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| Full name | Ben Westwood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1981-07-25)25 July 1981 (age 43) Normanton,West Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 16 st 5 lb (104 kg)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row, Loose forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ben Westwood (born 25 July 1981) is an English formerrugby league footballer, who played as asecond-row orloose forward in theSuper League. He played forEngland at international level, and also representedEngland Knights andYorkshire.
He started his professional career with theWakefield Trinity Wildcats in theSuper League before moving to theWarrington Wolves in 2002. He made over 400 appearances during his 18 years at the club, and was part of Warrington's2009,2010 and2012 Challenge Cup winning teams.
Westwood was born inNormanton,West Yorkshire, England.
He began his career at local teamNormanton Knights, before being scouted for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Westwood spent three seasons with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats between 1999 and 2002.
In June 2002, Westwood was transferred toWarrington Wolves for a fee of £60,000.[7]
A talismanic player for Warrington who has been top tackler at the club for the past two seasons and top tackler out of marker for the past three, Westwood was Warrington's Players' Player of the Year and Fans' Player of the Year in 2007. A conversion from the centres to the pack at the start of 2005 transformed his career and pushed him to international honours.
He was named in theSuper League Dream Team for 2008'sSuper League XIII.[8]
Westwood played in the2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over theLeeds Rhinos atWembley Stadium.[9][10]
He also enjoyed a good year in 2011 despite injuries, when the Wire topped the league table.
He played in the2012 Challenge Cup Final victory over theLeeds Rhinos atWembley Stadium.[11][12][13][14]
He played in the2012 Super League Grand Final defeat by theLeeds Rhinos atOld Trafford.[15][12]
He played in the2013 Super League Grand Final defeat by theWigan Warriors atOld Trafford.[16][17][18][19][20]
He played in the2016 Challenge Cup Final defeat byHull F.C. atWembley Stadium.[21][22]
He played in the2018 Challenge Cup Final defeat by theCatalans Dragons atWembley Stadium,[23] and played in the2018 Super League Grand Final defeat by theWigan Warriors atOld Trafford.[24]
In July 2019, Westwood announced he would be retiring at the end of the season.[25]
He was a substitute for Yorkshire against Lancashire in the second game of the expanded County of Origin series in 2002.[26]
He won a call up to the Great Britain standby squad for the 2006 Tri-Nations.
In September 2008 he was named in theEngland training squad for the2008 Rugby League World Cup,[27] and in October 2008 he was named in the final 24-manEngland squad.[28]
In 2011 Westwood has established himself within the elite England squad and featured in all of England's2011 Four Nations matches. The tournament earned him the reputation of a hard-working and aggressive back-rower who thrives on intensity.
He was named in the England squad for the2013 Rugby League World Cup.