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Ryan Elias
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Key Information
Ryan James Elias (born 7 January 1995) is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and the Wales national team.[1]
Club career
[edit]Elias played youth rugby for Carmarthen Athletic, where his grandfather once served as club chairman.[2] He later made the switch to rivals Carmarthen Quins, while progressing through the Scarlets academy.[3]
Elias made his professional debut for the Scarlets on 17 November 2013, against the Saracens.[4]
With first choice hooker and fellow Bro Myrddin graduate Ken Owens injured, Elias started the semi-final against Leinster and final against Munster, winning the 2016–17 Pro12 title with the Scarlets.
Elias made his 100th appearance for the Scarlets on 5 January 2019, with a win against the Dragons.[5] He made his 150th appearance for the club on 17 December 2022, against the Cheetahs in the Challenge Cup.[6] Elias signed an extension with the Scarlets on 14 April 2023.[7]
International career
[edit]Elias featured for Wales U18 in 2013, and progressed into the Wales U20 ranks in 2014, making eight appearances for the team.In May 2017 Elias was named in the Wales senior squad for the tests against Tonga and Samoa in June 2017.[8]
He made his debut on 16 June 2017, off the bench against Tonga at Eden Park[9] and started the next test against Samoa.
In his third test appearance, Elias came off the bench against South Africa on 2 June 2018, scoring a late try to put Wales in the lead and ultimately secure the win.[10]
Elias won the Grand Slam with Wales in the 2019 Six Nations, appearing off the bench against Italy, as Wales won their 11th match in a row.[11]
Having been named in the Wales squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Elias made one appearance, starting in the win against Uruguay.[12]
Often shifting between a starting position and the bench, Elias was named to start all four of Wales's fixtures in the 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals. He scored three tries, including a brace against Fiji. He retained the starting hooker position for the 2022 Six Nations, starting four of the five matches.[13]
Elias started all three of the tests during the 2022 mid-year rugby union tests, as Wales secured a first ever win in South Africa.[13] He made three appearances off the bench during the 2022 end-of-year rugby union internationals, and was yellow carded in the final match against Australia.[13]
Elias missed the 2023 Six Nations Championship with an Achilles injury.[7]
Elias was named in the squad for the 2026 Six Nations by Steve Tandy.[14]
Career statistics
[edit]List of international tries
[edit]| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 June 2018 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States |  South Africa
|
22–20 | 22–20 | 2018 Wales rugby union tour to Argentina and the United States |
| 2 | 14 November 2021 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Fiji
|
5–10 | 38–23 | 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals |
| 3 | 19–23 | |||||
| 4 | 20 November 2021 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Australia
|
11–10 | 29–28 | 2021 end-of-year rugby union internationals |
as of 20 November 2021[update]
References
[edit]- ^ "Ryan Elias". Scarlets. Scarlets Regional Limited. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
- ^ "The Player Column: Ryan Elias - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "International Honours (E) Ryan Elias – Carmarthen Quins : Official Website". Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Elias seeking150th Euro celebration in Italy - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Scarlets team to face Dragons". www.unitedrugby.com. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Wales hooker Elias hits 150 not out for Scarlets". BBC Sport. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ a b "Wales hooker Elias signs new Scarlets contract". BBC Sport. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ Wales squad June 2017
- ^ "Tonga 6-24 Wales: Alex Cuthbert shines in scrappy win for Wales". Sky Sports. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ Bywater, Alex (2 June 2018). "Ryan Elias's late try earns Wales win over South Africa in Washington". the Guardian. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "Italy 15-26 Wales: Six Nations 2019 — as it happened". the Guardian. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "'I've always wanted to play in a World Cup'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ a b c "Ryan Elias". Welsh Rugby Union. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ "Six Nations 2026: Wales prop Tomas Francis back as uncapped Louie Hennessey and Gabriel Hamer-Webb included". BBC Sport. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
External links
[edit]- Ryan Elias at European Professional Club Rugby
- Ryan Elias at Welsh Rugby Union
- Ryan Elias at ESPNscrum (archived)
- Ryan Elias at ItsRugby.co.uk
- Ryan Elias at Welsh Rugby Union
- Scarlets Player Profile
- Carmarthen Quins Player Profile
Ryan Elias
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Early life and education
Family background and schooling
Ryan Elias was born on 7 January 1995 in Carmarthen, Wales.[1] He grew up in Carmarthen, a town renowned for its deep-rooted rugby culture in West Wales, where the sport plays a central role in community life.[2] Elias's family has strong ties to local rugby; his grandfather once served as chairman of Carmarthen Athletic RFC. He attended Ysgol Bro Myrddin, a Welsh-medium comprehensive school in Carmarthen, where he developed an early interest in rugby alongside his formal education.[6] During his school years, he participated in organized rugby through local youth setups, including Carmarthen Athletic RFC, which helped nurture his skills in the sport.[6]Initial rugby involvement
Ryan Elias began his organized rugby involvement as a youngster with Carmarthen Athletic RFC, where he first took up the position of hooker and developed foundational skills in youth setups.[6] A pupil at Bro Myrddin Welsh Comprehensive School during this period, he played in local junior competitions.[6] Around 2013, Elias transitioned to rival club Carmarthen Quins, joining their academy program after his junior experience with Athletic.[7] This move marked a key youth milestone, providing him entry into more structured regional development pathways and competitive Premiership-level exposure in junior and academy matches.[2] At Quins, he continued building his physicality and game understanding in organized youth environments, preparing for higher levels of play.[8]Club career
Time at Carmarthen Quins
Ryan Elias joined Carmarthen Quins in 2013, transitioning from youth rugby with local Carmarthen clubs to semi-professional play in the Welsh Premiership.[8][9] As a promising hooker, he quickly integrated into the senior squad, making his debut during the 2013/14 season and establishing himself as a key front-row player.[10] Over the next three seasons, Elias made 45 appearances for the Quins, scoring 10 points through two tries.[11][12] His contributions were particularly notable in the forward pack, where he honed his skills in scrummaging and lineout throws, developing the physicality and carrying ability that would define his later career. Elias featured regularly in Premiership fixtures, helping the team compete in regional derbies and promotion battles. Key moments included his try-scoring performances in 2015 Premiership matches, crashing over in the corner during a 32-22 victory over Neath.[13] Elias also gained European exposure through the British and Irish Cup, appearing in pool-stage games like the 24-9 home win over Jersey in December 2014, where the Quins' forwards, including Elias, dominated to overturn an early deficit.[14] These experiences solidified his role in team dynamics, providing reliability in the set-piece and supporting the Quins' competitive edge in West Wales rugby.Scarlets tenure and achievements
Ryan Elias made his professional debut for the Scarlets on 17 November 2013, coming on as a replacement in an Anglo-Welsh Cup match against Saracens at Allianz Park.[15] Over the course of his tenure, he has amassed 185 appearances for the region, establishing himself as a key figure in the forward pack.[2] Elias reached significant milestones during his time with the Scarlets, including his 100th appearance on 5 January 2019 in a United Rugby Championship (URC) victory over the Dragons. He marked his 150th outing on 17 December 2022 against the Cheetahs in the European Challenge Cup, a match in which he expressed pride in his long-standing contribution to the club.[16] On 14 April 2023, Elias signed a contract extension with the Scarlets, committing his future to the region amid interest from French clubs.[17] A pivotal achievement came in the 2016–17 season when Elias contributed to the Scarlets' Guinness Pro12 title win, starting in the 46–22 grand final victory over Munster at the Aviva Stadium on 27 May 2017.[18][2] He has also taken on leadership responsibilities, captaining the Scarlets on multiple occasions, including in a 2021 Rainbow Cup fixture against Edinburgh and a 2024 European Challenge Cup clash with the same opponents.[19][20] Throughout the United Rugby Championship seasons, Elias has been a consistent starter, providing robust carrying and lineout expertise in the Scarlets' campaigns up to the 2024–25 term, where he featured in matches including a May 2025 URC encounter against Leinster.[21] In 2025, Elias underwent elbow surgery during the summer, sidelining him until November and affecting his availability for the early stages of the Scarlets' 2025-26 season.[22] As of early November 2025, he remained unavailable and has not played since May, though his recovery was expected to allow a return later in the campaign.[23][5]International career
Wales U20 appearances
Ryan Elias earned eight caps for the Wales Under-20 national team between 2014 and 2015, establishing himself as a promising hooker in the age-group setup.[6] His debut came in 2014, marking the start of his international youth career after progressing through the Scarlets academy and gaining domestic experience at Carmarthen Quins.[2] Elias's appearances included key fixtures in the 2015 Six Nations Under-20 Championship, where he featured off the bench against England and Ireland, contributing to Wales's campaign that culminated in a third-place finish in the tournament.[24][25] He earned his first start in a competitive match during the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship, lining up at hooker in the Pool A opener against France in Viadana, Italy, where Wales fell 19-10 despite Elias's involvement in forward efforts.[26] Elias went on to appear in all four of Wales's pool games at the championship, including substitute roles against England, Japan, Ireland, and Australia, as the team reached the semifinals before losing to hosts Italy.[27][28][29][30] During this phase, Elias refined his throwing accuracy in the lineout and scrummaging technique under international scrutiny, with selectors highlighting his physicality and work rate as key attributes that accelerated his development toward senior rugby.[1] His consistent involvement in these high-stakes tournaments underscored his rapid rise, positioning him as a core front-row option for Wales at the under-20 level.[2]Senior Wales team involvement
Ryan Elias made his senior international debut for Wales on 16 June 2017, starting as hooker in a 24–6 victory over Tonga during the mid-year test series in Auckland.[2] This appearance marked the beginning of his role as a reliable front-row option, building on his prior experience with the Wales U20 team that had honed his scrummaging and lineout skills. As of November 2025, Elias had accumulated 50 caps for Wales, contributing 20 points through four tries scored across his international career.[31] Elias played a supporting role in Wales' successful 2019 Six Nations Championship campaign, which culminated in a Grand Slam—their first since 2012—after victories over all opponents, including a 25–7 win against Ireland in the final match.[32] He featured in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, starting in the pool stage match against Uruguay on 13 October, where Wales secured a 35–13 win to advance to the quarter-finals.[33] Elias also contributed to Wales' 2021 Six Nations title win. He participated in the 2023 Rugby World Cup, during which he became the first-choice hooker following recovery from an Achilles injury.[3] A highlight came during the 2022 mid-year tests in South Africa, where Elias started all three fixtures; Wales achieved their historic first victory on South African soil with a narrow 13–12 triumph over the Springboks on 9 July in Bloemfontein, despite losses in the other two tests. Among his four international tries, notable examples include a late charged-down effort in a 22–20 win over South Africa on 2 June 2018 in Washington, D.C., and scores against Fiji during a 38–23 victory on 14 November 2021, where he crossed twice in a dominant forward performance.[34][35] Elias took a deliberate break from international duty in the summer of 2024 to recharge mentally and physically, returning for the Autumn Nations Series.[2] In 2025, Elias missed the Six Nations Championship due to a neck injury that sidelined him from the start of the tournament.[5] He continued recovering from elbow surgery later that year and was absent from the Autumn Nations Series fixtures.[5] Off the field, in November 2025, Virgin Media issued an apology for a TV guide translation error that inadvertently described Elias using an offensive Welsh term during listings for an S4C appearance, which was quickly corrected.[36][37]Injuries and playing style
Major injuries
In December 2022, Ryan Elias suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a match against the Ospreys, marking the first major injury of his professional career.[38] He underwent surgery shortly thereafter and was sidelined for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, including the entire 2023 Six Nations championship.[39] The injury significantly disrupted his momentum, as he had been a key player for both Scarlets and Wales prior to the setback, but rehabilitation focused on rebuilding strength and mobility in the affected leg, allowing him to resume full training by mid-2023.[40] Elias made his return to competitive play in July 2023 during Wales' Summer Series, expressing relief at overcoming the prolonged absence.[41] Entering 2025, Elias encountered further challenges with a neck injury sustained in late 2024, which rendered him a fitness doubt for the Six Nations and ultimately led to his complete absence from the tournament.[4] Scarlets officials expressed optimism for a mid-January return, but the injury's severity required extended rest and targeted neck stabilization exercises to prevent recurrence.[42] Following partial recovery, Elias underwent elbow surgery in the summer of 2025, announced by Scarlets on September 19, which sidelined him for the early games of the 2025-26 season and the Autumn Nations Series.[22] The procedure addressed an elbow issue that had persisted, with rehabilitation emphasizing gradual load-bearing and joint mobility work; by October 2025, he was progressing but remained unavailable, with an expected return in November.[5] This sequence of injuries limited his international and club availability, prompting Wales to rely on alternative hookers during key fixtures.[43]Playing characteristics
Ryan Elias, standing at 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) tall and weighing 107 kg (16 st 12 lb), possesses a robust physical profile well-suited to the demands of the hooker position in rugby union.[2] His build enables him to excel in the physical confrontations central to the role, particularly in scrummaging where he provides stability and power to the front row.[44] Elias's strengths lie in his accurate lineout execution, where he serves as a reliable thrower, contributing to effective set-piece strategies for both the Scarlets and Wales.[1] He demonstrates strong ball-carrying ability, using his physicality to gain ground in tight situations, and maintains a high defensive work rate, often making tackles in high-pressure scenarios.[1] Tactically, he plays a pivotal role in his teams' forward packs, balancing set-piece precision with dynamic involvement in open play to support attacking phases.[45] From his youth days with Wales U20s, Elias's style has evolved toward greater consistency and aggression at the senior level, refining his carrying and lineout skills through increased game time and mentorship under figures like Ken Owens.[1] This development has seen him adapt to the tactical nuances of professional rugby, emphasizing mental resilience and process-driven performance to handle the hooker's multifaceted responsibilities.[46]Career statistics
Club statistics
Ryan Elias began his senior club career with Carmarthen Quins in the Welsh Premiership, making 45 appearances and scoring 2 tries for 11 points between 2013 and 2016.[11][47] He joined the Scarlets academy in 2013 and transitioned to the senior squad, accumulating 185 appearances and 45 points (from 9 tries) as of November 2025.[2][48]| Club | Period | Appearances | Tries | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carmarthen Quins | 2013–2016 | 45 | 2 | 11 |
| Scarlets | 2013–present | 185 | 9 | 45 |
| Career Total | 2013–2025 | 230 | 11 | 56 |
International statistics
Ryan Elias has earned 41 caps for the Wales senior national team as of November 2025, all in the hooker position, accumulating 15 points from three tries.[49] His international appearances span six Six Nations Championships (2019–2024), two Rugby World Cups (2019 and 2023), and multiple Autumn and Summer Nations Series tours, providing key contributions in forward play and set-piece execution.[18] All of Elias's points came from tries, with no conversions, penalties, or drop goals recorded. Following eight appearances for Wales U20 that served as a precursor to his senior debut in 2017, his scoring highlights demonstrate his effectiveness in close-range scenarios and maul drives.[2] Elias's international tries are as follows:| Date | Opponent | Match Context | Tries Scored |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 June 2018 | South Africa | Summer tour test in Washington DC; Wales won 22–20; late chargedown try securing victory.[50] | 1 |
| 14 November 2021 | Fiji | Autumn Nations Series at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff; Wales won 38–23; brace including a driven maul score and a close-range finish against a 14-man opponent.[51] | 2 |