Gareth Cooper
Encyclopedia
Gareth Cooper is a former Wales
international rugby union
player who plays at scrum-half for the Cardiff Blues
. He is renowned for his darting breaks from rucks.
before moving to Bath in the West Country.
Cooper made his international debut in 2001 against Italy, when many were claiming him to be the successor to Rob Howley
. He toured to Japan in later that year. After Howley's retirement in 2002 he was given his first run in the side in 2003, becoming first choice for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
.
He returned to play in Wales after that tournament with the Celtic Warriors
, but he found himself scrapping with the ScarletsDwayne Peel
for the scrum half jersey during the 2004 Six Nations.
He joined the Newport Gwent Dragons
in 2004 when the Celtic Warriors
were disbanded, but his form went downhill and Dwayne Peel
secured the scrum half shirt with some stunning performances during Wales' Grand Slam in the 2005 Six Nations. Despite playing mostly on the bench for Wales he was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
, but with three other scrum halves on the tour he struggled to get game time as he was last in the pecking order behind Peel
, Matt Dawson
and Chris Cusiter
.
With the emergence of Mike Phillips
he struggled to fight for his way into the Wales team as he became a distant third choice. He moved to Gloucester in 2007.
He made the Wales squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
but still as third choice scrum half and he played just one match as substitute against Japan.
He got another chance for Wales on a tour to South Africa in 2008 when Phillips
and Peel
both were injured. He impressed in two matches against South Africa and kept his place ahead of Peel
and the still injured Phillips
for the Autumn internationals that year, including a 21–18 win over Australia.
He was injured during the 2009 Six Nations but returned to the Wales side for the summer tour to North America. The tour did not go well and he was replaced at half time by Peel
against Canada.
He left Gloucester in 2009 after losing his place to Rory Lawson
and moved to the Cardiff Blues
to replace Jason Spice
. He played again for Wales in the 2010 Six Nations against England
and Scotland
but was replaced by Richie Rees
for the remainder of the tournament.
Cardiff Blues
announced on 3 November 2010 that he would be leaving the club, due to a long standing groin injury.
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who plays at scrum-half for the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
. He is renowned for his darting breaks from rucks.
Career
Cooper started playing rugby with PencoedPencoed RFC
Pencoed Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Pencoed. Today, Pencoed RFC plays in the Welsh Rugby Union, Division Two West League and is a feeder club for the Ospreys....
before moving to Bath in the West Country.
Cooper made his international debut in 2001 against Italy, when many were claiming him to be the successor to Rob Howley
Rob Howley
Robert Howley is a former Welsh rugby union footballer. He was considered one of the greatest ever scrum-halves and gained 59 caps for Wales, 22 of them as captain.Howley made his Wales debut in February 1996...
. He toured to Japan in later that year. After Howley's retirement in 2002 he was given his first run in the side in 2003, becoming first choice for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
.
He returned to play in Wales after that tournament with the Celtic Warriors
Celtic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
, but he found himself scrapping with the ScarletsDwayne Peel
Dwayne Peel
Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team....
for the scrum half jersey during the 2004 Six Nations.
He joined the Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
in 2004 when the Celtic Warriors
Celtic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
were disbanded, but his form went downhill and Dwayne Peel
Dwayne Peel
Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team....
secured the scrum half shirt with some stunning performances during Wales' Grand Slam in the 2005 Six Nations. Despite playing mostly on the bench for Wales he was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand
In 2005 the British and Irish Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand for the first time since 1993, playing 7 tour matches against first and second division clubs from the National Provincial Championship series, 1 tour match against the national New Zealand all Māori club, and 3 official test...
, but with three other scrum halves on the tour he struggled to get game time as he was last in the pecking order behind Peel
Dwayne Peel
Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team....
, Matt Dawson
Matt Dawson
Matthew James Sutherland "Daws" Dawson, MBE is a retired English rugby union player who played scrum half for Wasps and Northampton Saints. During his international career he toured with the British and Irish Lions three times and was part of England's 2003 Rugby World Cup winning side...
and Chris Cusiter
Chris Cusiter
Christopher Peter Cusiter is a Scottish rugby union player who plays at scrum-half. Cusiter played for the British and Irish Lions in their 2005 tour of New Zealand. Originally from Aberdeen, where he attended Robert Gordon's College, he now plays for Glasgow Warriors. He left the Border Reivers...
.
With the emergence of Mike Phillips
Mike Phillips (rugby player)
William Michael "Mike" Phillips is a Welsh international rugby union rugby player who plays at scrum-half for Bayonne.-Personal life:...
he struggled to fight for his way into the Wales team as he became a distant third choice. He moved to Gloucester in 2007.
He made the Wales squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
but still as third choice scrum half and he played just one match as substitute against Japan.
He got another chance for Wales on a tour to South Africa in 2008 when Phillips
Mike Phillips (rugby player)
William Michael "Mike" Phillips is a Welsh international rugby union rugby player who plays at scrum-half for Bayonne.-Personal life:...
and Peel
Dwayne Peel
Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team....
both were injured. He impressed in two matches against South Africa and kept his place ahead of Peel
Dwayne Peel
Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team....
and the still injured Phillips
Mike Phillips (rugby player)
William Michael "Mike" Phillips is a Welsh international rugby union rugby player who plays at scrum-half for Bayonne.-Personal life:...
for the Autumn internationals that year, including a 21–18 win over Australia.
He was injured during the 2009 Six Nations but returned to the Wales side for the summer tour to North America. The tour did not go well and he was replaced at half time by Peel
Dwayne Peel
Dwayne John Peel is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Sale Sharks and Wales. He is the most capped scrum-half for the Wales national rugby union team....
against Canada.
He left Gloucester in 2009 after losing his place to Rory Lawson
Rory Lawson
Rory Lawson is a Scottish international rugby union player who currently plays for Gloucester Rugby as a Scrum Half. He attended Dollar Academy where he captained the school's 1st XV. After a number of years playing amateur rugby for Heriots he then took a professional contract with Edinburgh...
and moved to the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
to replace Jason Spice
Jason Spice
Jason Edward Spice is a New Zealand international rugby union player. His position of choice is as a scrum-half.Spice was born in Matamata. He is a former New Zealand cricketer who played for the Northern Districts Knights and the All Blacks in rugby. He also played for Hamilton in the Hawke...
. He played again for Wales in the 2010 Six Nations against England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
but was replaced by Richie Rees
Richie Rees
Richie Rees is a Wales international professional rugby union player. A scrum-half, he is a former Wales Under 21 international. Rees started his rugby career at Dunvant RFC. He then played for the Ospreys regional team in Wales for two years winning the Magners League in the 04/05 season, before...
for the remainder of the tournament.
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
announced on 3 November 2010 that he would be leaving the club, due to a long standing groin injury.