Josh Charnley
Joshua Charnley (born 26 June 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League. He previously played for the Warrington Wolves and the Wigan Warriors, with whom he won the 2013 and 2016 Super League Grand Finals, and was on loan from Wigan at Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League. At international level, he played for the England Knights in 2011 and won 8 caps for England between 2012 and 2014. Charnley also played rugby union for the Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership from 2016 to 2018.
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| Full name | Joshua Charnley[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 June 1991[2] Chorley, Lancashire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 3 lb (103 kg)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Wing, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre, Wing[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 30 August 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Joshua Charnley (born 26 June 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League.
He previously played for the Warrington Wolves and the Wigan Warriors, with whom he won the 2013 and 2016 Super League Grand Finals, and was on loan from Wigan at Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League.[5] At international level, he played for the England Knights in 2011 and won 8 caps for England between 2012 and 2014.
Charnley also played rugby union for the Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership from 2016 to 2018.
Club career
[edit]Academy
[edit]Charnley made numerous appearances for the Under 20s in 2010 before joining Blackpool Panthers on dual registration and then Hull Kingston Rovers on loan. He was a player around the fringes of a first team opportunity at Wigan before the possibility came to join Hull Kingston Rovers for a month. Injuries meant he was given the chance to play first team rugby by Hull KR coach Justin Morgan, making his Super League debut. Charnley showed great promise on his debut for Hull KR against Leeds Rhinos and picked up the club man of the match award. He scored five tries in five appearances,[6] including a hat-trick in a home win over Castleford Tigers, and the opening try in the derby clash with Hull FC.
Wigan Warriors
[edit]Charnley made his first team debut for Wigan at Craven Park against Hull Kingston Rovers in August where he scored a try off the bench.
He played on the wing in the 2011 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds side at Wembley Stadium. Charnley scored the first try, and broke a bone in his hand in his side's victory over Leeds.[7][8]
In the 2012 Super League season he scored 31 tries to help Wigan to the League Leaders' Shield. This put Charnley in third place in the all-time top try scorers in a regular season in the summer era as only Lesley Vainikolo (36 tries) and Danny McGuire (35 tries), both in 2004, have scored more tries in a Super League regular season.
Charnley then went onto an even better 2013 season helping Wigan to the double (Challenge Cup winners and Super League champions) scoring a record-breaking 43 tries ranking him first. He played in the 2013 Challenge Cup Final victory over Hull F.C. at Wembley Stadium.[9][10][11] He played in the 2013 Super League Grand Final victory over the Warrington Wolves at Old Trafford.[12][13][14][15][16]
Although the game ended in a 36–14 defeat for Wigan, Charnley scored two tries in the 2014 World Club Challenge against NRL champions the Sydney Roosters. On 18 June 2014, he scored five tries in a 48–4 victory over Widnes Vikings. Despite missing two months of action due to a knee injury, Charnley still scored at a rate of over a try a game with 23 tries in 21 games in the 2014 season.
He played in the 2014 Super League Grand Final defeat by St Helens at Old Trafford.[17][18][19] During the 2016 season, it was announced that Charnley would switch codes to join Sale Sharks at the end of the 2016 Super League season. Charnley signed off in style as he scored the winning try in the 2016 Super League Grand Final against Warrington, chasing and touching down a beautifully weighted kick from Dan Sarginson at Old Trafford.[20]
Sale Sharks
[edit]On 30 March 2016, Charnley made the cross-code switch to rugby union with Manchester-based Sale Sharks, who compete in the Aviva Premiership, for the 2016–17 season.[21] Charnley was not able to repeat his scoring success in rugby union, bagging four tries in 32 games. Charnley then returned to rugby league for the 2018 summer season, his last game in rugby union coming against London Irish in February.
Warrington Wolves
[edit]Charnley returned to rugby league for the 2018 season with Super League club, Warrington Wolves. He played in the 2018 Challenge Cup Final defeat by the Catalans Dragons at Wembley Stadium[22] and the Super League Grand Final defeat by the Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford.[23]
In his second season with the Wolves, Charnley played in the 2019 Challenge Cup Final victory over St. Helens at Wembley Stadium.[24]
Leigh Leopards
[edit]On 25 June 2022, Charnley signed an initial loan deal with Championship side Leigh with a permanent contract starting in 2023. On 10 July 2022, Charnley made his debut for Leigh, scoring a try during a 66–0 victory over Workington Town.[25] On 28 August 2022, Charnley scored two tries for Leigh in a 42–4 victory over Widnes.[26] In round 3 of the 2023 Super League season, Charnley scored two tries including the winner as Leigh earned their first win back in the top flight defeating Hull Kingston Rovers 30-25.[27] In round 6, Charnley scored a hat-trick as Leigh defeated Hull F.C. 24-16.[28] On 12 August 2023, Charnley played for Leigh in their 17-16 Challenge Cup final victory over Hull Kingston Rovers.[29] Charnley played 26 games for Leigh in the 2023 Super League season and scored 27 tries as the club finished fifth on the table and qualified for the playoffs. He played in their elimination playoff loss against Hull Kington Rovers.[30] In May 2024, he scored his 300th career try in a win against Salford Red Devils.[31] Charnley played 25 games for Leigh in the 2024 Super League season which saw the club finish fifth on the table. He played in the clubs semi-final loss to Wigan.[32]
International career
[edit]Charnley made his representative debut for the England Knights in a friendly against France in 2011, scoring two tries and kicking four goals from six kicks.[33] He went on to make another scoring appearance against Cumbria one week later.[34]
Charnley made his senior international debut for England against Wales in the 2012 Autumn International Series, scoring four tries in his first appearance for England.[35] He represented England in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, scoring a try against Australia in the tournament's opening fixture,[36] and a brace against France in the quarter-final.[37] During the 2014 Four Nations, he scored a try in the loss to New Zealand.[38]
Honours
[edit]Grand Final: 3
Super League Top Try Scorer: 2
- 261 (20.04.2026 )
He is Joint 22 ( shaun Edwards ) all time on 327
References
[edit]- ^ Josh Charnley at ESPNscrum (archived)
- ^ a b c "Josh Charnley Wigan Warriors". superleague.co.uk. Rugby Football League. 2015. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
- ^ "Sam Burgess v Tom Johnson in A-League". ESPN. 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- ^ "Player Summary: Josh Charnley". Rugby League Records. Rugby League Record Keepers Club. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
- ^ "Josh Charnley recalled by Wigan from Hull KR loan spell". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ Scott, Ged (27 August 2011). "Leeds 18-28 Wigan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- ^ Wilson, Andy (27 August 2011). "Leeds Rhinos 18-28 Wigan Warriors – Challenge Cup final match report". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Hull FC 0-16 Wigan Warriors". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors overcome Hull FC and elements to win Challenge Cup". The Guardian. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Wigan Warriors grind out victory over Hull". Sky Sports. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Super League Grand Final". Super League. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
- ^ Newsum, Matt (5 October 2013). "Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors beat Warrington". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Super League Grand Final: Warrington v Wigan". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Warrington Wolves 16 Wigan Warriors 30". The Daily Telegraph. London. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "Wigan see off Warrington in X-rated Grand Final to complete double". The Guardian. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ^ "St Helens 14 Wigan Warriors 6: Moment of madness from Wales international Ben Flower costs Wigan dear". The Daily Telegraph. London. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "St Helens win Grand Final after Wigan's Ben Flower is sent off". The Guardian. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "St Helens 14–6 Wigan Warriors". BBC Sport. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "Warrington 6-12 Wigan: Super League Grand Final – as it happened!". The Guardian. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ "Sale Sharks sign Wigan Warriors star Josh Charnley". Manchester Evening News. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
- ^ "Catalans Dragons beat Warrington in Challenge Cup final to make history". The Guardian. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ "Super League Grand Final 2018: Wigan 12-4 Warrington – as it happened". The Guardian. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
- ^ "St Helens 4-18 Warrington RESULT: Challenge Cup Final as it happened from Wembley". Mirror. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
- ^ "Josh Charnley makes immediate switch to Leigh". loverugbyleague.com.
- ^ "Championship RL results and round-up: Leigh Centurions take huge step towards Super League as Halifax Panthers batter Bradford Bulls". seriousaboutrl.com.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards beat Hull KR for first Super League win". www.leighjournal.co.uk. 4 March 2023.
- ^ "Super League: Hull FC 16-24 Leigh - Josh Charnley runs in hat-trick as Leopards win again". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Challenge Cup final: Hull KR 16-17 Leigh Leopards - Leigh claim first Wembley final win in 52 years". BBC Sport.
- ^ "Leigh Leopards 2023 season in review". www.leighleopards.co.uk. 16 February 2024.
- ^ "Two-try Josh Charnley fires Leigh's play-off ambitions". Leigh Journal. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Super League semi-finals: Wigan Warriors cruise past Leigh Leopards- live commentary and video clips". www.skysports.com.
- ^ "England Knights 38 France 18". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "Cumbria 12-26 England Knights". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "Autumn International Series: England thrash Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "England Lose World Cup Opener". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "England reach semi-finals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "New Zealand edge England to cement final spot". Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 July 2023.