Robert Howley (born 13 October 1970 in Bridgend) is a former Welsh rugby union footballer. He was considered one of the greatest ever scrum-halves and gained 59 caps for Wales, 22 of them as captain.
Howley made his Wales debut in February 1996. He was selected for the 1997 British Lions tour to South Africa, prompting speculation of a match-up with the Springboks' Joost van der Westhuizen, but Howley was injured.
Howley did make the 2001 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia and played in the first two tests before succumbing to injury.
Howley moved from Cardiff to Wasps and retired from international rugby. A wrist injury saw Howley announce his retirement from the game in 2004.
Following his retirement from playing Rob Howley coached Cardiff RFC/Blues, and is now the attack coach for the Wales national team. During April 2012 temporarily covered the day-to-day running of the coaching team, after Warren Gatland suffered two broken heels while on holiday in New Zealand. It was announced on 19 April 2012 that Warren Gatland would be unable to lead Wales on the tour of Australia due to injury, and that Rob Howley would take charge as caretaker coach. It was later announced that Rob Howley would continue his caretaker role until the autumn internationals of 2012 but then lead Wales into the 2013 Six Nations.
Famous quotes containing the word rob:
“... the structure of our public morality crashed to earth. Above its grave a tombstone read, “Be tolerant—even of evil.” Logically the next step would be to say to our commonwealth’s criminals, “I disagree that it’s all right to rob and murder, but naturally I respect your opinion.” Tolerance is only complacence when it makes no distinction between right and wrong.”
—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 2, ch. 2 (1962)