Rob McCusker
Encyclopedia
Robert "Rob" McCusker is a Wales
international rugby union
player who currently plays in the back row for the Scarlets in the RaboDirect Pro12.
in WRU Division Four North
, before being picked up by the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC
. He made his debut for the Scarlets in a match against the Exeter Chiefs
on 18 August 2007.
, as well as the Welsh Sevens team
, making appearances in the Hong Kong, England and Scotland legs of the 2006–07 IRB World Sevens Series, and the Dubai and George, South Africa legs of the 2007–08 Series.
McCusker was initially named by Wales coach Warren Gatland
on a 50-man list of potential 2011 World Cup
players. He was named in the Wales squad
to play against South Africa
, New Zealand and Australia
in Summer 2010 after being promoted from the standby list due to injury to Andy Powell
. He made his debut for Wales against South Africa on 5 June 2010 as a second-half replacement.
On 26 June 2010, McCusker impressed after replacing number eight and Wales captain Ryan Jones
in the 25th minute of the second Test in Hamilton
against the All-Blacks. Good form during the first part of the following season meant he kept his place in the Wales squad for the autumn internationals that year.
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 currently plays in the back row for the Scarlets in the RaboDirect Pro12.
Club career
A North Walian by birth, McCusker began his rugby career playing for Mold RFCMold RFC
Mold Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Mold, North Wales. They presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division One North League.Mold Rugby Club is a member’s run club...
in WRU Division Four North
WRU Division Four North
The Welsh Rugby Union Division One North is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented for the 1995/96 season. The league was known as Division Four North before the 2008-09 season...
, before being picked up by the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
. He made his debut for the Scarlets in a match against the Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Rugby Club are a rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon.The Exeter club was formed around 1871 and played its first match in 1873. The first team has been rebranded as the Exeter Chiefs and play in a strip of Black , White ....
on 18 August 2007.
International career
McCusker has also played for the Welsh under-20 sideWales national under-20 rugby union team
The Wales national Under 20 rugby team is for Welsh rugby union players aged 20 or under on January 1 of the year during which they are selected....
, as well as the Welsh Sevens team
Wales national rugby union team (sevens)
The Wales national rugby union sevens team is the international rugby sevens side for Welsh rugby union players. They currently compete in the IRB Sevens World Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens and in the Commonwealth Games....
, making appearances in the Hong Kong, England and Scotland legs of the 2006–07 IRB World Sevens Series, and the Dubai and George, South Africa legs of the 2007–08 Series.
McCusker was initially named by Wales coach Warren Gatland
Warren Gatland
Warren David Gatland is a former New Zealand rugby footballer and the current head coach of the Wales national team.Gatland was born in Hamilton, New Zealand and educated at Hamilton Boys' High School and Waikato University...
on a 50-man list of potential 2011 World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
players. He was named in the Wales squad
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...
to play against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, New Zealand and Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in Summer 2010 after being promoted from the standby list due to injury to Andy Powell
Andy Powell (rugby player)
Andy Powell is a Welsh international rugby union player now playing his club rugby for Sale Sharks. He is a back row forward who has played for both the Wales sevens team and the Wales national rugby union team.-Rugby union career:...
. He made his debut for Wales against South Africa on 5 June 2010 as a second-half replacement.
On 26 June 2010, McCusker impressed after replacing number eight and Wales captain Ryan Jones
Ryan Jones
Ryan Paul Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays at number eight for the Ospreys. He is able to cover blindside flanker and second row; he played second row in his younger days as he was kept out of his preferred number 8 role by Gareth Delve.-Early life:Jones played junior...
in the 25th minute of the second Test in Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
against the All-Blacks. Good form during the first part of the following season meant he kept his place in the Wales squad for the autumn internationals that year.
External links
- Rob McCusker profile Welsh Rugby Union
- Rob McCusker profile The Scarlets