Ken Owens

Kenneth James "Ken" Owens (born 3 January 1987 in Carmarthen, Wales) is a Wales international rugby union footballer who currently plays as a hooker for the Scarlets regional side in the Pro12 league.

Owens attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin, and is a fluent Welsh speaker. He began his career at Carmarthen Athletic RFC before moving to UWIC RFC when he began studying at the university in 2005. He has been contracted to the Scarlets throughout, and made his Scarlets debut towards the end of the 2005–06 Magners League season in a match against the Glasgow Warriors. He left UWIC and began playing his club rugby for Llanelli RFC. In 2006–07, Owens made 47 appearances for the Scarlets, and scored his first and only try in a Magners League match against Border Reivers. However, in 2007–08, Owens suffered a knee injury, forcing the region to bring in Samoan hooker Mahonri Schwalger on a short-term contract.

In May 2010, before he had received his first international cap for Wales, Owens was called up to the Barbarians squad, with his first match being against England. This experience helped him score the Magners League 2009–10 try of the season for the Scarlets and improving his line-out throwing statistics.