LIST: Rugby players you didn't (probably) know are related

Successful rugby playing names such as Vunipola, Hastings, Moriarty's and the Ford's have all left their indelible mark on the beautiful game.

However, there are loads of other relations playing the game at an elite level, ranging from brothers to cousins to fathers to the slightly more tenuous link of brothers in law.

However, here are some players who you may be surprised are related (even if just a little bit).

Quinnell went down in history as one of the greats, not only of Welsh rugby, but the world game. His father Derek was a star forward for Wales and the Lions, his uncle was a certain Barry John and his godfather was No 8 great Mervyn Davies. Despite retiring aged 27, John would be regarded as one of the finest Wales and lions fly-halves of all-time.

While fly-half Owen captains the England rugby union team, his cousin Liam has starred as a second-row for England and Wigan in rugby league.

The Curry twins are the nephew of former England hooker John Olver and cousins of former Northampton Saints fly-half Sam Olver, who is now at Ealing Trailfinders.

They were both born in the north of New Zealand. While Cooper moved to Brisbane in his teens and became a star of the Wallabies, Maitland headed to Christchurch to join the Canterbury Crusaders before heeding his Glaswegian grandfather’s words to remember his roots and headed for Scotland.

Gloucester speedster Thorley is Itoje’s cousin after his grandfather re-married a Nigerian woman who is the Saracens lock’s aunt.