 Owen takes a line-out | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 7 November 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of birth | Pontypridd, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.97 m (6 ft 5+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 109 kg (17.2 st) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Bryn Celynnog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University of Glamorgan (now the University of South Wales) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michael Owen (born 7 November 1980 in Pontypridd), is a former Welsh international rugby union player, who most often played Number 8, but was also versatile enough to play flanker or even lock. His ball handling was arguably his greatest asset.
Having been educated at Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School in Beddau, [1] Owen played for Pontypridd RFC from 1999 until in 2003 the side merged with Bridgend RFC to form the ill-fated Celtic Warriors and then played for the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Celtic League from 2003 until 2008.
Owen joined Guinness Premiership side Saracens for the 2008/2009 season after signing a two-year deal with the club. [2] [3]
Owen became the 1,000th player capped by Wales when he made his debut in the first Test against South Africa in June 2002.
He took over from the injured Gareth Thomas as Wales captain during the 2005 Six Nations, and became the 122nd Captain of his country when he led Wales out against Scotland and led Wales to its first Grand Slam in 27 years.
Owen was selected for the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 New Zealand tour. On 23 May in Cardiff, he had the honour of captaining the side for their match at Millennium Stadium against Argentina, the first Lions Test match to take place outside of the touring country. He temporarily returned home for the birth of his second child.
| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Scotland | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2003 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches | 30 August 2003 | Win |
| 2 |  Fiji | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2005 Autumn Internationals | 11 November 2005 | Win |
In July 2010, Owen announced his retirement from the game at 29 due to a persistent knee problem and embarked on a two-year master's degree course in Business at the University of Hertfordshire. [4]
In March 2010 he began coaching at Hertford RFC, helping them to gain National 2 league status for the 2011/12 season.
Owen was a co-commentator for ITV's coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
From September 2013 Owen took up the position of Director of Rugby at Haileybury College. [5]
Newport Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based in the city of Newport, Wales. They presently play in the Welsh Premier Division. Until 2021 Newport RFC were based at Rodney Parade situated on the east bank of the River Usk.
The Celtic Warriors were a rugby union team from Wales, who played in the 2003–04 Celtic League and the 2003–04 Heineken Cup following the introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales. They were effectively a temporary merger of Pontypridd RFC and Bridgend RFC. The Celtic Warriors played just one season before disbanding.
Dragons RFC are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup/European Rugby Challenge Cup. The region they represent covers an area of southeast Wales including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen with a total population approaching 600,000 and they are affiliated with a number of semi-professional and amateur clubs throughout the area, including Pontypool RFC, Caerphilly RFC, Cross Keys RFC, Ebbw Vale RFC and Newport RFC.
Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh former professional rugby union player, who played as a fly-half, fullback and inside centre.
Gethin Jenkins is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a prop for Pontypridd, Celtic Warriors, Cardiff Blues and Toulon. At international level, he won 129 caps for Wales. On his 105th appearance in 2014, he became Wales' most-capped player, overtaking the record held by Stephen Jones; having earned his final cap in November 2016, his record was surpassed by Alun Wyn Jones in September 2019. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams. He also won five caps for the British & Irish Lions on three tours in 2005, 2009 and 2013. He is the sixth most-capped player in rugby union history and the second most-capped front-row forward.
Ryan Paul Jones is a Wales former international rugby union player who played at number eight, blindside flanker or second row. He was involved in three Grand Slam wins, in 2005, as captain in 2008, and 2012. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, J.P.R. Williams, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones.
Kevin Andrew Morgan is a Welsh former rugby union player. He won 48 caps for Wales, mainly at full back but also on the wing.
Ceri Sweeney is a rugby union footballer who plays at fly-half for Pontypridd RFC and Wales.
Matthew Rees is a Welsh former professional rugby union footballer who played as a hooker. After beginning his career with Tonyrefail RFC and Merthyr RFC, he made his professional debut for Pontypridd RFC in 2001. With the arrival of regional rugby in Wales in 2003, he joined the Celtic Warriors, but their closure a year later led to him signing for the Llanelli Scarlets. He played more than 180 matches for the Scarlets, captaining them on several occasions, leading to his first Wales call-up in 2005.
Gareth Wyatt is a Welsh rugby union player who has won two caps for the Wales national rugby union team.
Aled Brew is a former Wales international rugby union player who played as a winger. He made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team against Ireland in the 2007 Six Nations Championship. In his career, as well as playing for Biarritz Olympique and Bath Rugby, he is one of only a handful of players to have played for all four top-level regional teams in Wales.
Richard David Parks is a former Wales international rugby union player turned extreme endurance athlete and television presenter.
Paul Turner is a former Wales international rugby union player and the former head coach of Welsh regional side Newport Gwent Dragons.
Nathan Brew is a former Welsh international rugby union player. Brew played in the centre and on the wing.
Jonathan 'Jon' Bryant is a former Wales Rugby union international. His previous clubs include Pontypridd RFC, Celtic Warriors, Newport Gwent Dragons and Sale Sharks. Formerly the player/manager of Merthyr RFC and head coach of Barry RFC.
Richard Fussell is a former professional Welsh rugby union winger. During his career, he represented Pontypridd RFC, Newport Gwent Dragons, and the Ospreys.
Jason Tovey is a retired Welsh rugby union player who played at fly-half. He has represented the Wales under-20.
Robert Lewis is a Welsh rugby union player. Lewis primarily played for Newport Gwent Dragons, London Welsh RFC, and Birmingham Moseley. Lewis represented Wales at grade age levels, as well as in rugby sevens.
Welsh regional rugby is the top tier of professional Welsh club rugby and is composed of the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons which compete in the United Rugby Championship.
Alex Jeffries is a Welsh former professional rugby union player who played as a prop. He retired from rugby due to a neck injury in April 2023.
| Forwards | |
|---|---|
| Backs | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
