A-level results day has arrived again, and some of Wales' most beloved rugby stars are known for their academic prowess as well as their sporting achievements. Among them are the youngest-ever British and Irish Lions captain, the world's most-capped Wales player, and a former Six Nations hero who is now a doctor.
Here, Wales Online takes a closer look at three former rugby stars who excelled in their A-levels and how those results helped shape their careers beyond the pitch.
Sam Warburton: The Scholar-Captain
Warburton played for Cardiff Rugby and earned his first Wales cap in 2009. The 37-year-old won two Six Nations titles with Wales and became the youngest Lions captain ever in 2013 at age 24. His twin brother, Ben, spoke about Sam's academic abilities in 2011, telling The Independent: "We are very similar... We did the same subjects at A-Level and got exactly the same grades (A,A,B) and we have our own mumbling language that even our parents can't understand. And yes, there were times in school when we swapped over in lessons. They never realised."
In 2013, Sam was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of South Wales for outstanding services to rugby. Speaking afterwards, he said: "I'm living proof that you get out of life what you put in."
Alun Wyn Jones: From A-Levels to Law Degree
Jones, 40, is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 158 caps for Wales and 12 for the Lions. In October 2025, he appeared on S4C's show Iaith ar Daith (Language on Tour), where he visited Llandovery College, where he studied A-levels on a rugby scholarship.
He graduated with a law degree from Swansea University in 2010, earning it part-time while playing professional rugby. Jones was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2020 for his services to rugby union in Wales. Speaking to the BBC in 2014, he said: "I have used these [skills] and employed them for Under 18s, Under 19s and 21s. This has helped me with GCSEs, A-levels and now with my Law degree. It is all about time planning and a good line of communication with your learning establishment, in this case, Swansea University."
Jamie Roberts: From Pitch to Practice
Roberts has 94 caps for Wales and three Six Nations titles, and also starred for the Lions. After retiring from playing in 2020, and over a decade after completing his initial medical degree, Roberts is now a resident doctor. He detailed his career pivot to Wales Online in May 2025, saying: "I crave pressure, responsibility and accountability. I love problem-solving, I love working with people and I guess when you go through that soul-searching when you retire, you try to narrow down what you really love and what you really want to go after. Medicine and being a doctor ticks a lot of boxes. It’s problem-solving, it’s in science, it’s working with people, it brings significant pressure and responsibility. I can’t wait to join another great team in the NHS."
He attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in Cardiff and qualified as a doctor at Cardiff University School of Medicine in 2013. Speaking to The Financial Times in 2014, he said: "I was a bit of a geek at school so it seemed a perfect fit. I was into maths, science and problem-solving. I sat my A-levels in Argentina while I was in the Under 21 World Cup. It usually takes five years to qualify as a doctor, but I took eight. I did three years full-time, spent another year doing an intercalated BSc in sport and exercise science, and my fourth and fifth years I did part-time over four years."
Roberts also holds a Master of Business Administration, earned in 2021 from Loughborough University, and studied for a Master of Philosophy in medical science at Queen's College in 2017.
