Glenn Webbe

Glenn Webbe is a former rugby winger and the first black player to play for Wales in a World Cup campaign. He also made sporting history by becoming the first British man to score a hatrick at a World Cup tournament, one of them while suffering from concussion.

He fought his way through the ranks to a forge a career at Bridgend RFC, playing for 14 seasons and scoring nearly 300 tries in 404 matches. One of rugby union’s most colourful characters, Glenn Webbe was known for his humour and positivity.

During the 1980s, he was often the only black player on the pitch and was on the receiving end of racism and prejudice. His attitude towards the ignorance and racism was to face it with a humour and dignity which rendered the bigots powerless.

At an away match, when a home fan threw a banana at Glenn which landed at his feet, he picked it up, peeled it, took a bite and through it back into the crowd, receiving a positive response from the fans. Glenn recognised that when someone is trying to offend him the choice was his and he could decide whether to take offence or not.

In 2023, the BBC featured Glenn Webbe in their Legends of Welsh Sport series, telling the story of how Glenn rebelled against the status quo to make his mark. He became an icon and was loved by rugby fans for his loyalty to Bridgend and record-breaking number of tries.

In 1993, Glenn featured as a contender in the second series of the British television show Gladiators, in 2019 he published his first book and he is a popular speaker at events.

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More About Glenn Webbe

Glenn Webbe was born in Cardiff to Windrush-generation parents who had moved from the island of St Kitts. The only boy among seven siblings, Glenn grew up knowing he had to stand up for himself, with no big brother to rely on. He was conscious of coming from a poor family and he learned that once he got what he wanted he had to fight to keep it.

Growing up during the apartheid era, Glenn was the only black child in his class and witnessed racism as a child and then as a player.

He played for Canton Youth as a schoolboy and was selected for the Welsh youth tour of South Africa when he was 18, a tour that was the cause of family tension, with his father feeling he shouldn’t go.

He went on to play for Bridgend RFC but because rugby union was not yet a professional sport, Glenn also worked as a labourer on building sites and as a rep for a double glazing company.

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Glenn Webbe | Experiencing Racism

Often the only black player on the pitch, Glenn often experienced racial prejudice. This wasn’t confined to the pitch, however. When on tour with the Welsh team in South Africa he was refused service in a restaurant. The team had been waiting to be served when told by a waiter that they don’t serve black people.

The team coach said “if it’s not good enough for Glenn then it’s not good enough for us” before marching the whole party out of the restaurant.

Glenn Webbe | Book

In 2019, Glenn published his autobiography Glenn Webbe: The Gloves are Off, which was shortlisted for the Rugby Writers Book of the Year at The Telegraph Sports Book Awards 2020

In the book, he talks in depth about the experience of being a black player in the 1980s and the good humour with which he faced the prejudice he encountered. He talks about what it was like to be one of the first black people to represent Wales, his experiences with prejudice, as well as revealing many hilarious behind-the-scenes stories.

The book is co-authored by former team mate Geraint Thomas, who is senior reporter for Media Wales.

Glenn Webbe | BBC Documentary

In 2023, BBC aired a documentary series Legends of Welsh Sport, with the second in the series featuring Glenn Webbe. The documentary showed Glenn’s great gift, his belief in himself and his ability to stand his ground and fight for what he wanted, not to mention his humour and personality.

Watching a screening of the documentary, Glenn said it was like a spiritual experience and he noted things he did to get by but wouldn’t do now, such using humour as a coping mechanism. Now, he said, he would call people out on their behaviour.

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Glenn Webbe | Speaking

As a much-loved former player and a rugby icon, Glenn makes a very popular speaker. He shares his story, his experience as a player in the 80s, racism in sport, and his reflection on the game, then and now. Recently he has spoken at the Sports Aid Cymru Wales Sporting Lunch and Llanwith Major RFC.

Glenn Webbe | Charity Work

Glenn has supported the charity BBC Children in Need, completing a push-up challenge to raise money for the good cause. With a goal of 1000 push-ups in 30 minutes, Glenn beat his goal and completed 1,355 push-ups. An impressive feat at 61 years of age. Glenn has also supported the Phil Bennett Foundat10n, which raises funds to help disadvantaged, disabled or underprivileged individuals to participate in sport. The charity was set up when another icon of rugby, Phil Bennett OBE, died in 2022.