- Jonny Wilkinson
Jonathan Peter "Jonny" Wilkinson OBE (born 25 May 1979 in Frimley, Surrey) is an English rugby union player and member of the England rugby union team. From 2001-2003, before and during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, Wilkinson rose to fame for being one of the world’s best rugby players. He was an integral member of the 2003 Rugby World Cup winning England squad, scoring the winning drop goal in the last minute of extra time against Australia.
- Brian O'Driscoll
Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland national rugby union team, and was captain of the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand. After leading Ireland to the 2007 RBS Six Nations Triple Crown success, he was voted player of the tournament, exactly the same as 2006. Registered at Blackrock College RFC, he plays at outside for the Irish provincial team Leinster.
- Shane Williams
Shane Mark Williams (born 26 February 1977 in Swansea) is a Welsh rugby union footballer who plays as a winger for the Ospreys club and Wales but who can also play scrum-half.
- Gavin Henson
Gavin Lloyd Henson (born February 1, 1982 in Bridgend) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for the Ospreys regional side in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup, and the national team. He attracted much media attention in the 2004-2005 rugby season, in which he was part of a Wales team which achieved a long-sought Grand Slam in the Six Nations Championship. He has also played for the British and Irish Lions, touring in 2005 to New Zealand.
- Gareth Thomas
Gareth "Alfie" Thomas (born 25 July 1974, Sarn nr. Bridgend) is a Welsh rugby union player who currently plays at fullback, wing or centre for Stade Toulousain and mainly as a fullback for Wales. On 26 May 2007, he surpassed Gareth Llewellyn as the most-capped Wales player with his 93rd appearance. He also holds the record for most tries for Wales, with 38. Despite his undoubted skill on the field, Thomas has a reputation for being unpredictable, …
- Josh Lewsey
Owen Joshua Lewsey MBE (born 30 November 1976) is an English rugby union footballer who plays fullback, wing or centre for Wasps and England. Lewsey was born in Bromley in Kent and grew up in Watford in Hertfordshire, where he attended Watford Grammar School for Boys. He played for the Amersham and Chiltern Rugby Football Club. He joined Wasps at eighteen and played for their Colts side and was under-21 captain.
- Shane Horgan
Shane Patrick Horgan (born 18 July, 1978 in Bellewstown near Drogheda), County Meath is a rugby union player who plays wing or centre for Leinster and Ireland. He is 6'4", tall for a winger, and imposing for any opposing wingers. Horgan joined the Lansdowne Club in Dublin on leaving school in 1997, making his debut for Leinster in 1998. To date has played for the province 52 times in the Heineken Cup scoring 18 tries and a drop goal for a combined total of 93 points.
- Iain Balshaw
Iain Robert Balshaw MBE (born April 14, 1979 in Blackburn) is a rugby union footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Gloucester. Balshaw was educated at the Jesuit Stonyhurst College, at junior level he played for Preston Grasshoppers and joined Bath as a teenager in 1997. He made his senior debut in 1998, scoring thirteen tries in his first season. Balshaw burst on to the international scene in 2000, …
- Gareth Jenkins
Gareth Jenkins (born 11 September 1951) is the current head coach of Welsh national rugby union team. Jenkins played as a flanker for Llanelli RFC, Wales B side and the Barbarians. Jenkins also toured Japan with the Welsh national team in 1975, but was not capped. Jenkins coached both Llanelli RFC and the Llanelli Scarlets region from its inception until 2006 when he accepted the position as the coach for the Welsh national team.
- Mike Ruddock
Mike Ruddock, OBE (born 5 September 1959 in Blaina) was the coach of the Welsh national rugby union team from 2004 until February 2006. Ruddock played in the back row for Blaina, Tredegar and Swansea, making 119 appearances for Swansea and scoring 43 tries. He also played for Wales under-16s and Wales B, but his playing days were ended prematurely by an accident at work in 1985. Working as an electricity linesman he fell from a pole, …
- Peter Stringer
Peter Alexander Stringer (born 13 December 1977) is an Irish rugby union footballer who plays at scrum half for Munster and Ireland. He is one of the most recognisable players in world rugby as Stringer is one of the smallest players at 5 ft 7 inches (170 cm) tall and weighing in at just over 70kgs (152lbs). In February 2000, he made his debut for Ireland against Scotland in the Six Nations Championship.
- Joe Worsley
Joseph Paul Richard Worsley MBE (born 14 June 1977 in London) is a rugby union player who plays flanker for Wasps and England. He was educated at Hitchin Boys' School and Brunel University and joined London Wasps at the age of 16 from Welwyn rfc. He became the youngest player to represent England U21s, after being a member of the England Schools 18 Group Grand Slam team in 1994-95.
- Tom Rees
Thomas Rees (born 11 September 1984 in London) to John and Liz Rees and older brother of Daniel and David Rees. Thomas is a rugby union footballer who plays flanker for London Wasps and has represented England at U16, U18, U19, U21 and sevens. Rees started rugby at Harriet Costello Secondary School in 1996 where he got introduced to rugby, he also joined the youth team at Basingstoke RFC the following year. Under the guidance of Andy Bloodworth and Dave Luff, …
- Tom Shanklin
Tomos George L. Shanklin (born 24 November 1979 in Harrow) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays at Outside Centre for Cardiff Blues and Wales. Shanklin is the son of Jim Shanklin who won four caps for Wales. He played club rugby for London Welsh and then Saracens before joining Cardiff Blues in 2003. He played for Wales at Under 19, Under 21 and Wales A levels and made his first international appearance for the senior side against Japan in Tokyo in the summer of 2001, …
- Simon Easterby
Simon Easterby (born on July 21, 1975, Harrogate, North Yorkshire) is a rugby union player for Llanelli Scarlets, whom he captains, and Ireland. He plays at blindside. His father is English and his mother Irish. He is the brother of Brother Easterby, also an Ireland international. He was educated at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire.
- Ben Cohen
Ben Christopher Cohen MBE (born on the 14 September 1978 in Northampton) is a rugby union footballer who plays wing for Northampton Saints and England. Cohen is the 10th-highest point scorer in England Rugby History and second only to Rory Underwood in the list of all time England try scorers. Though his surname is typically Jewish, Cohen only has distant Jewish ancestry. “My family’s not Jewish,” he said in an interview on his official website, …
- Fabien Pelous
Fabien Pelous is a French rugby union footballer. He plays lock for Stade Toulousain and France. Pelous was born in Toulouse and, son of a family of local farmers, grew up and was introduced to rugby in Saverdun. He made his test debut in 1995 against Romania and has since won over 100 caps. Pelous has proved himself an inspirational captain for France since succeeding Fabien Galthié ahead of the 2004 RBS 6 Nations.
- Damien Traille
Damien Traille (born 12 June, 1979 in Pau, France) is a French rugby union footballer. His usual position is in the centres or at fly-half. He currently plays for Biarritz Olympique in the Top 14 club competition in France. Traille has played for France, including at the 2003 Rugby World Cup as well as France's Six Nations victories in 2002, 2004 and 2006. He played for Section Paloise from the late 1990s through to 2004, when he moved to his current club, Biarritz.
- Mike Phillips
Michael Phillips (born 29 August 1982 in Carmarthen) is a rugby union footballer who plays for Cardiff Blues and has represented Wales.
- Sergio Parisse
Sergio Parisse (13 September 1983, in La Plata, Argentina) is an Italo-Argentine rugby union footballer. His father, Sergio senior, was a winger for L'Aquila Rugby before moving to La Plata in Argentina, where Sergio junior was born. The young Parisse was handed a baptism of fire when he made his Italy debut in a 64-10 thrashing by New Zealand in 2002 but the number eight quickly established himself as one of Italy's key players.
- Christophe Dominici
Christophe Dominici is an French rugby union footballer. He plays wing for Stade Français and France. Born in Toulon, Dominici burst onto the international scene in 1998 with a try-scoring debut against England. The following year, he lit up the 1999 Rugby World Cup with his pace, particularly in the semi-final win against the All Blacks. But his career has not been without its setbacks, off-field problems forcing him out of the squad at times.
- Shane Geraghty
Shane Geraghty (born 12 August 1986 in Coventry, England, to Irish parents) is a rugby union footballer who plays for London Irish at fly half. He attended Bablake School until 2002. At the age of 20 and he secured himself a first team slot after covering for Riki Flutey's injury and playing well. He represented Ireland rugby union team at U16 level, but has since represented England at every level up to and including International level.
- Mirco Bergamasco
Mirco Bergamasco is an Italian rugby union footballer. He primarily plays centre, presently with Stade Français, one of the most important teams in the French Top 14, and internationally with Italy. Born in Padua, Bergamasco is the son of Arturo and the younger brother of Mauro Bergamasco, both Italian internationals. He made his international debut against France in the 2002 Six Nations, having previously appeared against an All-Star XV in a non-cap international.
- Shaun Perry
Shaun Perry (born 4 May 1978) is an English rugby union footballer, who plays for Bristol Rugby in the Guinness Premiership. His usual position is at scrum half. Shaun Perry started his rugby career in the Youth Section of Dudley Kingswinford RFC. at the age of 7. He rose through the age groups to eventually make his senior debut in the DKRFC Colts team. The next year at the age of 18 he was playing for the 1stXV where he played for 7 seasons before joining Coventry.
- Kevin Morgan
Kevin Andrew Morgan (born 23 February 1977 in Pontypridd) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Newport Gwent Dragons and has won 34 caps for Wales, mainly at full back but also as a winger. Morgan (height 5'10", weight 13st 4lb) initially played club rugby for his home town club, Pontypridd, then joined Swansea in 1998. He joined the Celtic Warriors when regional sides were formed in 2003, then when the Warriors were wound up signed for Newport Gwent Dragons in 2004.
- Gareth Cooper
Gareth Cooper (born 7 May 1979 in Bridgend) is a Wales international rugby union player who plays at scrum-half. Cooper (height 5 feet 7 inches, weight 12st 10lb) studied Sports Science at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff. He started his rugby career rugby as a wing with the mini-rugby section at Pencoed, a club which has also produced players such as Scott Gibbs and Gareth Thomas, …
- Andrea Masi
Andrea Masi (born March 30 1981) is an Italian rugby union footballer. His usual position is in the centres. He plays for Italian club Viadana. Masi has also been capped for the national team, and was a part of their squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Masi was born in L'Aquila, Abruzzo. He was recognized as a talented player at an early age, and he made his debut for Viadana at the age of 17. He was soon called up for national selection, …
- David Marty
David Marty (born 30 October, 1982 in Perpignan) is a French rugby union footballer. He currently plays for USA Perpignan in the elite level of French rugby, the Top 14 club competition. Marty has also played for France, having played in the 2005 and 2006 Six Nations. He has been capped six times in total for France. David was first called up to the French rugby team during the 2005 Six Nations, …
- Olivier Magne
Olivier Magne is a French rugby union footballer. He is an international back row forward, known especially for his speed and handling in open field play. He joined his hometown team, Stade Aurillacois, as a boy in 1979. He went on to play for CA Brive Corrèze and US Dax. He joined AS Montferrandaise for the 1999/2000 season. He made his international test debut at the age of 23 on 15 February, 1997 as a replacement against Wales during the 1997 Five Nations Championship.
- Martin Castrogiovanni
Martin Castrogiovanni is an Italo-Argentine rugby union footballer. He played for Ghial Calvisano, with whom he won the Italian championship in 2005. He has since signed a new contract with Leicester Tigers, and after a successful 2006/07 season with them was named Guinness Premiership player of the season. A native of Paraná, Argentina, Castrogiovanni made his international debut for the Italian national team on June 8, 2002, during the tour against the All Blacks, …
- Gordon Bulloch
Gordon Bulloch is a rugby union player who is for West of Scotland R.F.C. and Scotland. Gordon Bulloch is Scotland’s second most capped player with a total of 75 and their most-capped hooker. He previously played for Glasgow and Leeds Tykes. Gordon has played for Scotland at U19 and U21 level and has been in four tours in South Africa. In 1996 he was an important player in helping the Scots to fourth place in the 1996 Students' World Cup.
- Rhys Williams
Gethin Rhys Williams (born 23 February 1980 in Cardiff) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Cardiff Blues and has won 44 caps for Wales as a full-back and winger. During the 2005-2006 season Williams was the captain of the Cardiff Blues. Due to a loss of form, he lost his Wales place and his starting place at Cardiff; Xavier Rush has Since filled this roll for the 2006-07 Season.
- Ceri Sweeney
Ceri Sweeney (born 21 January 1980 in Glyncoch) is a rugby union footballer who plays at fly-half for Newport Gwent Dragons and Wales. In 1998, Sweeney joined Pontypridd from Glyncoch. In 2003, Sweeney made his debut for Wales against England in the Six Nations Championship. In 2003, with the introduction of regional rugby in Wales, Sweeney joined the Celtic Warriors. When the club was liquidated in the Summer of 2004 he signed for the Newport Gwent Dragons.
- Robin McBryde
Robin Currie McBryde (born 3 July 1970 in Bangor), is a former rugby union player who gained 37 rugby union caps for Wales as a hooker between 1994 and 2005. McBryde (height 6'0" / 1.83 m, weight 15st 7lb / 98 kg) first played club rugby with Porthaethwy (Menai Bridge), then for Yr Wyddgrug (Mold) and for the North Wales team. He then moved to South Wales in search of a higher standard of rugby.
- Kyran Bracken
Kyran Paul Patrick Bracken MBE (born 22 November, 1971 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland) is a former rugby union footballer who played at scrum-half for Saracens, Bristol and Waterloo R.F.C. He won a total of 51 England caps and captained the team on three occasions, retiring from international rugby in 2004. His father was a dentist and his mother had played hockey for Ireland.
- Scott Gibbs
Scott Gibbs (Born 23 January 1971 in Bridgend) is a former rugby footballer who represented Wales and the Lions in rugby union and Wales and Great Britain in rugby league. His most memorable feats were his performance in the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa (in which he was named "Player of the Series") and the try he scored in the dying minutes of the last ever Five Nations match in 1999 against England.
- Robert Sidoli
Robert Sidoli (born 21 June 1979) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Cardiff Blues and has won 25 caps for Wales as a lock. He is the brother of Welsh international Peter Sidoli. He played for his school, Bishop Hedley High School, and then club rugby for Merthyr and Pontypridd, being voted Pontypridd's Player of the Year in 2001-02, before joining the Celtic Warriors when regional rugby was introduced in Wales in 2003.
- Jonathan Kaplan
Jonathan Kaplan (born 7 November, 1966) is a South African international rugby union referee. He made his international referee debut in 1996 in a match between Namibia and Zimbabwe in Harare. Some of Kaplan's notable games in charge include the first ever Six Nations Championship game under the expanded format in 2000 between Italy and Scotland and games during the 2001 British Lions tour to Australia. Kaplan was a touch judge at the 1999 Rugby World Cup, …
- Frédéric Michalak
Frédéric Michalak is a French rugby union footballer who plays for his hometown team, Toulouse in the Top 14 and Heineken Cup. He has played over 40 matches for France. He originally played scrum half, but has recently played mainly at fly-half. Michalak is one of the most popular French athletes and European rugby union players. He has also done ads for companies like Nike. Michalak has been playing for Toulouse since 1998.
- Philippe Sella
Philippe Sella (born 14 February 1962 in Tonneins) is a French former rugby union player, who until recently held the record for most international appearances in that sport. Philippe joined Saracens in 1996 from French side Agen. He and Australian Michael Lynagh were the catalysts for Saracens as they made the transition into the professional era, and Sella's presence helped other players make up their minds about joining the up-and-coming club.