Ben Flower
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| Full name | Benjamin Thomas Flower[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 October 1987 Cardiff, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 17 st 2 lb (109 kg)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Prop,Loose forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 28 Sep 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ben Flower(born 19 October 1987) is a Welsh professional formerrugby leaguefootballer who last played as apropfor theLeigh Centurionsin theBetfred Super League,and has played forWalesat international level.
He previously played as asecond-rowandloose forwardforCrusaders Rugby Leaguein theSuper League,and spent time away fromCrusaders RLon loan at theSouth Wales ScorpionsinChampionship 1.Flower also spent 9 seasons at theWigan Warriorsin the top flight.[3][4]
He punchedLance Hohaiain the face twice in the second minute ofthe Super League Grand Finalin 2014 and faced a six-month ban.[5][6]
Background
[edit]Flower was born inCardiff, Wales.
Playing career
[edit]Early career and Crusaders
[edit]An under-17 international when atCardiff Demons,Flower also played for Wales inrugby unionat under 18, under 19 and under 20 level. He was signed by theCrusadersfrom Welsh Premiership rugby union sideBedwas RFC,having also played for regional sideNewport Gwent Dragons.
Flower progressed as a professionalrugby leaguefootballer throughout 2007, starting inCrusaders Coltsbefore becoming a regular in the Crusaders first team and winning his first full Welsh cap in 2008. He played for Crusaders in their firstSuper Leagueseason in 2009, and remained with the club until their departure from the league in 2011, after which he signed forWigan Warriors.
In 2010, Flower was loaned from Crusaders toSouth Wales ScorpionsofChampionship 1,and made four appearances for the club, scoring one try.
Wigan Warriors
[edit]2012
[edit]Flower made 18 appearances in his first season with Wigan.
2013
[edit]In 2013 he established himself as a first-choice player and was a member of the team that won the2013 Challenge Cup Finalwith victory overHull F.C.atWembley Stadium.[7][8][9]
He played in the2013 Super League Grand Finalvictory over theWarrington WolvesatOld Trafford.[10][11][12][13][5]
Lance Hohaia incident
[edit]On 11 October 2014 Flower became the first player to be sent off in aSuper League Grand Finalafter being shown a red card in the second minute of the match for twice punchingLance HohaiaofSt Helensin the face, including once while Hohaia was lying on the ground.[14][15]Wigan went on to lose the match after playing with a man down for 78 minutes.[15]Flower was subsequently given a six-month ban by the RFL disciplinary committee, the longest in the competition's history for an on-field act.[6]Hohaia retired from rugby league on 29 April 2015, citing recurrent concussion symptoms as the reason.[16][17][18][19][20]
2015
[edit]Flower made his comeback against Warrington Wolves on 16 April. He was wished well ahead of his return by Lance Hohaia.[21]He went on to make 19 appearances scoring four tries.
He played in the2015 Super League Grand Finaldefeat by theLeeds RhinosatOld Trafford.[22]
2016
[edit]In early February he signed a new four-year deal running till the end of 2020 despite interest from other Super League and NRL clubs.[23]His 27 appearances across the season saw him score three tries.
He played in the2016 Super League Grand Finalvictory over theWarrington WolvesatOld Trafford.[24]
2017
[edit]Flower helped Wigan win a fourth World Club Challenge in the 22-6 victory over Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. He made a good start to the season before after 13 appearances he suffered anAchilles tendoninjury ending his season.[25]
2018
[edit]He played in the2018 Super League Grand Finalvictory over theWarrington WolvesatOld Trafford.[26]
2019
[edit]Flower played 18 games for Wigan in 2019 including their shock semi-final loss against Salford.[27]
2020
[edit]Flower played only nine games for Wigan in the 2020 season. In the semi-final victory over Hull F.C., Flower was taken from the field in the second half with a leg injury. He was later ruled out of the2020 Super League Grand Final.[28] It was announced on 30 November 2020 that Flower would joinLeigh Centurionsfor the 2021 season[29]
2021
[edit]Flower retired fromrugby leagueand signed for Welshrugby unionclubPontypool RFCin the Welsh Championship 2021.[30]
International career
[edit]Flower made hisWalesdébut againstEnglandwhile at Celtic Crusaders in 2008.[4]
He represented Wales in the2010 European Cup,and the2011 Rugby League Four Nations,and was named in the squad for the2013 Rugby League World Cup.[31]
References
[edit]- ^Companies House
- ^"Crusaders Rugby League".web page.Crusaders Rugby League Club. Archived fromthe originalon 20 July 2011.Retrieved7 August2011.
- ^ab"Profile at loverugbyleague.com".loverugbyleague.com. 31 December 2017.Retrieved1 January2018.
- ^abc"Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org".rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017.Retrieved1 January2018.
- ^ab"Wigan see off Warrington in X-rated Grand Final to complete double".The Guardian.5 October 2013.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^ab"Ben Flower: Wigan prop banned for Lance Hohaia punch".BBC Sport.14 October 2014.Retrieved14 October2014.
- ^"Hull FC 0-16 Wigan Warriors".BBC Sport.24 August 2013.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^"Wigan Warriors overcome Hull FC and elements to win Challenge Cup".The Guardian.24 August 2013.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^"Wigan Warriors grind out victory over Hull".Sky Sports.24 August 2013.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^"Super League Grand Final".Super League. Archived fromthe originalon 29 July 2013.Retrieved14 July2013.
- ^Newsum, Matt (5 October 2013)."Super League Grand Final: Wigan Warriors beat Warrington".BBC Sport.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^"Super League Grand Final: Warrington v Wigan".BBC Sport.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^"Warrington Wolves 16 Wigan Warriors 30".The Daily Telegraph.5 October 2013.Retrieved13 November2019.
- ^"Super League Grand Final: St Helens v Wigan Warriors as it happened".BBC Sport.
- ^abAndy Wilson (11 October 2014)."Wigan's Ben Flower hammered for Super League Grand Final punches".The Guardian.
- ^"Lance Hohaia retires due to health concerns".SkySports.Sky Sports.30 April 2015.Retrieved30 April2014.
- ^Kieran Fox (29 April 2015)."Lance Hohaia retires because of 'recurrent concussion symptoms".BBC Sport.Retrieved3 December2017.
- ^"St Helens 14 Wigan Warriors 6: Moment of madness from Wales international Ben Flower costs Wigan dear".The Daily Telegraph.11 October 2014.Retrieved15 October2014.
- ^"St Helens win Grand Final after Wigan's Ben Flower is sent off".The Guardian.11 October 2014.Retrieved15 October2014.
- ^"St Helens 14–6 Wigan Warriors".BBC Sport.11 October 2014.Retrieved15 October2014.
- ^"St Helens star Lance Hohaia wishes Ben Flower 'all the best' ahead of prop's comeback".wigantoday.net.Archived fromthe originalon 24 January 2018.Retrieved23 January2018.
- ^"Leeds pip Wigan to seal treble after brilliant, breathless Grand Final".The Guardian.10 October 2015.Retrieved8 November2019.
- ^"Flower stays loyal to Warriors".wigantoday.net.Retrieved23 January2018.
- ^"Warrington 6-12 Wigan: Super League Grand Final – as it happened!".The Guardian.8 October 2016.Retrieved6 November2019.
- ^"Body blow for Escare".wigantoday.net.Retrieved23 January2018.
- ^"Super League Grand Final 2018: Wigan 12-4 Warrington – as it happened".The Guardian.13 October 2018.Retrieved5 November2019.
- ^"Salford seal maiden Super League Grand Final appearance".www.skysports.com.
- ^"Wigan Warriors front-rower to miss Super League Grand Final against St Helens".www.skysports.com.
- ^"Ben Flower: Wigan Warriors prop forward joins Championship side Leigh Centurions".BBC Sport.30 November 2020.Retrieved16 December2020.
- ^"Ben Flower: Retired Wales rugby league prop switches codes to join Pontypool".BBC Sport.27 September 2021.Retrieved28 September2021.
- ^"Crusaders dominate Wales' squad".BBC. 3 October 2008.Retrieved1 January2012.
External links
[edit]
- Wigan Warriors profile
- (archived by web.archive.org)Crusaders profile
- SL profile
- (archived by web.archive.org)Newport Gwent Dragons profile
- (archived by web.archive.org)Off the Pitch: Facts and Success
- Ben FloweronX
- "Wigan Warriors to develop Welsh youngsters".BBC Sport.17 November 2011.Retrieved13 October2014.
- 1987 births
- Living people
- Bedwas RFC players
- Crusaders Rugby League players
- Dragons RFC players
- Footballers who switched code
- Leigh Leopards players
- Pontypool RFC players
- Rugby league players from Cardiff
- Rugby league props
- Rugby union players from Cardiff
- South Wales Scorpions players
- Wales national rugby league team captains
- Wales national rugby league team players
- Welsh rugby league players
- Welsh rugby union players
- Wigan Warriors players