireland debut on 13 November 2020 in a 32-9 victory over Wales in the Autumn Nations Cup, scoring a try in the final minute. He was selected for the 2021 Six Nations and started against Wales. In March 2023, Lowe was part of the Ireland Squad to win the Grand Slam, only the fourth time in history that Ireland had won.

Honours

 * Tasman
 * 1× Mitre 10 Cup Championship: 2013


 * Leinster
 * 4× Pro14: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
 * 1× European Rugby Champions Cup: 2018


 * Individual
 * 1× Pro14 Dream Team: 2018
 * 1× European Rugby Champions Cup try scoring leader: 2022
 * 2x Six Nations Team of the Championship: 2023, 2024


 * Ireland
 * 2× Six Nations Championship: 2023, 2024
 * 1× Grand Slam: 2023
 * 2× Triple Crown: 2022, 2023
 * 4× Centenary Quaich: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
 * 2× Millennium Trophy: 2022, 2023