He played club level rugby union (RU) for Blaengarw RFC (in Blaengarw, Bridgend), and Maesteg RFC, and armed forces rugby union for the Royal Air Force, as a number eight,[3][4][5][6] and representative level rugby league (RL) for Great Britain and Wales, and at club level for Leeds, Castleford,[7][8] and Huddersfield, as a loose forward.
[9] Owens, who was born in Pontycymer near Bridgend, originally played rugby union for Blaengarw RFC, before switching to Maesteg.
His international début came in March 1945 when he won the first of 12 caps for Wales in an 18–8 defeat by England at Central Park, Wigan.
Before the start of the 1948–49 season Owens asked for a transfer from Leeds and in October 1948 he signed for Castleford for a fee of £2,750.
[19] Ike Owens served in the Royal Air Force as a Parachute Jump Instructor during World War II at No.