Kyle Godwin

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Kyle Godwin

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Kyle Willets Godwin

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1992|7|30}}

| birth_place = Harare, Zimbabwe

| height = {{height|m=1.88}}

| weight = {{convert|99|kg|stlb}}

| ru_currentteam = Lyon OU Rugby

| ru_currentposition = Centre / Fly-half

| ru_position = Centre / Fly-half

| provinceyears1 = 2014−2015

| provinceyears2 = 2016–2017

| province1 = Perth Spirit

| province2 = NSW Country Eagles

| provinceapps1 = 8

| provinceapps2 = 15

| provincepoints1 = 20

| provincepoints2 = 18

| ru_provinceupdate = 28 October 2017

| superyears1 = 2012–2016

| superyears2 = 2017–2018

| superyears3 = 2020–2022

| super1 = Western Force

| super2 = Brumbies

| super3 = Western Force

| superapps1 = 52

| superapps2 = 24

| superapps3 = 31

| superpoints1 = 47

| superpoints2 = 30

| superpoints3 = 25

| super14update = 1 July 2022

| years1 = 2018–20

| years2 = 2022–2024

| clubs1 = Connacht

| clubs2 = Lyon OU Rugby

| apps1 = 38

| apps2 = 24

| points1 = 62

| points2 = 10

| ru_clubupdate = 10 July 2020

| repyears1 = 2012

| repyears2 = 2016

| repyears3 = 2024

| repteam1 = Australia U20

| repteam2 = Australia

| repteam3 = Zimbabwe

| repcaps1 = 5

| repcaps2 = 1

| repcaps3 = 2

| reppoints1 = 21

| reppoints2 = 0

| reppoints3 = 0

| ru_ntupdate = 16 November 2024

| relatives =

| spouse =

| school = Aquinas College, Perth

| university = University of Western Australia

}}

Kyle Godwin (born 30 July 1992) is a retired professional rugby union player who played two tests for Zimbabwe in 2024 and one for Australia in 2016. He previously played for French club Lyon OU Rugby in the Top 14 competition, and the Western Force and Brumbies in Super Rugby. He also spent two years playing for Connacht in the URC, becoming a fan favourite. His regular playing position is centre, but has also found himself on the wing and fly half at times.

Early life

Godwin was born in Zimbabwe and moved with his family to Perth in Western Australia at the age of 8, where he played for the Associates club.{{cite web |title=Force bring home Soaks legend |url=https://wa.rugby/news/2020/06/12/force-bring-home-club-legend |website=RugbyWA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410123355/https://wa.rugby/news/2020/06/12/force-bring-home-club-legend |archive-date=10 April 2021 |date=12 June 2019}} He first came onto the scene when he was selected for the Australian Schoolboys team which toured Ireland and the United Kingdom in 2009. He was also selected to represent Australia under 20 team that competed in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa.[http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3445/index.html http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3445/index.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201224813/http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team%3D3445/index.html |date=2014-02-01 }}

Super Rugby

In 2012, Godwin made his Super Rugby debut for the Western Force against the Queensland Reds in Perth.{{cite news |last1=Rugby |first1=Super |title=Force beat Reds in Perth |url=https://www.superxv.com/force-beat-reds-in-perth/ |work=Super Rugby {{!}} Super 15 Rugby and Rugby Championship News, Results and Fixtures from Super XV Rugby |date=30 March 2012}}

He went on to play 52 games for the Western Force before moving to the Brumbies. During his time at the Force, he won Rookie of the Year, Members Most Valuable Player and the Nathan Sharpe Medal. He moved to Canberra in 2016 to play for the Brumbies where he played 24 games over two seasons. He then returned back from Ireland to compete with the Western Force once again for an additional two years and finished his super rugby career with a total of 107 super rugby caps.

Pro 14 Rugby

On 20 March 2018, it was announced that Godwin was to play in the Pro 14 having signed for Connacht Rugby for the 2018/19 season.{{cite news|title=Australian International Godwin To Join Connacht From Brumbies|url=http://irishrugby.ie/european/41662.php#.WszqJn-DNqg|work=irishrugby.ie|agency=Irish Rugby|language=en|access-date=10 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072122/http://irishrugby.ie/european/41662.php#.WszqJn-DNqg|archive-date=29 August 2018|url-status=dead}} The contract being of two-year duration initially.

On successful completion of his two-year contract with Connacht, the popular Aussie returned to Australia by signing again for Western Force in Perth.{{cite news |last1=Kinsella |first1=Murray |title=Aussie centre Godwin returns to Western Force after Connacht departure |url=https://www.the42.ie/kyle-godwin-western-force-connacht-5123301-Jun2020/ |work=The42 |language=en}}

International career

Godwin played international age-group rugby for Australia up to Under 20s. He gained his one senior cap for the Wallabies against France on 19 November 2016, playing the full game at inside centre.{{Cite web |url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/france-vs-australia/teams/77832 |title= France 23-25 Australia |author= |date=19 November 2016 |website=Sky Sports |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=8 November 2024}}

In 2024, having served the required 'stand-down' period of five years or more since last playing for his original international side, Godwin received his first call-up for the country of his birth. He made his debut for Zimbabwe against the UAE on 6 November 2024, coming on in the second half as a replacement at inside centre, joining a backline featuring his former teammate from the Western Force Ian Prior.{{Cite web |url=https://www.herald.co.zw/sables-run-riot-in-uae/ |title= Sables run riot in UAE |author= |date=7 November 2024 |website=The Herald |publisher=The Herald |access-date=8 November 2024}}

Playing statistics

=Super Rugby=

{{updated|10 July 2020}}{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_22288.html | title=Player Statistics | work=its rugby | access-date=10 July 2020}}

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:90%; font-size:95%; width:70%;"
2012	{{Rut\|Force}}	3	0	3	46	1	1	0	0	7	0	0
2013	{{Rut\|Force}}	14	14	0	1111	2	2	2	0	20	0	0
2014	{{Rut\|Force}}	10	10	0	797	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2015	{{Rut\|Force}}	16	16	0	1228	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2016	{{Rut\|Force}}	9	7	2	565	2	0	0	0	10	0	0
2017	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	11	11	0	799	2	0	0	0	10	1	0
2018	{{Rut\|Brumbies}}	13	10	2	292	4	0	0	0	20	1	0
2020	{{Rut\|Force}}	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total \|\| 76 \|\| 61 \|\| 7 \|\| 4825 \|\| 10 \|\| 3 \|\| 2 \|\| 0 \|\| 82 \|\| 1 \|\| 0

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20120320081159/http://www.rugbywa.com.au/Team/EmiratesWesternForce/PlayerProfile/tabid/894/playerid/47/Default.aspx Western Force profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20180411174224/https://www.brumbies.com.au/portfolio_page/kyle-godwin/ Brumbies Profile]
[http://www.irb.com/jwc/teams/team=3445/player=45635/index.html IRB profile]

Category:1992 births

Category:Australia international rugby union players

Category:Australian rugby union players

Category:Zimbabwean rugby union players

Category:Zimbabwean people of British descent

Category:Western Force players

Category:ACT Brumbies players

Category:Rugby union fly-halves

Category:White Zimbabwean sportspeople

Category:Zimbabwean emigrants to Australia

Category:People educated at Aquinas College, Perth

Category:Sportsmen from Western Australia