Quinnell
Find out more about the illustrious career of towering former Wales player Craig Quinnell
Craig Quinnell Bio
Craig Quinnell was a literal giant of Welsh rugby in the 90s and early 2000s and despite being retired for quite some time now, his imposing 6ft 6in height, broad shoulders and bald head are iconic and live long in the memory of fans of the game. Craig Quinnell was inducted into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame in 2021.
Born Johnathan Craig Quinnell in July 1975 in Swansea, he began his youth career with Llanelli RFC and stayed with the side when he took the step up to senior level. It was here he began to develop a reputation as a fierce and battling lock and was soon picked up by Richmond F.C. in 1996.
Craig Quinnell stayed with the club for two seasons and in 1999 moved back to Wales to play for regional side Cardiff Rugby – just before they became Cardiff Blues. In May 2002, he left Wales to return to England and went on to play for Saracens and Worcester before again going back to Cardiff. Quinnell would then play for another three seasons in Wales before a neck injury forced him into an early retirement in April 2006.
On the international stage Craig Quinnell was just as infamous for his aggressive and powerful performances. His first cap for Wales came in 1995 when he played as a flank forward against Fiji aged just 20. He was in and out of the Wales side after this but did feature in the Rugby World Cup in 1999 – playing in the famous win over France in Paris – he also went on several international tours. He earned 32 caps for Wales and his uncompromising style of play saw him collect his fair share of yellow and red cards.
After his retirement Craig Quinnell got involved with the family business and is a director at Aquatreat, a firm founded by his father Derek Quinnell, another former Wales international. His older brother Scott Quinnell and younger brother Gavin also played professional rugby union.
