Playing career
Quinnell made his debut for Llanelli in October 1980 and won 306 caps for the club. He captained them to win the Welsh Cup in 1984 and 1985, the WRU Challenge Cup in 1991, and the Welsh League in 1986/87. He spent time playing rugby in Australia, representing Penrith and Manly in the New South Wales Rugby League competition, and playing for and coaching Cardiff RFC.
Quinnell won 53 caps for Wales and scored 62 points. He made his debut against France in 1983, and played in three Five Nations Championship title-winning teams (1988, 1994 and 1995), and won the Grand Slam in 1988 and 1994. He was also a member of Wales' 1987 Rugby World Cup team, playing in two of their three matches and captained them in the final match against New Zealand. He captained Wales four times against England and two times against Scotland. Quinnell was also in the Welsh team that beat the All Blacks 29–19 at Cardiff Arms Park in 1987. He was voted BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year in 1988. He played his last match for Wales against France in Paris on 18 March 1995.
Quinnell played for the British and Irish Lions on two tours, in 1983 to New Zealand and in 1989 to Australia.
Media career
Following his retirement from playing, Quinnell became a commentator and pundit for the BBC and Sky Sports. He also worked as a rugby analyst for The Sunday Times and The Daily Mail, and wrote a weekly sports column for the Western Mail.
Quinnell is the owner of the S4C rugby television programme Scrum V and appears regularly as a panellist on the BBC Wales sports discussion show Scrum V Extra Time. He is also a director of Dragon International Rugby Tours.
Quinnell is a board member and co-owner of Scarlets regional rugby union team, and former chairman of the board.
Personal life
Quinnell is the son of Derek Quinnell, who played rugby for Llanelli and Wales, and the brother of fellow Welsh internationals Craig Quinnell and Scott Quinnell.
He is married to Kate and has two children. He lives in Carmarthenshire, West Wales.
Quinnell is a patron of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Wales and the Velindre Cancer Centre.