Famous Wales Rugby player, Ken Owens, announced his retirement on 17 April 2024. His retirement has shocked many as he is one of the best Welsh rugby union players in Wales history. The article covers everything about Ken Owens and his contribution to Wales Rugby.
Ken Owens Retirement
The 37-year-old Ken Owens announces his retirement from rugby on medical advice as he fails to recover from a long and recurring injury.
The Wales hooker has been fighting a long battle from the injury that causes his back problem. The player last played rugby in April 2023 due to his injuries.
Last year, in July he went through surgery on a bulging disc pressing upon a nerve in his back and withdrew from the Wales squad and captainship of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Fans were hoping he would recover and return to the Rugby field soon, but the Wale’s most-capped hooker was struggling to recover from his recurring injury. Now he has reluctantly retired from Rugby as his body is not helping.
In his retirement message, he shared that playing Rugby has been challenging for him, he has been struggling to sit for hours, and can’t drive for a longer time, so it is the right time to follow up the medical advice and stop playing Rugby.
About Ken Owens
Ken Owens or Kenneth James Owens is the son of former rugby player Delme Owens who played for Carmarthen Athletic RFC and later became the President of the Club.
Owens also served as Chairman of Dyfed County Council, his family is well-known in Carmarthen, Wales. Rugby is special in Wales, the energy and excitement among the people in Wales is on another level.
Rugby is something that Owens treasures a lot; he is very passionate about the game as reflected when he plays rugby. His sister Vicky is also a Wales International player who has played for the Wales Women’s Team.
He has played for Scarlet’s since the beginning of his professional career before he used to play for Carmarthen Town AFC.
He has achieved many milestones in the Scarlet club and represented Wales on the international stage many times. In his 18-years of career, he has played 91 times for Wales making him the only player of Wales who has achieved this milestone.
Ken Owens Career
Let’s explore how Ken Owens’s career began and what he has achieved and contributed to Wale’s Rugby.
Ken Owen’s innings in Rugby started in 2006 when he debuted for the Llanelli Scarlets match against Glasgow Warriors. Before that, he used to play club rugby for UWIC RFC when he was studying in 2005.
During his debut year, he made 17 appearances for the Scarlets. With Rees being the first preference for Scarlet Hooker’s position, he struggled to get the position.
When Rees was on international duty for Wales, Owens took the chance and played well in matches and became the first choice of Scarlet’s Hooker in the 2009-10 season.
He served as back-up for Rees in 2010-11, later he was called for the 2011 Rugby World Cup training camp. But due to his neck injury, he has kept down the order.
In the 2013-14 season of Scarlet’s, he became Scarlet’s first-choice Hooker and played many matches like the Heineken Cup Pool Match.
During his career, he suffered many injuries that sometimes made him sit on the bench or get sidelined from the matches.
Throughout his career, he has played for only one club, Scarlets, and won many matches for the team and won a league title (Pro12 in 2016-17) with Scarlets.
International Career of Owens
Ken Owens started his international career playing for the country U19 and U20 level. He was a senior contender for national team selection authority but due to his injuries, he failed to make his place in Wales Squad. Even when he was called for the game most of the time he was on the bench.
Owens represented Wales for the first time at the 2011 World Cup. Till now, he has played 91 internationals for his country and five tests for the British and Irish Lions (2021) on their tours to South Africa.
Owens has bagged Six Nations titles and has two Grand Slams. He has appeared for the 3 World Cups in his 18 years as a professional rugby player.
He captained Wales in the 2023 Six Nations, he played his last international game of the season in February 2023 against Scotland at the 2023 Six Nations.
Ken Owens is a dynamic rugby player who has captained Scarlets for seven long years in his 19 years of loyalty towards Scarlets and represented his country at his best.
If not for his recurring injury and back problem, he would have played many more games for Scarlets and Wales.