Rhys Webb facts for kids
Webb at the Wales Grand Slam celebration at the Senedd building, Cardiff, in March 2012
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| Date of birth | 9 December 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Bridgend, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Brynteg Comprehensive School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rhys Webb (born 9 December 1988) is a Welsh rugby union player. He plays as a scrum-half, which is a key position in rugby. Rhys was born in Bridgend, Wales.
He grew up playing rugby through the Ospreys academy. Before joining the main Ospreys team in 2008, he played for local clubs like Bridgend and Aberavon. He played for the Ospreys for ten years.
In 2018, Rhys moved to a French club called Toulon. However, he decided to leave Toulon in 2020 and planned to return to the Ospreys. Before rejoining the Ospreys, he played briefly for Bath Rugby.
Rhys Webb also played for Wales at different age levels, including under-16, under-18, under-19, and under-20. He also played for the Welsh international rugby sevens team. He made his debut for the senior national team in 2012. He also played for the famous British & Irish Lions team in 2017.
Rhys Webb is currently not playing rugby. He is serving a ban from the sport until June 2027.
Rhys Webb's Rugby Journey
Starting in Wales
Rhys Webb was born in Bridgend and went to Brynteg Comprehensive School. He started his rugby journey at Bridgend Athletic RFC. He also played for Bridgend and Aberavon in the Welsh Premiership. This was while he was part of the Ospreys youth teams.
He won a trophy with the Ospreys under-18s team in the 2005–06 season. He also played junior Rugby league for Bridgend Blue Bulls in 2004.
Playing for the Ospreys
Rhys made his first appearance for the senior Ospreys team in March 2008. He came on as a substitute in a game against Ulster. He got more chances to play when other scrum-halves were injured.
He eventually became the Ospreys' main scrum-half during the 2010–11 season. This happened after he played well while Mike Phillips was away playing for Wales. Rhys scored his first senior try for the Ospreys in 2011.
In March 2015, Rhys signed a special contract. This contract was between his club (Ospreys) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
Moving to France and Back
On 10 October 2017, it was announced that Rhys would leave the Ospreys. He had played for them for ten years. He moved to the French club Toulon in the Top 14 league.
In March 2018, Rhys got a knee injury. This meant he missed the rest of the season. It also brought his time with the Ospreys to an early end.
In December 2019, Rhys decided to end his contract with Toulon early. He wanted to return to the Ospreys in the summer of 2020. Before rejoining the Ospreys, he signed a short-term deal with Bath Rugby in February 2020.
In July 2023, Rhys went back to France to play for Biarritz. He played one game and scored a try. However, he later received a four-year ban from rugby union. This ban is global, meaning he cannot play anywhere. Rhys has said he will appeal this decision.
Rhys Webb's International Career
Playing for Wales Youth Teams
Rhys played for the Wales U18 team in 2005–06. He was also part of the Wales U19 team for the IRB U19 World Championships. He then joined the Wales U20 squad for the 2007–2008 RBS U20 Six Nations Championships. He scored a try in this tournament.
Playing for Wales Sevens
Rhys was part of the Wales team that won the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai. He continued to play for the national rugby sevens team in 2010.
Playing for the Senior Wales Team
In January 2012, Rhys was called into the Wales senior squad. He made his full international debut for Wales against Italy on 10 March 2012. He came on as a substitute in that game.
In 2015, Rhys got injured before the 2015 Rugby World Cup. This meant he could not play in the tournament. He was replaced by Gareth Davies.
He returned to the Wales team during the 2016 Six Nations Championship. He played very well for the Ospreys, which led to his recall. He became the first-choice scrum-half again.
Playing for the British & Irish Lions
Rhys Webb was chosen to play for the British & Irish Lions team in 2017. They went on a tour to New Zealand. He played in two of the main test matches on the tour and scored one try.
Changes to Selection Rules
After Rhys decided to move to Toulon in 2017, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) made new rules. Players based outside Wales with fewer than 60 international caps could not be chosen for the national team. Rhys had only 28 caps at the time, so this rule affected him.
This rule caused some discussion because Rhys had agreed to move to Toulon before the rule was announced. Rhys said the WRU's decision was a "blow." He played in three more international games before his injury in early 2018. This meant he could not add to his 31 caps before leaving for France.
When Rhys agreed to return to the Ospreys in December 2019, he became available for Wales again. He was named in the squad for the 2020 Six Nations Championship. He played in several matches, including his first start since 2017.
Rhys announced his retirement from international rugby on 31 May 2023.
Images for kids
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Webb at the Wales Grand Slam celebration at the Senedd building, Cardiff, in March 2012
See also
In Spanish: Rhys Webb para niños
