Will Rowlands
Will Rowlands (born 19 September 1991) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Wasps in the Aviva Premiership and the Wales national team.
Birth name | William Rowlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 19 September 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Hammersmith, London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 123 kg (19 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Rugby School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Pembroke College, Oxford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life and education
Rowlands went to the Dragon School, Oxford then Rugby School. He then studied business, administration and management at Warwick University before going on to Pembroke College, Oxford University, where he gained a BA degree in Economics and Management.[1]
Playing career
During his time at Oxford University, Rowlands played in the varsity matches of 2012 and 2013.
He made his Wasps debut in the 2012/13 season’s Anglo-Welsh Cup match against Leicester Tigers and is a product of the close link between Wasps and Oxford University.
He gained a first team Wasps contract before the 2014/15 season, having graduated from the Wasps Academy.
Rowlands spent much of the 2015/16 season after the 2015 Rugby World Cup on loan to RFU Championship side Jersey Reds,[2] before returning to Wasps to answer an injury crisis in the second row. He made his Aviva Premiership debut away at Saracens, and gone on to make another six first team appearances.
Rowlands enjoyed more first team game time during the 2016-17 season than in any of his previous campaigns with Wasps, making 14 appearances and scoring two tries.
International
Rowlands received his first call up to the senior Wales squad by coach Wayne Pivac on 15 january 2020
for the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[3][4] He made his international debut for Wales on 22 February 2020 in the 27-23 defeat against France as a second half replacement.[5]
Playing style
Rowlands is large and athletic, and added muscle in 2017-19. He tends to have a high tackle count.[6]
References
- https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/who-rowlands-shock-wales-call-17571076
- "Rowlands to join Jersey on loan". Wasps. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
- "Six Nations: Wales call up teenager Rees-Zammit and Saracens' Tompkins". BBC Sport. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-six-nations-squad-verdict-17571810
- Rowlands Wales debut
- https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/who-rowlands-shock-wales-call-17571076