Iwan Stephens
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| Born | 24 March 2002 Leeds, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 83 kg (13 st 1 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative | Colin Stephens (Father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Iwan Stephens (born 24 March 2002) is a professional rugby union player who plays as a wing for United Rugby Championship club Cardiff.
Early life
Born in Leeds, Stephens began playing rugby league as an 11 year-old but also played rugby union for his local club Morley and was in the academy of Leeds Tykes until the age of fifteen. He is also a qualified joiner.
Career
Newcastle
Stephens left Super League side Leeds Rhinos to join the academy at Newcastle Falcons in September 2020. Stephens scored a try on debut for Newcastle Falcons against Harlequins in September 2021. He followed that up with a try in his second match, against Bath Rugby the next weekend and was named in the Rugby Premiership team of the week. In April 2022, he signed a new two-year contract with Newcastle Falcons.
Cardiff
In May 2024 it was announced that Stephens would join Cardiff Rugby for the 2024–25 United Rugby Championship.
Stephens was named as Man of the Match on 26 October 2024, as Cardiff came back to beat Ulster, having been 0–19 down at half time, with Stephens scoring a try during the match.
International career
Rugby League
Qualified to play for England or Wales, Stephens is a former England Academy rugby league international, and once scored a try and six goals in England Academy's 62-0 win over Wales in Llanelli.
England U20
Stephens went on to represent the England U20 rugby union team, playing for the first time in March 2022 during the 2022 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. Later that year in July 2022 he scored his first try for England U20 in a 37-36 defeat against Ireland.
Personal life
Stephens is the son of Welsh former rugby international Colin Stephens who after his rugby career became head of rugby at Leeds Beckett University.
References
- ↑ "Iwan Stephens". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ "Iwan Stephens". All.Rugby. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ Mockford, Sarah (9 March 2022). "Hotshot: Newcastle wing Iwan Stephens". Rugby World. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ "NEWCASTLE FALCONS SWOOP FOR RUGBY LEAGUE PROSPECT IWAN STEPHENS". Premiershiprugby.com. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ Orders, Mark (4 September 2020). "Prodigiously talented son of Wales fly-half switches from rugby league to union in big move". Walesonline. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ Ellis, Adam (3 October 2021). "Iwan Stephens". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- 1 2 "Cardiff sign Wales-qualified wing Stephens from Newcastle". BBC Sport. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ↑ Orders, Mark (29 September 2021). "Two gifted Welsh youngsters make huge mark as they are named in English Premiership team of the week". WalesOnline. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ Orders, Mark (13 February 2022). "English Premiership club nail down former Wales fly-half's gifted son 'who has X-factor and gets supporters on their feet'". Walesonline. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ "Iwan Stephens: Newcastle Falcons winger signs two-year deal with Premiership club". BBC Sport. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ Thomas, Steffan (28 October 2024). "Winners and losers as star puts down marker and embarrassing situation unfolds". Wales Online. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ↑ Orders, Mark (1 May 2021). "Welsh rugby cult hero's son with 'outstanding athleticism' looks to make it big after joining English Premiership from Rugby League". WalesOnline. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ "Newcastle Falcons re-sign two players". Premiership Rugby. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ O'Sullivan, John (5 July 2022). "Sam Prendergast kicks Ireland under-20s to last ditch victory over England in Verona". Irish Times. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ↑ Elam, Dennis (22 September 2021). "Iwan Stephens, son of Colin, makes try scoring debut for Newcastle Falcons". Pitchero. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ↑ Orders, Mark (28 August 2022). "Son of a Wales fly-half shows dazzling footwork and leaves defenders in his wake to set up stunning try in England". WalesOnline. Retrieved 18 January 2024.