Dan Baker
Birth nameDan Baker
Date of birth (1992-07-05) 5 July 1992
Place of birthNeath, Wales
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight114 kg (17 st 13 lb; 251 lb)
SchoolCwmtawe Comprehensive School
Neath College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Current team Aberavon RFC
Youth career
  Ystradgynlais RFC
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011–2013 Swansea 46 (70)
2013–2020 Ospreys 92 (100)
2020–2021 Stade Montois 8 (0)
2021–2022 Dragons 11 (5)
2022– Aberavon 3 (5)
Correct as of 13 October 2022
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2012 Wales U20 8 (5)
2013–2015 Wales 3 (0)
Correct as of 15 October 2022

Dan Baker (born 5 July 1992) is a Wales international rugby union player. A back row forward, he plays for Ystradgynlais RFC having previously played for the Dragons, Stade Montois, Ospreys and Aberavon RFC

Club career

Baker came through the Ospreys grade age system, beginning with Ystradgynlais RFC. He played for Swansea RFC, before makes his debut for the Ospreys in January 2013 in an Anglo-Welsh Cup fixture against the Dragons.[1] He signed a contract extension with the Ospreys in April 2014.[2] In November 2015, he signed a National Dual Contract with the Ospreys and the Welsh Rugby Union.[3] Baker signed another extension with the Ospreys in November 2016.[1]

Baker was named as man of the match in a Pro12 match against Connacht on 7 January 2017, scoring a try in the win.[4] He suffered a serious knee injury on 15 October 2017, and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.[5] Baker ultimately did not return until September 2019.[6]

Baker departed the Ospreys in 2020 for Pro D2 club Stade Montois.[7] He joined the Dragons in February 2021 initially to play until the end of the season, but was later signed for the following season.[8] Baker was released by the Dragons in 2022, and subsequently joined Aberavon RFC.[9] Baker returned to home town club Ystradgynlais RFC for the 2023-24 season.

International career

Baker was selected for Wales U20 for the 2012 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[10] He was part of the Wales U20 team that beat New Zealand U20 in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, their first win over New Zealand at that age level, and a first Welsh win over a New Zealand national team since 1953.[11]

In May 2013 he was selected in the Wales national rugby union team 32 man training squad for the summer 2013 tour to Japan.[12] He made his international debut against Japan on 8 June 2013.[13]

Baker made his third appearance for Wales on 8 August 2015, in a World Cup warm up match against Ireland.[14] He was ultimately not selected for the final squad.[15]

Baker was selected by caretaker coach Rob Howley in the squad for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals, but did not appear in any of the match day squads, and ultimately gained no further caps for Wales.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Baker signs new Ospreys deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. ↑ "New deal for Baker". PlanetRugby. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Baker and Thornton sign dual deals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Ospreys 29-7 Connacht: Welsh side move top of PRO12". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Ospreys: Injured back row forward Dan Baker out for season". BBC Sports. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  6. ↑ Orders, Mark (11 September 2019). "The forgotten Wales international set to resume his career after 699 days". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Dan Baker: Wales back row leaves Ospreys for France's Stade Montois". BBC Sport. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Gonzalo Bertranou and Dan Baker sign new Dragons deals". 13 May 2021.
  9. ↑ "Wales international signs for semi-pro club at 11th hour and says team-mate was 's**t on'". 27 May 2022.
  10. ↑ "Wales U20s squad announced - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  11. ↑ Howell, Andy (8 June 2012). "New Zealand under-20 6 - 9 Wales under-20: Young guns create history". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  12. ↑ Wales squad. BBC Sport
  13. ↑ Wales debut
  14. ↑ Rees, Paul (8 August 2015). "Ireland run in five tries to crush Wales in World Cup warmup". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  15. ↑ "Wales' World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Doel, Jon (18 October 2016). "Wales rugby squad announcement LIVE". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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