Date of birth | 16 November 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 118 kg (18.6 st; 260 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Belfast Royal Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Matthew Dalton (born 16 November 1998) is an Irish rugby union player. He formerly played for Newcastle Falcons (2021-23) and Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster. He plays primarily as a lock, but can also play as a flanker, and represented Malone in the All-Ireland League.
Dalton attended Belfast Royal Academy and, before committing to rugby, he excelled at association football and athletics, particularly the pentathlon. [1] He helped the school to the semi-finals of the 2016 Ulster Schools' Cup, where they lost to Royal Belfast Academical Institution, [2] as well as earning representation for Ulster at under-17, under-18 and under-18 level and Ireland at under-18, under-19 and under-20 level. [3]
Dalton made his senior competitive debut for Ulster in their 23–22 win against Italian side Benetton in round 9 of the 2017–18 Pro14 on 24 November 2017. [4] [5]
Dalton signed for the Utah Warriors ahead of the 2021 Major League Rugby season. [6]
On 22 June 2021, Dalton returns to the UK to join English side Newcastle Falcons in the Premiership Rugby on a two-year deal from the 2021-22 season. [7]
Dalton was selected for the Ireland under-20's squad for the 2018 Six Nations Under 20s Championship, [8] and made his debut for the side in their opening round 34–24 defeat against France on 2 February 2018, [9] before going on to start against Scotland [10] and England. [11] Dalton was also selected in the under-20s squad for the 2018 World Rugby Under 20 Championship, [12] starting against Georgia [13] and Scotland. [14]