Player

Craig Quinnell - Lock

Cardiff
Back
Craig Quinnell
Height198
Weight130
Date Of Birth09/07/1975
Place Of BirthSwansea
EducationGraig Comprehensive School, Llandovery College
ClubsSaracens, Cardiff, Richmond
RegionsCardiff Rugby, Scarlets
HonoursWales, Wales Development XV, Wales Schools, Wales RU U21, Wales Youth RU, Wales A
InvitationalBarbarians
The son of the former Llanelli and Wales star Derek, Craig and brother Scott followed their father’s example and forged successful rugby careers. Younger brother Gavin was less fortunate and his career ended when he received a serious injury in a game. Craig played 54 games for Cardiff between November 1999 and May 2002 establishing himself as one of the backbones of the pack. Though often in the firing line from opposition forwards, he never took a backward step and was a firm favourite with the Cardiff faithful.
Inevitably he began his senior career with Llanelli but left the Scarlets to join Richmond where he remained for three years. In 1999 he joined Cardiff, for whom he played 54 times before leaving to join English club Saracens and for a short while Worcester.
In 2003 he returned to Cardiff and was one of the earliest recruits to the newly-established Cardiff Blues, playing for three seasons until injury forced his retirement in April 2006. The injury was sustained during the game against Glasgow Warriors when he damaged his neck and doctors told him that he risked being in a wheelchair if he played rugby again.  As a player Quinnell had a fearsome reputation with ball in hands, and was frequently being ‘talked to’ by the officials.
At the age of twenty-two Quinnell won his first international cap, as flank forward against Fiji in 1995, and he won thirty-two international caps in all. He was a member of the World Cup squad in 1999 and toured with Wales to Argentina and Japan and he was a key member of the team that recorded the famous 32-31 victory over England at Wembley in 1999.
PLAYER FOR P W D L TRY CON PEN DG PTS
Wales 32 20 1 11 5 0 0 0 25
TOTAL 32 20 1 11 5 0 0 0 25
TEAM P W D L PF PA PTS
Llandovery 20 19 0 1 684 307 90
Newport 21 18 0 3 701 390 90
Ebbw Vale 20 14 0 6 615 384 71
Cardiff 21 12 1 8 579 492 63
Pontypridd 21 10 1 10 470 501 53
Pontypool 19 11 0 8 480 455 51
Merthyr 18 10 0 8 458 470 49
Aberavon 20 8 0 12 462 556 46
Bridgend Ravens 20 8 0 12 423 539 41
Swansea 19 5 0 14 377 540 30
RGC 1404 18 5 0 13 354 489 28
Carmarthen Quins 19 4 0 15 416 541 28
Neath 20 3 0 17 330 685 19