Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gareth Stephens[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1974-04-15)15 April 1974 (age 50) Pontefract, England[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Stand-off, Scrum-half | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Gary Stephens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Dean Hanson (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gareth Stephens (born 15 April 1974) is a former professionalrugby league footballer who played as astand-off orscrum-half in the 1990s and 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain (Under-21s), andWales, and at club level forLeeds where he signed a record schoolboy contract and made his first team debut at the age of 17,Castleford Tigers,Hull FC,Sheffield Eagles andYork Wasps.[2]
Stephens was born inPontefract,West Yorkshire, England, and he is the son ofGary Stephens,[3] formerrugby league international footballer of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Gareth Stephens is also the cousin of Dean Hanson,[4] the rugby leagueprop, second-row, orloose forward of the 1980s and 1990s forHalifax and theIllawarra Steelers.
Stephens started his career atLeeds, making his début in September 1991.[5] He was signed byCastleford for £65000 in July 1994.[6] He went on to play forHull FC,Sheffield Eagles,Halifax Blue Sox andYork Wasps.[7][8]
Stephens won caps at Great Britain academy and U21 level along with four caps for Wales between 1995 and 1998, including at the1995 Rugby League World Cup.[2]