Robbie Abel

Robert Abel (born 4 July 1989) is an Australian^[1] rugby union coach and former professional rugby union player who as of 2023, coaches forwards for the Utah Warriors in Major League Rugby. He previously played at hooker for NSW, Melbourne Rebels and for the Brumbies in Super Rugby. The Māori All Blacks, and the Canberra Vikings and Perth Spirit,^[2] and also played for Northland and Auckland in the ITM Cup.^[3][4]

Robbie Abel

Full name	Robert Abel
Date of birth	(1989-07-04) 4 July 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Orange, Australia
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	112 kg (17 st 9 lb; 247 lb)
School	St Edmund's College
Notable relative(s)	Charlie Abel (brother) Jake Abel (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker Current team Waratahs / Auckland 2013 Northland 9 (5) 2014 Perth Spirit 9 (25) 2015–2017 Canberra Vikings 34 (74) 2018–present Auckland 27 (15) Correct as of 15 October 2019 Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2014–2015 Force 0 (0) 2016–2018 Brumbies 36 (15) 2019 Rebels 7 (0) 2020–2021 Waratahs 17 (0) Correct as of 15 October 2019 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2007 Australian Schoolboys 2 2018– Māori All Blacks 3

Career

Robbie Abel was selected for the Australia 'A' Schools team in 2007,^[5] after moving to St Edmund's College, Canberra from Griffith NSW in 2006. He was a part of the Brumbies Academy from 2007 till 2010, having a stint in New Zealand with Northland rugby in 2009.

Abel took a two-year hiatus from rugby from 2010 till the end of 2012 to undertake a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Western Australia.

Upon completion of his duties he linked up with Northland Rugby Union and theBrumbies from 2012 till the end of 2013 spending 2 years playing between Canberra and Whangarei for the Brumbies Runners and theNorthland Taniwha in New Zealand's ITM Cup.

He moved back to Western Australia to become a member of the Western Force playing squad ahead of the 2014 Super Rugby season. Abel didn't make any senior appearances in 2014 but turned out for Perth Spirit in the inaugural National Rugby Championship later that year scoring 5 tries in 9 appearances,^[3] and he was named again in the Force squad for 2015.^[6]

Abel then signed a contract with the Brumbies,^[7] joining the Canberra Vikings late in the 2015 season.^[3] In 2016 Abel made his Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.^[8] Abel featured in all games for the 2017 season and all games he was available for in 2018.

In 2018 Abel took a contract to play with Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup competition. After a successful season with Auckland which saw the team win the 2018 Premiership, losing just one game in the regular season, Abel was named in the Māori All Blacks team to tour USA and South America.