Scott Gibbs facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Ian Scott Gibbs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 23 January 1971 Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales |
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Playing information
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| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 15 st 7 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union
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| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league
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Ian Scott Gibbs (born January 23, 1971) is a famous Welsh former rugby footballer. He played both rugby union and rugby league, which is quite special! Scott was known for being a very strong and tough player. He represented Wales and the Lions in rugby union. He also played for Wales and Great Britain in rugby league.
Some of his most famous moments include his amazing performance during the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa. He was even named "Player of the Series" on that tour. Another big moment was scoring a fantastic try in the final minutes of a match against England in the 1999 Five Nations tournament.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Beginnings
Scott Gibbs was born in Bridgend, a town in Glamorgan, Wales. He started his rugby journey at a local club called Pencoed RFC. There, he played through the younger teams before moving on to bigger clubs.
Starting in Rugby Union
Scott's professional rugby career began at Bridgend RFC in the 1990-1991 season. After a short time at Neath RFC, he made his first appearance for the Welsh national team in 1991. This was a big step for him.
In January 1992, he joined Swansea RFC. He scored a try in his very first game for Swansea. That season, he helped Swansea reach the cup final, where they played against Llanelli RFC.
British Lions Debut
Even though he was only 22 years old, Scott was chosen for the British Lions tour to New Zealand in 1993. This was a huge honor for such a young player. He played so well that he was picked for important matches, even over more experienced players.
Switch to Rugby League
In 1994, Scott Gibbs decided to try a different type of rugby. He moved from rugby union to rugby league, joining the team St. Helens.
Success in Rugby League
While playing rugby league, Scott was chosen to play for the Welsh national team in the 1995 World Cup. He also helped St. Helens win some major trophies. In 1996, his team won the Challenge Cup and the first-ever Super League title. He played as a centre in the Challenge Cup final, helping St. Helens beat Bradford Bulls.
Return to Rugby Union
Scott returned to rugby union in 1996. He became known for his incredibly strong tackles. People even nicknamed him "Car Crash" because of how powerful his tackles were! He was considered one of the toughest tacklers in the world.
Heroics with the British Lions
In 1997, Scott was a very important player for the British Lions team that toured South Africa. The South African team, called the Springboks, were world champions at the time. Many people expected them to win the series easily.
However, the Lions played incredibly well, especially in defense. Scott Gibbs was at the heart of this strong defense, making many powerful tackles. The Lions surprised everyone by winning the series 2-1. Scott's amazing performance earned him the "Player of the Series" award.
The Famous 1999 Try
In 1999, Scott Gibbs scored one of the most memorable tries in Welsh rugby history. It happened in the very last Five Nations match ever played, against England at Wembley. England was trying to win the "Grand Slam," which means winning all their games in the tournament.
With only three minutes left, England was ahead by 6 points. It looked like they had won. But in the final moments, Wales had one last chance. Scott Gibbs received the ball and broke through England's defense. He ran past several defenders and scored a try right at the end of the game!
After Neil Jenkins kicked the conversion, Wales won the match 32-31. This amazing win stopped England from getting their Grand Slam and meant that Scotland won the Five Nations Championship that year instead. Scott later said that this famous play was inspired by a move he learned from his rugby league teammate, Bobbie Goulding.
In 2001, Scott was called up to join the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. Even though he didn't play in the main test matches, it showed how highly he was still regarded.
Life After Rugby
Scott Gibbs stopped playing rugby professionally in 2004 when he was 33 years old. After retiring, he started working for the BBC, helping to cover rugby union matches. He also coaches a rugby team called the Pirates in Muscat, Oman.
Today, Scott Gibbs lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
