View source for Scott Gibbs

{{short description|GB & Wales dual-code international rugby footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name           = Scott Gibbs
| fullname       = Ian Scott Gibbs
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1971|1|23}}
| birth_place    = [[Bridgend]], [[Glamorgan, Wales]]
| image          =
| image_size     =
| retired        = yes
| height         = {{convert|5|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
| weight         = {{convert|15|st|7|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
| first          = RU
| ru_position    = [[Centre (rugby union)|Centre]]
| ru_club1       = [[Bridgend RFC|Bridgend]]
| ru_year1start  = 1990
| ru_year1end    = 1991
| ru_appearances1 = 
| ru_tries1 =
| ru_cons1 =
| ru_pens1 =
| ru_dropgoals1 =
| ru_points1 =
| ru_club2 = [[Neath RFC|Neath]]
| ru_year2start = 1991
| ru_year2end = 1992
| ru_appearances2 = 14
| ru_tries2 = 4
| ru_goals2 = 0
| ru_fieldgoals2 = 0
| ru_points2 = 16
| ru_club3 = [[Swansea RFC|Swansea]]
| ru_year3start = 1992
| ru_year3end = 1994
| ru_appearances3 = 42
| ru_tries3 = 14
| ru_goals3 = 0
| ru_fieldgoals3 = 0
| ru_points3 = 63
| ru_club4 = [[Swansea RFC|Swansea]]
| ru_year4start = 1996
| ru_year4end = 2003
| ru_appearances4 = 154
| ru_tries4 = 59
| ru_goals4 = 0
| ru_fieldgoals4 = 0
| ru_points4 = 295
| ru_club5 = [[Ospreys (rugby union)|Ospreys]]
| ru_year5start = 2003
| ru_year5end = 2004
| ru_appearances5 = 16
| ru_tries5 = 3
| ru_goals5 = 0
| ru_fieldgoals5 = 0
| ru_points5 = 15
| ru_teamA = [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]]<ref name="Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)">{{cite web|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/player/10949.html|title=Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)|publisher=espn.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018|archive-date=8 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108180200/http://en.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/player/10949.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Statistics at wru.co.uk (RU)">{{cite web|url=http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/matchcentre/squads_wales_player_archive.php?player=3638&includeref=dynamic|title=Statistics at wru.co.uk (RU)|publisher=wru.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>
| ru_yearAstart = 1991
| ru_yearAend = 01
| ru_appearancesA = 53
| ru_triesA = 10
| ru_goalsA = 0
| ru_fieldgoalsA = 0
| ru_pointsA = 50
| ru_teamB = [[British & Irish Lions]]<ref name="Profile at lionsrugby.com (RU)">{{cite web|url=https://www.lionsrugby.com/player?PlayGuid=IG225292|title=Profile at lionsrugby.com (RU)|publisher=lionsrugby.com|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>
| ru_yearBstart = [[1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1993]] 
| ru_yearBend = [[2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia|01]]
| ru_appearancesB = 5
| ru_triesB = 1
| ru_goalsB = 0
| ru_fieldgoalsB = 0
| ru_pointsB = 5
| position = {{rlp|CE}}
| club1 = [[St Helens R.F.C.|St Helens]]
| year1start = 1994
| year1end = 96
| appearances1 = 48
| tries1 = 23
| goals1 = 0
| fieldgoals1 = 0
| points1 = 92
| teamA = [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]]<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/scott-gibbs/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>
| yearAstart = 1994
| yearAend = 95
| appearancesA = 2
| triesA = 0
| goalsA = 0
| fieldgoalsA = 0
| pointsA = 0
| source = 
| updated = 1 January 2016
}}

'''Ian Scott Gibbs''' (born 23 January 1971) is a Welsh former [[rugby football]]er who has represented [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]] and the [[British & Irish Lions|Lions]] in [[rugby union]] and [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]] and [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] in [[rugby league]].<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)"/> Noted feats included his performance in the [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa]] (in which he was named "Player of the Series") and the individual try he scored in the dying minutes of the last [[Six Nations Championship|Five Nations]] match in [[1999 Five Nations Championship|1999]] against [[England national rugby union team|England]].

==Background==
Gibbs was born in [[Bridgend]], [[Glamorgan]], Wales.

==Rugby union==
Gibbs began his rugby career at [[Pencoed RFC]], progressing through the mini and youth levels. His first class career started at [[Bridgend RFC]] during the 1990/91 season, followed by a short spell at [[Neath RFC]], before making his [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]] debut in 1991 against England. However he transferred to [[Swansea RFC]] in January 1992, scoring a try on his debut in a Cup game against Oakdale. Gibbs also scored further tries that season in the cup against [[Neath RFC]] and [[Newport RFC]] to help Swansea reach the final where they lost to [[Llanelli RFC]] at [[Cardiff Arms Park]].

Despite being only 22, he was selected for the 1993 [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]] tour to New Zealand, where he impressed so much that he was selected for the second and third tests instead of then-England captain [[Will Carling]].


==Rugby league==
In 1994 Gibbs left union to join rugby league team [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]].<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)"/><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-union-gibbs-flight-to-st-helens-outrages-swansea-welsh-and-british-isles-union-centre-switches-codes-for-fiveyear-contract-and-derides-his-former-sports-efforts-to-keep-him-1371346.html Rugby Union: Gibbs' flight to St Helens outrages Swansea: Welsh and British Isles union centre switches codes for five-year contract and derides his former sport's efforts to keep him] The Independent, 20 April 1994</ref> While playing league, Gibbs was selected to play for [[Wales national rugby league team|Wales]] in the [[1995 Rugby League World Cup|1995 World Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-in-wales/2007/12/12/henson-would-be-big-success-says-gibbs-91466-20236621|title=Henson would be big success, says Gibbs|publisher=walesonline.co.uk|work=Western Mail|access-date=3 June 2012|date=12 December 2007|last=Howell|first=Andy}}</ref> He also won the [[Challenge Cup]], and the inaugural [[Super League]] title with [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gareth Thomas completes switch from union to Wales rugby league side Crusaders |work=telegraph.co.uk |place=London |publisher=Telegraph Media Group |date=5 March 2010 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/wales/7376424/Gareth-Thomas-completes-switch-from-union-to-Wales-rugby-league-side-Crusaders.html |access-date=2 May 2010 }}</ref> He played at centre in the [[1996 Challenge Cup]] final victory over [[Bradford Bulls]].<ref>{{cite web|title=steveprescottfoundation.co.uk|url=http://www.steveprescottfoundation.co.uk/About/StevePrescottStats.aspx|work=Steve Prescott Stats|publisher=Steve Prescott Foundation|access-date=3 June 2012|archive-date=8 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808052156/http://www.steveprescottfoundation.co.uk/About/StevePrescottStats.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Scott Gibbs played at {{rlp|ce}} in [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]]' 16–25 defeat by [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]] in the [[1995–96 League Cup (rugby league)|1995–96 Regal Trophy]] Final during the [[1995–96 Rugby Football League season|1995–96]] at [[John Smith's Stadium|Alfred McAlpine Stadium]], [[Huddersfield]] on Saturday 13 January 1996.<ref name="13th January 1996: St Helens 16 Wigan 25 (Regal Trophy Final)">{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=2976|title=13th January 1996: St Helens 16 Wigan 25 (Regal Trophy Final)|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2014|access-date=1 January 2015|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007005311/http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=2976|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Return to union==
On his return to union in 1996 it was sometimes joked that he was the fastest [[Prop (rugby union)|prop]] in world rugby, though in fact he was an [[Centre (rugby union)|inside centre]]. He became known as the world's hardest tackler (summed up by his nickname "Car Crash") and this was exemplified by his performance in his second Lions tour.

In 1997 Gibbs was a key member of the victorious [[1997 British Lions tour to South Africa|British Lions tour of South Africa]]. The [[Springboks]] were at the time the world champions following the [[1995 Rugby World Cup|1995 World Cup]], and were expected to win the series. However, the Lions produced some noted defensive performances with Gibbs at the centre of the action pulling off some devastating tackles. In one game, Gibbs crashed through the Springboks' key player, 19-stone [[Os du Randt]] on one of his trademark bullocking runs. The Lions went on to win the series 2–1 and Gibbs was voted "Player of the Series".

In later years Gibbs was sometimes criticised for being too one-dimensional, but he did show agility to claim the winning try in the last-ever Five Nations match in 1999. Wales were playing England at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] with England trying to complete the [[Grand Slam (Rugby Union)|Grand Slam]]. England led by 6 points with 3 minutes left to play and appeared to have won the game. However, during injury time (which was added to the 80 minutes in the era prior to the practice of stopping the game clock) Wales had a final attacking line-out from which Gibbs received a [[Scott Quinnell]] pass 20m from the try line. Gibbs memorably broke through England's defensive line, ran around one defender, side-stepped another and crossed for one of the most celebrated tries in Welsh rugby history.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

In a 2013 article for ''[[The Guardian]]'', Gibbs said that the play was inspired by a move that his old St Helens teammate [[Bobbie Goulding]] had regularly used to great success in the 13-man code, namely packing the midfield with forwards before allowing a back to cut through on a diagonal dummy run.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/13/scott-gibbs-wales-england-grand-slam| location=London| work=The Guardian| first=Paul| last=Rees| title=The story of Scott Gibbs's try that broke England hearts| date=13 March 2013}}</ref> Following [[Neil Jenkins]]' conversion, Wales won the match 32–31 in what is agreed to be one of the best matches played in the competition,{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} and caused England not only to miss out on the Grand Slam, but handed the last Five Nations Championship to Scotland.

In 2001 Gibbs was called up as a replacement to the [[2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia]], though he did not play in any of the Tests.

==Post-retirement==
Gibbs retired from rugby in 2004 at age 33<ref name="retired">{{cite news |last1=Aldred |first1=Tanya |title=Gibbs hangs up his boots at 33 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/jan/23/rugbyunion |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=The Guardian |issue=23 January 2004}}</ref> and went on to contribute to the [[BBC]]'s rugby union coverage. He also coaches the Pirates in [[Muscat, Oman]].

Gibbs resides in [[Cape Town]], South Africa, with his fiancée.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/need-to-read/2013/03/02/scott-gibbs-to-wed-after-right-royal-monaco-st-david-s-day-proposal-91466-32911638|title=Scott Gibbs to wed|first=Simon|last=Gaskell|publisher=WalesOnline.co.uk|date=2 March 2013|access-date=3 March 2013}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419094942/http://www.wru.co.uk/41_501.php |date=dmy |title=Profile at wru.co.uk (RU)}}
*[http://www.saints.org.uk/saints/player.php?num=15386 Profile at saints.org.uk (RL)]
*{{ESPNscrum}}

{{St. Helens - 1996 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Wales 1991 Rugby World Cup squad}}
{{Wales Squad 1995 World Cup}}
{{Wales 1999 Rugby World Cup squad}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1993}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1997}}
{{British and Irish Lions 2001}}
{{BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year winners}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gibbs, Scott}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1991 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:1999 Rugby World Cup players]]
[[Category:20th-century Welsh sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Wales]]
[[Category:Cool Cymru]]
[[Category:Dual-code rugby internationals]]
[[Category:Neath RFC players]]
[[Category:Ospreys (rugby union) players]]
[[Category:People educated at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari]]
[[Category:Rugby league centres]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Bridgend]]
[[Category:Rugby union centres]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Bridgend]]
[[Category:St Helens R.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Swansea RFC players]]
[[Category:Wales international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Wales national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:Wales rugby union captains]]
[[Category:Welsh expatriate sportspeople in South Africa]]
[[Category:Welsh rugby league players]]
[[Category:Welsh rugby union players]]