Rugby players are the sports persons who play rugby football. Rugby is a style of football that is played with an oval ball that is kicked, carried and passed from hand to hand. There are two types of rugby sports: rugby league and rugby union. The basic tenets of both these games are the same even though there are distinct rules for each of these forms. The game of rugby as a separate style of football evolved during the late 19th century with the formation of the Rugby Football Union (RFU). Both rugby union and rugby league are played at the amateur as well as professional levels. Rugby union is very popular in countries like Australia, Argentina, England, France, New Zealand, etc. while rugby league is more popular in places like the U.S., Russia, Lebanon, Serbia, etc. Rugby players need to train up to five times a week and follow a balanced diet to maintain themselves in great physical shape. Since rugby is a very popular sport, famous players often attain celebrity status. Check out this section to know more about the greatest rugby players of the all times.
This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.
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Famous As: Mixed martial artist
Birthdate: September 29, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Shellharbour City Council, Australia
Alexander Volkanovski is an Australian mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Volkanovski is the current featherweight champion in UFC and is currently ranked fourth in the UFC men's pound-for-pound list. Alexander Volkanovski has had one successful title defense and one Fight of the Night honor in his UFC career so far.
Famous As: Rugby Player
Birthdate: May 12, 1975
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Died: November 18, 2015
Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby player whose dominance on the field had a huge impact on the game. Considered the first global superstar of rugby, Jonah Lomu proved to be a crowd-puller. In 2007, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame. In 2011, he was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.
Famous As: Boxer, Rugby Player
Birthdate: August 3, 1985
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Sonny Bill Williams is a New Zealand boxer. Interestingly, he played professional rugby union and rugby league before turning his attention towards boxing. A very successful sportsperson, Williams has won several Rugby World Cups. He also represented New Zealand as a rugby player at the 2016 Olympics.
Celebrities Born On My Birthday?
Famous As: Rugby league player
Birthdate: February 15, 1988
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Famous As: Rugby player
Birthdate: December 31, 1980
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oamaru, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby player
Birthdate: March 5, 1982
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Southbridge, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: May 25, 1979
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Frimley
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Famous As: Rugby Player
Birthdate: April 2, 1985
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Windsor, England
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: January 16, 1902
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tianjin, China
Died: February 21, 1945
Eric Liddell was a Scottish athlete who won a gold medal in 400 meters race at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. In his later years, he became a Christian missionary. Though he was of Scottish origin, he was born in China, where he spent most of his life and died eventually.
Famous As: Rugby Union Player & Rules Footballer
Birthdate: April 3, 1989
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Minto, Australia
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: January 13, 1991
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Famous As: Rugby player
Birthdate: July 25, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sarn, Bridgend, United Kingdom
Famous As: Rugby union player first five-eighth, fullback position
Birthdate: May 27, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Plymouth, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby league player
Birthdate: April 25, 1983
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brisbane
Famous As: Actor
Birthdate: December 21, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bedford, Bedfordshire, England, UK
Famous As: Former Rugby League Footballer Who Played as a Loose Forward, Prop or Second-Row Forward
Birthdate: December 14, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: October 5, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Famous As: Rugby league player
Birthdate: June 18, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Brisbane
Famous As: Rugby union player centre position
Birthdate: May 18, 1991
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Fogapoa, Savai'i, Samoa
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: January 21, 1979
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Republic of Ireland Ireland
One of the most respected rugby players of all time, Brian O'Driscoll holds the Irish record for playing the most number of matches as a captain and also for try scores. He led his country to win a Grand Slam after 61 years and is part of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Famous As: Rugby Player
Birthdate: September 14, 1978
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Northampton, England
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: March 23, 1995
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Limerick, Ireland
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: January 14, 1991
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Famous As: Professional wrestler
Birthdate: January 8, 1982
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Nuku'alofa
Famous As: Rugby Union Player
Birthdate: August 7, 1990
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby Union Player
Birthdate: May 21, 1982
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Wellington, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby league player
Birthdate: January 15, 1987
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kempsey
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: April 5, 1988
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand-born Australian rugby player Quade Cooper is also a talented boxer. While he has represented the Queensland Reds and the Melbourne Rebels, he now plays for the Japanese rugby team Kintetsu Liners. In late 2021, he expressed he was hurt to have to withdraw from the Europe tour of the Wallabies.
Famous As: Rugby league player
Birthdate: June 18, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Nambour
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: October 26, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Auckland
Famous As: Former Lieutenant colonel and appointed commanding officer of the re-formed 1st SAS Regiment
Birthdate: January 11, 1915
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Newtownards, United Kingdom
Died: December 14, 1955
Paddy Mayne was not just a British Army lieutenant colonel but also a legendary rugby player who had represented both Ireland and the British Lions. He was also known for his reckless behavior, including his drunken brawls. He was part of a huge debate after being denied the Victoria Cross.
Famous As: Boxer, Rugby league player
Birthdate: August 14, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Australian boxer Paul Gallen has also had a successful stint as a rugby league footballer. He has also presented several sports shows, such as 100% Footy and has been a panelist on SportsFan Clubhouse. The former captain of the NRL team Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks is also a father of two.
Famous As: Fullback Player
Birthdate: June 10, 1998
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Famous As: American Football Player
Birthdate: December 14, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Ohio, United States
Famous As: Rugby Player
Birthdate: March 30, 1998
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Port Hedland, Western Australia
Kalyn Ponga is a rugby league footballer who represents the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL). A multi-skilled sportsperson, Kalyn Ponga played several sports, including soccer, hockey, touch football, golf, and rugby union before becoming a professional rugby league footballer. He even won the under-13 national golf championship in 2010, representing New Zealand.
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: May 15, 1991
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Slough, England
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: April 7, 1990
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby union player as back row
Birthdate: October 7, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Burwood, Christchurch, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby player
Birthdate: December 12, 1965
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bradford-on-Avon, United Kingdom
Famous As: Former Rugby union player as number 8, flanker
Birthdate: April 5, 1990
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: George, South Africa
Famous As: Rugby league footballer halfback position
Birthdate: November 14, 1997
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sydney, Australia
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: October 12, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Palmerston North
Famous As: rugby union player, radio personality,
Birthdate: December 8, 1977
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Valence
Famous As: Rugby union player, Rugby union coach
Birthdate: March 4, 1967
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sydney
Famous As: Rugby union player at openside flanker
Birthdate: October 29, 1991
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Manly, New South Wales, Australia
Famous As: Activist
Birthdate: January 10, 1936
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Wallaga Lake National Park Wallaga Lake, New South Wales
Died: August 18, 1997
Australian Aboriginal activist Burnum Burnum was separated from his family as an infant and grew up in a mission home. The Churchill Scholarship winner was a law graduate and also excelled in rugby. He is best remembered for erecting the aboriginal flag in Dover during the Australian bicentenary celebrations.
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: March 18, 1997
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand
Famous As: Former Rugby union centre
Birthdate: May 27, 1973
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Famous As: Rugby union player
Birthdate: January 2, 1990
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Melbourne
Famous As: Rugby and union league player
Birthdate: January 27, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Auckland, New Zealand