Gareth Rees
Encyclopedia
Gareth Lloyd Rees is a former Canadian
international rugby union
footballer who played at fly-half and full back positions. Rees played for several British club sides, including Wasps
and Harlequins
. He won 55 caps for Canada
, captaining them on 23 occasions and scoring 487 test points, still a Canadian national record. In October 2011, Rees received arguably his greatest honour with induction to the IRB Hall of Fame
. He and fellow 2011 inductee Brian Lima
of Samoa
are the first members of the IRB Hall from nations outside of the traditional top tier of the sport.
, Maesteg
and London Welsh. Rees was educated at St. Michaels University School
in Victoria and later at Harrow School
in England
. When studying at Harrow, he was selected to the Wasps
starting XV in what was then the John Player Cup final.
He played club rugby with Castaways
, Wasps
, Harlequins
, Mérignac, Newport, Oxford University
, Bedford
and the Barbarians
.
Rees played in all of the first four Rugby World Cup tournaments, the 1987, 1991, 1995 and 1999. He retired after the 1999 finals and becoming one of a small group of players, including fellow Canadian Al Charron
to have appeared in all the first four World Cups.
In the 1995 World Cup Rees together with James Dalton
and Rod Snow
were sent off for fighting in a Canada vs South Africa match that came to be known as the Battle of Boet Erasmus. All three players received a 30-day suspension. Rees did not regret coming to the aid of his team mates, and said after the incident, "We're a very tight team. The guys love each other."
He was inducted in the British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame
.
Rees donated one of his rugby boots to be bronzed and used as a trophy to be competed for annually by St. Michaels and Oak Bay High School.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who played at fly-half and full back positions. Rees played for several British club sides, including Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
and Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
. He won 55 caps for Canada
Canada national rugby union team
The Canada national rugby union team represents Canada in international rugby union. They are governed by Rugby Canada, and play in red and black. Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board as a tier two rugby nation. There are ten tier one nations, and seven tier two nations, the...
, captaining them on 23 occasions and scoring 487 test points, still a Canadian national record. In October 2011, Rees received arguably his greatest honour with induction to the IRB Hall of Fame
IRB Hall of Fame
The IRB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Rugby Board that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The IRB Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other individuals...
. He and fellow 2011 inductee Brian Lima
Brian Lima
Brian Lima is a former Samoan rugby union footballer who was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011. Originally a wing, Lima moved into centre for Manu Samoa as his pace lessened, but he remained a formidable player throughout his career.He earned the memorable nickname of "The Chiropractor"...
of Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
are the first members of the IRB Hall from nations outside of the traditional top tier of the sport.
Rugby career
Rees was born in Duncan, British Columbia, to Alan Rees who had emigrated to Canada from Wales, and was himself a former rugby player having represented Cross KeysCross Keys RFC
Cross Keys RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Crosskeys. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.- History :...
, Maesteg
Maesteg RFC
Maesteg Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Maesteg, South Wales. The club presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division One West and is a feeder club for the Ospreys.-Club history:...
and London Welsh. Rees was educated at St. Michaels University School
St. Michaels University School
St. Michaels University School is a private day and boarding school in the municipality of Saanich, which is a suburb of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The school is currently under the direction of headmaster Robert Snowden...
in Victoria and later at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. When studying at Harrow, he was selected to the Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
starting XV in what was then the John Player Cup final.
He played club rugby with Castaways
Castaway Wanderers
The Castaway Wanderers RFC is a Canadian rugby club based in Oak Bay, British Columbia. The Castaway Wanderers were founded in 1906.-See also:*Rugby Canada**Canada national rugby union team*British Columbia Rugby Union...
, Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
, Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
, Mérignac, Newport, Oxford University
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
, Bedford
Bedford Blues
Bedford Blues is a rugby union club in the town of Bedford, England, currently playing in The RFU Championship. Bedford is one of the largest towns in England without a league football club, and one of the few towns in England where the rugby club is better supported than the football team. The...
and the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
.
Rees played in all of the first four Rugby World Cup tournaments, the 1987, 1991, 1995 and 1999. He retired after the 1999 finals and becoming one of a small group of players, including fellow Canadian Al Charron
Al Charron
Al Charron is a former Canadian rugby union footballer. He played at back-row forward and was capped 80 times for the Canadian national team, the Canucks. He played club rugby for Ottawa, Bristol and Pau and Dax and also Moseley in England.Charron was a favourite with the supporters of many of the...
to have appeared in all the first four World Cups.
In the 1995 World Cup Rees together with James Dalton
James Dalton (rugby player)
James Dalton, born 16 August 1972 in Johannesburg, is a South African rugby union player, who played for the South Africa national rugby union team. He played as a hooker . He was educated at Parktown Boys' High School and Matriculated at Jeppe High School for Boys in Johannesburg, South...
and Rod Snow
Rod Snow
Gerald Arthur Rod Snow is a Canadian former professional rugby union prop.Snow began his senior club rugby with the Newfoundland amateur club team Dogs RFC. He went on to play professionally in South Africa for Eastern Province in 1995, before joining Newport RFC in 1996, the club he remained...
were sent off for fighting in a Canada vs South Africa match that came to be known as the Battle of Boet Erasmus. All three players received a 30-day suspension. Rees did not regret coming to the aid of his team mates, and said after the incident, "We're a very tight team. The guys love each other."
He was inducted in the British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame
British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame
The British Columbia Rugby Hall of Fame, set in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is a Hall of Fame created in 2005 to honour those who have contributed more to the progress of the sport of rugby union in Canada from the province of British Columbia, one of their country's where the oval sport...
.
Rees donated one of his rugby boots to be bronzed and used as a trophy to be competed for annually by St. Michaels and Oak Bay High School.