Rhys Oakley

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Rhys Oakley
Date of birth (1980-09-16) 16 September 1980 (age 43)
Place of birthPlymouth, England
Height193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight106 kg (16 st 10 lb; 234 lb)
SchoolMarlwood School
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Number eight
Youth career
Thornbury RFC
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2002–2003
2003–2006
2006–2011
2011–2012
2012–2013
2013–2015
2017–2019
Hartpury College R.F.C.

 5
33
136
37
22
82
38		 5
55
30
0
0
15
0
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003 Wales 2 (0)
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2006 Wales 1

Rhys Oakley (born 16 September 1980 in

Newport Gwent Dragons, Leeds Tykes, Northampton Saints, and CS Bourgoin-Jallieu. During the final years of his career, Oakley spent time as a player-coach for Plymouth Albion R.F.C. and Hartpury University R.F.C. Oakley is a Wales international and represented Wales Sevens at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
.

Club career

Oakley first played for Thornbury RFC, and attended

Clifton RFC, before joining the Bristol U21 side, and ultimately gaining a first team contract.[2]

Oakley played in the Premiership for

Newport Gwent Dragons and made 50 appearances for Newport.[3]

At the end of the 2005–06 season, Oakley and teammate

London Welsh at Headingley on 3 September 2006.[4][5]

Following Leeds' relegation at the end of the 2010–11 Premiership season, Oakley used a release clause to exit his contract with the club, and joined French club CS Bourgoin-Jallieu.[6] Oakley spent one season with the side, before returning to the Premiership with Northampton Saints.[7] Oakley played for the Saints for one season, and joined RFU Championship team Plymouth Albion R.F.C. as a player-coach in 2013.[8] In 2015, Oakley suffered a leg fracture while playing for Plymouth, ending his season and coinciding with the club's relegation from the Championship.[9][10]

Oakley departed Plymouth Albion in 2015, and joined Hartpury University R.F.C., again as a dual player-coach.[11] While with Hartpury, Oakley was appointed as team captain, and helped the club gain promotion from National League One to the Championship.[11] In 2018, Oakley was diagnosed with cancer, putting his playing career on hold.[12] He successfully recovered, but retired from playing, remaining active as a coach.[2]

International career

Oakley attained two Welsh caps in August 2003, making his debut for Wales against Ireland in the World Cup warm-up games in the back row alongside former Tyke Richard Parks.[2]

Oakley was selected for Wales Sevens for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, following an injury to Dragons teammate Jamie Ringer. Oakley scoring a try in the plate final, helping the team to a 28–24 victory.[13][14]

Coaching career

Oakley's first coaching role came as a player-coach with Plymouth Albion, working as their forwards coach.[8] After departing Plymouth, Oakley worked as head coach at Lydney RFC while playing for Hartpury, before leaving the role to focus fully on Hartpury, becoming their defence coach in 2017.[15][11] Oakley rejoined Lydney in 2022, once again serving as head coach.[16]

Personal life

Oakley's parents were born in Wales, and moved to Plymouth for work, where he was born.[2] Oakley moved to Bristol at age four, and attended Marlwood School. In 2018, while playing for Hartpury, Oakley was diagnosed with cancer.[17] After undergoing chemotherapy and surgery, Oakley successfully recovered in 2019.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Club History". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thomas, Simon (1 June 2021). "Fighting to survive, the Wales rugby international who overcame hell". WalesOnline. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Season preview: Gwent Dragons". BBC Sport. 31 August 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. ^ WalesOnline (29 June 2006). "Two more join the Dragons exodus". WalesOnline. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Tykes in double swoop". ESPN.com. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Bourgoin snap up Oakley". Sky Sports. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Saints add back-rower Oakley to squad". ESPN.com. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Oakley named Albion forwards coach". BBC Sport. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Plymouth Albion's Rhys Oakley requires surgery after suffering spiral fracture". plymouthsportsgazette.com. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Plymouth Albion suffer relegation". BBC Sport. 18 April 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "Rhys Oakley named as Defence Coach". Hartpury RFC. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  12. ^ Thomas, Simon (1 June 2021). "Fighting to survive, the Wales rugby international who overcame hell". WalesOnline. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Sevens keeps Oakley going". South Wales Argus. 3 March 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Wales Sevens clinch Commonwealth Plate". Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  15. ^ Lane, Ellis (15 October 2017). "Rhys Oakley reveals why Lydney job was 'increasingly difficult'". GloucestershireLive. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  16. ^ Crossman, Scott (23 June 2022). "Head coach Rhys Oakley 2022|23". Lydney RFC. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  17. ^ Iles, Robert (28 August 2018). "Hartpury players get new look in support of captain Rhys Oakley". GloucestershireLive. Retrieved 7 May 2023.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rhys_Oakley&oldid=1219221412"