England rugby star Courtney Lawes’ tattoo meanings and how many he has

Over the last month and a bit, Courtney Lawes has been representing England in the Rugby World Cup. The 34 year old – who when not playing for England is part of the Northampton Saints – has had quite the career in the sport.

From his humble beginnings at the club way back in 2007 to his eventual stratospheric rise to the top, it’s no surprise that Courtney – who recently met Kate Middleton while in the midst of the World Cup – has found himself in the public eye.

Thanks to social media, where he currently boasts 154K Instagram followers, it’s meant that fans have also been able to get a glimpse into Courtney’s life away from his career, too. Many fans of the star are particularly interested in his tattoo collection, which Courtney has been adding to for years.

But as well as looking cool, what do they actually stand for? Here are all the meanings behind Courtney Lawes’ tattoos…

How many tattoos does Courtney Lawes have?

At the time of writing, Courtney has 16 tattoos, as per Talk Sport.

From tributes to his parents to symbols of protection, the 34 year old rugby star has openly spoken about his decisions behind his tattoos in the past. Speaking to the publication, he revealed that he’s “always liked the way tattoos look from a very young age.”

He then shared he got his first ink on his 18th birthday, and admitted that the more he got, the more he wanted.

“I don’t have a favourite one, though. I have too many to have a favourite one. My body is covered so they all look like one piece,” he added.

What are the meanings behind Courtney Lawes’ tattoos?

Let’s analyse each tattoo:

Left arm:

Courtney has four tattoos on his left arm. He has a Koi carp, which in Japanese culture is the symbol of good fortune and luck. He also has a mask – another Japanese design – which is said to ward off bad spirits.

Elsewhere, Courtney has a Samurai tattoo. Samurais were Japanese warriors, so we can imagine that this design reflects his competitive spirit on the rugby pitch.

Courtney’s tiger represents a beast, which he also confirmed to Talk Sport.

Right arm:

On Courtney’s right arm he has a Maori design. Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand. In terms of why he chose the tattoo, the 34 year revealed that he liked the design.

He also has a sweet tribute to his parents that reads: “I owe it all to you Mum and Dad.” Pretty self explanatory, really.

Hand:

Courtney has a small tribal tattoo on his hand, plus Roman n