Gareth Rowlands (born March 12, 1971) is a Canadian former international rugby union player.

Gareth Rowlands
Date of birth (1971-03-12) March 12, 1971 (age 53)
Place of birthCardiff, Wales
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1995–97 Bridgend ()
1997–98 Newport ()
2000 Pontypridd ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1995–96 Canada 6 (0)

Born in Cardiff, Rowlands left Wales for Canada at the age of five, growing up in the mining town of Colonsay, Saskatchewan.[1] He got versed in rugby as a spectator watching his father Brian, an ex-Welsh first division player, and relocated to British Columbia after school to play with Velox Valhallians.[2]

Rowlands, a lock competed for Canada at Under-21 and Under-23 level, before gaining full international honours in 1995. He made his Test debut during a tour of Argentina and featured against the All Blacks in Auckland, after which he won a place on Canada's squad for the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. The only Saskatchewan-raised player in the squad, Rowlands started Canada's pool match against the Wallabies in Port Elizabeth.[2] He finished his career with six Canada caps and also had several seasons in Wales, playing with Bridgend, Newport and Pontypridd.[3][4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hard boys leave deep impressions". Star-Phoenix. 11 August 1994.
  2. ^ a b Moser, David (24 May 1995). "Rowlands has lock on dream". The Leader-Post.
  3. ^ "Rowlands stays with Bridgend". The Independent. 23 April 1996.
  4. ^ "Ex-World Cup player signs for Ledbury". Hereford Times. 29 July 2004.
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