Tavis_Knoyle

Tavis Knoyle

Tavis Knoyle

Wales international rugby union footballer

Tavis Knoyle (born 2 June 1990 in Pontneddfechan, Vale of Neath, Wales)[1] is a Wales international rugby union footballer who plays at scrum-half.

Quick Facts Birth name, Date of birth ...

He is a fluent Welsh speaker.[2]

Club career

After a youth career at home town club Glynneath RFC, he made his senior debut at Neath RFC, and made his Celtic League debut with Ospreys in April 2009.[3]

After impressing with Wales Under 20 squad,[4] he joined the Scarlets at the start of the 2009/10 campaign,[3] scoring his first try for the Scarlets in a victory over Ulster, and was awarded the Magners League Man of the Match.

On 16 May 2013, Knoyle signed to join English side Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership on a two-year contract, joining former Scarlets coach Nigel Davies who had been appointed Director of Rugby at the Kingsholm Stadium in June 2012.[5]

On 5 February 2014, he signed an agreement to join Cardiff Blues.[6][7]

Knoyle was loaned out to Pontypridd RFC 8 months later and made his debut for the club on 11 October 2014 against London Scottish in the British and Irish Cup. Knoyle played his final game for the valleys team against Connacht Eagles on 6 December 2014, before making his return to his parent regional side.

On 16 October 2016, Knoyle signed for Welsh region Dragons from the 2016–17 season.[8] In doing so he would become only the third player to play for all four professional Welsh rugby regions.[9]

Knoyle departed the Dragons during the 2021–22 season,[10] joining Merthyr RFC soon after.[11]

International career

Having played for Wales at Under 16 and Under 18 levels, under the tutelage of Phil Davies he won four Wales Under 20 caps in 2009.[3][4]

Knoyle was named in the squad for the 2010 Wales rugby union tour of New Zealand, making his debut against New Zealand in Dunedin on 20 June 2010 as a second-half replacement.[3] Knoyle was named in the Welsh squad for the 2011 Six Nations Championship, winning his second cap in the clash with Scotland at Murrayfield, replacing Mike Phillips in the 76th minute.

Knoyle was selected in the Wales squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, starting the pool match against Namibia.[12] A shoulder injury ruled Knoyle of the 2012 Six Nations,[13] but he returned to the squad for the 2012 end-of-year rugby union internationals, and named to start against Argentina, displacing veteran scrum half Mike Phillips.[14]

While selected in the squad for the 2013 Six Nations,[15] Knoyle did not feature in any test. His final involvement with the Wales squad came during the 2013 Wales rugby union tour of Japan, coming off the bench in both tests.[16]

Knoyle has also represented Wales Sevens in the World Rugby Sevens Series.[17]

References

  1. [1]
    Tavis Knoyle rugby profile ESPN Scrum.com
  2. [2]
    S4C Jonathan
  3. [3]
    "Tavis Knoyle". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  4. [4]
    "Tavis Knoyles' unconventional rise to the top". Rugby World. September 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  5. [5]
    "Gloucester sign Wales scrum half Tavis Knoyle". BBC Sport. 16 May 2013.
  6. [6]
    "Scrum-half Tavis Knoyle signed from Gloucester". BBC Wales. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  7. [7]
    "Tavis Knoyle to quit Kingsholm in the summer". Gloucester Citizen. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  8. [8]
    "Former Wales scrum-half Tavis Knoyle to sign for Newport Gwent Dragons". Wales Online. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  9. [9]
    "Tavis Knoyle becomes only the third player to play for all four Welsh regions... so can you name the others?". Wales Online. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  10. [10]
    "Scrum-half Knoyle departs Dragons". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  11. [11]
    Thomas, Simon (24 May 2022). "Wales international signs for Merthyr as Welsh Premiership side target another". WalesOnline. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  12. [12]
    Glendenning, Barry (26 September 2011). "Rugby World Cup 2011: Wales v Namibia – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  13. [13]
    "Knoyle ruled out of Six Nations". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  14. [14]
    "Tavis Knoyle vows to hold onto Wales nine jersey after ousting Mike Phillips". WalesOnline. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  15. [15]
    "Wales name five uncapped players". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  16. [16]
    "Full Wales squad for tour of Japan". ITV News. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  17. [17]
    "Tavis Knoyle and Adam Warren set for Wales Sevens debuts in Glasgow". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

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