Ben Daley
Prop
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Profile
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Height:
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184cm
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Weight:
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112kg
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Date Of Birth:
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27/06/1988
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Place of Birth:
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Sydney
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Rugby Career
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Senior Club:
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Rugby Gold Coast
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Stats
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Provincial Rugby Caps:
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55
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Provincial Rugby Points:
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5 (1t)
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Provincial Rugby Debut:
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Nov 2006 v Japan
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Super Rugby Caps:
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54
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Super Rugby Points:
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5 (1t)
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Super Rugby Debut:
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2008 v Crusaders, Christchurch
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Test Rugby Caps:
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3
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Test Rugby Debut:
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June 2010 v England, Perth
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St.George Queensland Reds prop Ben Daley reached a major career milestone in 2012 when he made his 50th appearance for the Reds in their final regular season match of the year against the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium.
The encounter turned out to be a night to celebrate for both the team and for Ben with the Reds scoring a four-try bonus point to top the Australian Conference and qualify for back-to-back finals series.
Since his Super Rugby debut in 2008, Ben has been a constant fixture within the Reds highly-competitive front-row with his durability and aggression a huge asset for the team. The tough yet gruesome image of Ben leaving the field in 2011 with blood streaming from his badly broken nose only to get cleaned up and retake the field to play his part in the Reds important Round 10 win over the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium characterises the uncompromising approach with which he plays the game.
However, despite this rugged and physical style, Ben has battled through to earn 32 of a possible 35 caps for the Reds during the past two seasons, where he has been one of the team’s most consistent performers.
After a glittering 2011 season that included a Super Rugby title, the Gold Coast prop was rewarded alongside 15 of his Reds teammates with selection in the initial 40-man Wallabies squad in a Rugby World Cup year to compete in the Tri Nations and the opening Test of the year against Samoa. He was unlucky to not add to his Test caps in 2011.
Ben first established himself as a force to be reckoned with a year earlier in 2010, where his aggressive playing style was rewarded with both a starting jersey in each Reds game he was available for and his Wallabies debut.
The ‘Spirit of the Reds’ award was bestowed on Ben later that year as he rapidly developed into the Reds first-choice loosehead prop, missing only the final match of the Reds 2010 campaign - against the Highlanders - because of a torn triceps. He recovered in time to be selected for the Wallabies.
Ben enjoyed a decorated junior career, including winning the Under 19 World Championship in 2006, before earning his first Reds cap later in the year in Queensland’s end of season game against Japan in November.
Injury limited his opportunities during 2007, where he was a member of the QAS Reds Academy, but Ben still managed to come into the squad as a rookie prop in 2008, where he got his first chance in Super Rugby when he debuted off the bench against the Crusaders. Also a member of the Australian Under 20s that year, Ben more than held his own against the prolific Crusaders forward pack – a positive sign of things to come.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ben currently studies Law at Bond University on the Gold Coast and in 2011 was offered an opportunity to continue his studies at an elite English college. Ben rejected the offer and chose to remain dedicated to his career at the Reds by inking a new two-year deal.
***Updated 14/05/13***