Sam Warburton

Sam Warburton is a Welsh rugby union player. He was named captain for the Wales team in the 2011 World Cup. He was captain for the Welsh U18, U19, and U20 teams as well. 

He plays as an openside flanker for the Cardiff Blues. He previously played for the Glamorgan Wanderers.

Born: October 5, 1988 in Cardiff, Wales

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 106 kg

Social Media: twitter.com/samwarburton_

Career Highlights:

• Youngest World Cup captain
• Named Player of the Tournament during the 2011 World Cup
• International caps: 36, won: 16
• Captain for the Wales 2012 Six Nations team 

Thom Evans

Thom Evans is a retired international rugby union player. The Scottish fullback last played for the Glasgow Warriors in the Magners League. He retired at age 24, after he injured his neck in a collision with a player during a Six Nations game in Feb 2010.

He and his brother Max appeared in the 2010 Dieux du Stade calendar. He was also a member of a pop group Twen2y4Se7en, which toured in 2004. Evans, who is now a model, is dating actress Kelly Brook.

Born: April 2, 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe 

Height: 6'0" 

Weight: 91 kg 

Social Media: twitter.com/ThomEvans11

Career Highlights: 

• played for London Wasps, 2004-2006 
• played fo Glasgow Warriors, 2006-2010, with 60 caps 
• played for the Scotland national team, 2008-2010 - represented England at U16, U18 and U21 level

A Day in Life of David Pocock

At practice

shopping for shoes?

helping a teammate limber up on the beach:

David Pocock in Training

Australian rugby union player David Pocock on training.

and his interview with Total Rugby:

Scott Higginbotham

Scott Higginbotham is an Australian rugby union player. He is currently playing as a loose forward with the Queensland Reds in the Super Rugby league, from 2008 to 2012. He will be playing for Melbourne Rebels starting in 2013, in a 2 year contract. 

Higginbotham also played for Ballymore Tornadoes, in 2007

Born: September 5, 1986 in Perth, Australia 

Height: 6'5" 

Weight: 110 kg 

Website: Twitter

Career Highlights:

• Named part of the Australian team in 2010, as a reserve
• first start with the Wallabies in 2011 Tri Nations Series
• played 11 tests for Australia
• record with Reds: 64 caps, 85 points

Julien Arias

Julien Arias is a French rugby union player, playing the wing position for the Stade Francaise Paris team of the Top 14 league. He is also a member of France's national rugby union team. 

Arias became famous for featuring on cover of the 2007 Dieux du Stade calendar. 




Born: October 26, 1983 in Marsaille, France
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 181 lbs


Career Highlights:

• Test debut on June 27, 2009 in Sydney, Australia vs. France
• Played for US Colomiers from 2000-2004
• Played for France A in 2005

Rob Kearney

Robert Kearney is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing as a fullback and wing for Leinster FC. He also competes for Ireland in international competitions.

Kearney also played for the University College Dublin's rugby team, helping the team win the McCorry Cup in 2005. 

Born: March 26, 1986 in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 95 kg
Website: Twitter


Career Highlights:

• Played Gaelic football in his youth
• Played for Leinster FC since 2005, where he made his debut in Celtic League
• ERC Player of the Year, 2012
• represented Ireland in 2008 Six Nations Championship
• member of the Ireland team that won the 2009 Six Nations, Triple Crown and Grand Slam

Adam Ashley-Cooper

Adam Ashley-Cooper is an Australian center/fullback for the New South Wales Waratahs. He previously played for the Brumbies, from 2005 to 2011. He is nicknamed "Mr. Fix It" for his versatility to play as a center, fullback and wing. 

He also plays for Australian in international rugby union competitions. As a member of the Australia Wallabies, he managed to score 5 tries in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, landing him in the Top 5 try-scorers in the tournament. 

Born: March 27, 1984 in Sydney, New South Wales 

Height: 5'11 1/2"

Weight: 98 kg

Website: Twitter

Career Highlights:

• Member of the Australia national team since 2005
• Played in 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups
• Debuted in Super Rugby league in 2005, playing for Brumbies 

Sebastian Stegmann

Sebastian Stegman is a winger for the English rugby union team Harlequin F.C. He is with the team since 2007.

Born: April 12, 1989 in Isleworth, London
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 91 kg


Career Highlights:

• Scored his first try in March 22, 2009, against Sale Sharks

Richard Kahui

Richard Kahui is a New Zealand rugby union player. He is currently a member of New Zealand's All Blacks, and of the Chiefs team of the Super 14 Rugby league. He plays as a center and in the wing. 

Born: June 9, 1985 in Tokoroa, New Zealand 

Height: 6'3" 

Weight: 102 kg 

 
Career Highlights: 

• scored two tries in the 2011 Rugby World Cup twice, against Tonga and against Japan
• top scorer in the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup 
• awarded as Air New Zealand Cup Best player in 2006

David Pocock's Kits

Rugby union's David Pocock in various uniforms

David Pocock Training

Australian rugby union player training for the new season 

Sean Lamont

Sean Lamont is a rugby union player from Scotland. He plays center and wing positions for   Scarlet of Wales, but will play for Glasgow Rugby in 2012-13 season. He has previous stints with the Scarlets of Wales (2009), Northampton Saints (2005), Rotterham and Glasgow Rugby (2003). He also represents Scotland in international competitions.

His brother Rory is also a rugby union player.

Born: January 15, 1981 in Perth, Scotland
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 224 lbs

Career Highlights:

• Named man of the match during the 2005 Six Nations match vs Italy
• represented Scotland in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 Six Nations competition
• represented Scotland in 2002 Commonwealth Games for Rugby sevens

Meet the new Captain - David Pocock

Richard Graham has announced David Pocock as the Emirates Western Force captain in 2012. Nathan Sharpe, who captained the side since the club's inception in 2006, will mentor Pocock. 

Pocock also talked about the new Western Force playing kit for the 2012 season, his new book and the Rugby World Cup.

Sonny Bill Williams

Sonny Bill Williams is a New Zealand rugby union player. He currently plays for the Crusaders team.

Williams is also a heavyweight boxer, and has played for the Canterbury Bulldogs in the rugby league. He is the second person in NZ to have represented the country in both rugby league and rugby union in international competitions.

Born: August 3, 1985
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 108 kg


Achievements/Career Highlights

• debuted as a professional heavyweight boxer in May 2009
• his boxing record is 5 wins out of 5, 3 by knockout
• played his first world cup match for NZ in the 2011 Rugby World Cup; NZ went on to win the Cup
• youngest player to sign with the Bulldogs
• debuted at the National Rugby League at 18 years of age

Michael Witt

Michael Witt is an Australian professional rugby league footballer, presently playing for the London Broncos of the Super League. He previously played for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition, from 2007 to 2009. 

He spent a year in rugby union in 2009, playing at the New Zealand Rugby Union, then went back to the Super League, joining the Wales-based Crusaders team in 2010.  

Born: January 1, 1984 in Toowoomba, Queensland
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 89 kg

Dan Carter

Dan Carter is a rugby union player from New Zealand. He currently plays, and since 1999, for the Crusaders, a Super Rugby team based in Christchurch, NZ. Carter is also part of New Zealand All-Blacks national team.

Dan is considered one of rugby's greatest fly-halves. 

Born: March 5, 1982 in Southbridge, Canterbury NZ
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 94 kg




Notable Achievements:

• Highest points scorer in test match rugby
• Debuted at the New Zealand All Blacks in June 2003, at age 21
• highest paid player in New Zealand (together with Ritchie McCaw)
• Currently scored 1250 test points, the highest ever
• Made captain of the All Blacks for the 2011 Rugby World Cup (but missed due to injury)

Al Baxter's Message

Richie McCaw

Richard Hugh "Richie" McCawis a New Zealand rugby union player. He plays in the openside flanker position and is the current captain of New Zealand. McCaw also represents Canterbury in the Air New Zealand Cup (formerly the National Provincial Championship, or NPC) and the Crusaders in the Super 14.

Born:  December 31, 1980 at Kurow, North Otago
Height: 6'1 1/2"
Weight: 106 kg


Career Highlights

• International test debut vs Ireland on Nov 17, 2001, named Man of the Match
• Played as openside flanker for the 2003 All-Blacks World Cup squad
• Named captain of All-Blacks at age 23 in Nov 2004

Ben Cohen

An advocate against homophobia and bullying, Ben Cohen began his rugby union professional career in 1996, with Northampton Saints. Now retired, Ben notched the 10th highest point scorer in England rugby Union history. He is also third in the list of all-time Englad try scorers. He retired in 2007.

 

Born:  September 14, 1978 in Northampton, England 

Height: 6'2" 

Weight: 103kg 

Career Highlights: 

• 10th highest point scorer in England rugby history
• Named man of the match in the 2004 Six Nations, against Wales
• Founded the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation