Joe El-Abd

Joe El-Abd (born 23 February 1980) is a retired rugby union player. He is currently the defence coach for the England men's international rugby team.

Joe El-Abd

El-Abd in 2013
Birth name	Joseph El-Abd
Date of birth	(1980-02-23) 23 February 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth	Brighton, East Sussex, England
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	104 kg (16 st 5 lb)[1]
Notable relative(s)	Adam El-Abd
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2000–2002 Bath () 2002–2003 Caerphilly () 2003–2009 Bristol 102 (50) 2009–2012 Toulon 66 (5) 2012–2014 Oyonnax 39 (10) Coaching career Years Team 2014–2015 Oyonnax (forwards) 2015–2019 Castres (forwards) 2019– Oyonnax

Early life and career

El-Abd began playing rugby at Hove RFC and at the University of Bath, and after an unsuccessful spell with Bath Rugby, he joined Caerphilly RFC and later Bristol Rugby in 2003, where he has spent the best part of his career and become a regular fixture at open-side flanker.^{[citation needed]}

As of 2008, he has made over 100 appearances for Bristol and captained the side on several occasions, being named the club's regular captain at the start of the 2008/09 season.^{[citation needed]}

He moved to Toulon in the French Top 14 in 2009 playing there until 2012, when he moved to Oyonnax.^[2]

Personal life

El-Abd has an English mother and an Egyptian father and is one of three brothers. His younger brother, Adam El-Abd, is a retired professional footballer who played most of his career for Brighton & Hove Albion and Egypt.^{[citation needed]}