Jamie Roberts

Dr Jamie Huw Roberts (born 8 November 1986) is a Welsh former professional rugby union player, who played as a centre.

He retired from professional rugby in 2022 having won 94 caps for Wales between 2008 and 2017, and three for the British & Irish Lions on their tours to South Africa in 2009 and Australia in 2013.

After the game against South Africa, Blues coach Dai Young gave Roberts a chance in the position and he was named in the Wales squad for the Autumn internationals.

[9] He was once again selected at inside centre for the match against Australia, but Roberts collided with Australian captain Stirling Mortlock in the second minute.

Mortlock was immediately replaced but Roberts initially played on and was crucial in the build-up to Shane Williams' opening Wales try.

Roberts failed to match Brian O'Driscoll, who scored a try, as Ireland claimed victory 17–15[16] to win the Grand Slam for the first time in 61 years.

Despite the disappointing end to the Six Nations, Roberts continued to play well for the Blues as they won the EDF Energy Cup with a 50–12 win over Gloucester.

Despite a dour display from the Lions, Roberts held his own in the altitude and along with Lee Byrne and Tommy Bowe made an early claim for the test spot in the 37–25 win.

There were also signs of concerns as he hurt his shoulder and had to have strapped at the end but coach Ian McGeechan played down any injury worries, saying that it was just bruising.

Props Gethin Jenkins (broken cheekbone), Adam Jones (dislocated shoulder) and centre partner Brian O'Driscoll (concussion) all picking up injuries.

[25] This next day, coach Ian McGeechan announced that both props Jenkins and Jones would miss the final test and Roberts and O'Driscoll were major doubts.

And despite having become a well-known figure on the Lions tour, Roberts would also face stiff competition for a centre spot from new signings Casey Laulala and Gavin Evans alongside Dafydd Hewitt, who was returning from a long-term injury.

But Roberts would be ruled out for ten days with the neck injury meaning he would miss the game against Glasgow Warriors, which the Blues would lose 21–5.

Having lost four of the five games going into the Heineken Cup opener against Harlequins, Roberts returned to partner Tom Shanklin in the centre.

With Gatland keen to keep Hook at full back, Jonathan Davies was brought in, incidentally at 12, with Roberts shifting to outside centre for the second time in the red jersey.

But attention wasn't on that for the moment as he was put under the spotlight and was told to have a big game in the final match of the series against Australia.

Roberts was finally given the chance to prove his worth with an instrumental performance as the Barbarians claimed only their second ever victory over New Zealand, winning 25–18.

Roberts was also facing competition for his Welsh jersey, with James Hook and Andrew Bishop forming an excellent centre partnership at the Ospreys.

But the Blues ended their Heineken Cup on a high note by beating Harlequins, 45–20, with Roberts hitting back at the critics with two tries, his first of the season.

He then produced a man of the match display against the Scarlets in the Magners League, scoring two tries and setting up another in a comfortable 39–16 win over the west Wales region.

[44] On 6 December, Roberts was cleared to play in the Heineken Cup matches against Northampton Saints, a few weeks earlier than expected.

He was once again selected in a retained centre pairing but Wales were crushed by France 28–9, to end championship hopes and finish fourth.

Roberts was then named in the starting line-up for Wales' opening World Cup warm-up match against England at Twickenham, partnering Jonathan Davies in the centre to win his 30th Welsh cap.

Wales would then lose their respective semi-final 9–8 to France after skipper Sam Warburton was red carded in the 18th minute for a tip tackle.

Although Wales lost all four of their matches in the 2012 Autumn internationals, against Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Samoa, Roberts was a stand-out performer, playing three games in his usual inside centre position.

Roberts played 12 games and scored two tries in his final season at Cardiff Blues, a record restricted by international demands and injury.

[54] Roberts played 16 games and scored once during his first season at the Parisian club, his appearances were restricted by an injury which also caused him to miss the 2013 Autumn series.

Roberts started all four games of Wales's 2014 Autumn campaign, including the victories over Fiji and South Africa, earning many plaudits in the process for his strong performances.

[57] Roberts was forced out of the game at half-time by injury as Cambridge were beaten by Oxford for a record sixth time in a row.

[66] During his rugby career, Roberts studied part time in university, and he completed a Master of Philosophy in medical science at Queens' College, Cambridge in 2017.