WillGriff John

WillGriff John
Birth nameWillGriff John
Date of birth (1992-12-04) 4 December 1992 (age 32)
Place of birthPlymouth, England
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight127 kg (280 lb)[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Current team Racing 92
Youth career
2009-2010 Cardiff Blues
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010 Cardiff Blues 1 (0)
2010–2011 Pontypridd (loan) ()
2011–2013 Cardiff Blues 18 (0)
2013–2014 Northland 18 (5)
2014–2017 Doncaster Knights 57 (20)
2017–2021 Sale Sharks 92 (0)
2021–2023 Scarlets 18 (0)
2023 Racing 92 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009 Wales U18
2010–2012 Wales U20 14 (5)
2021 Wales 2 (0)

WillGriff John (born 4 December 1992) is a Welsh rugby union player who currently plays for Racing 92 in the Top 14. A tighthead prop, John has previously played for Cardiff Blues, Northland, Doncaster Knights, Sale Sharks, and the Scarlets. He won two caps for Wales in 2021.

Club career

Born in Plymouth, England, and raised in the Rhondda in Wales, John began his playing career at Pontypridd and represented Wales at youth levels. He also played for Cardiff Blues and was part of the squad that won the European Challenge Cup in 2010. In 2013 he moved to New Zealand and played for two seasons in the ITM Cup with the province of Northland.

John then returned to the UK and joined Doncaster in the Championship in 2014.[2] On 3 May 2017 John was signed by Sale Sharks in the English Premiership.[3]

John departed Sale to join Scarlets for the 2021–22 season.[4]

At the end of the 2022–23 season, John was released by the Scarlets, and subsequently joined Racing 92 on a short term contract.[5]

International career

On 15 January 2020, John was named in the Wales squad for the 2020 Six Nations Championship.[6] He was named in the starting side against Scotland, but the match was cancelled prior to kickoff due to COVID-19.[7]

On 6 November 2021, John made his Wales debut coming off the bench against South Africa.[8] John made his first start against Fiji later in the month.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Aviva Premiership Rugby - Sale Sharks - Willgriff John profile". web page. Premier Rugby. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Prop WillGriff John joins Knights ranks".
  3. ^ "WillGriff John: Sale Sharks sign Doncaster Knights prop". BBC. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. ^ "WillGriff John: Scarlets sign prop from Sale". BBC Sport. 2 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Racing 92 sign Wales prop John as World Cup cover". BBC Sport. 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Six Nations: Wales call up teenager Rees-Zammit and Saracens' Tompkins". BBC Sport. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  7. ^ "WillGriff John: Prop dreams of first Wales cap after 2020 false start". BBC Sport. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Wales v South Africa team announcement as Pivac makes six changes to face Springboks". Wales Online. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Wales 38-23 Fiji: Laboured hosts hit back to beat 14-man visitors". BBC Sport. 14 November 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2022.