Former Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb posted about the scare on social mediaRhys Webb (centre) revealed the news on Instagram(Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency)

Former Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb has revealed that he returned home in recent days to find his house was on fire.

The former Ospreys star is currently banned from rugby – having been hit with a four-year ban in July 2024 after testing positive for a growth hormone. The 36-year-old now lives and works in Dubai, which is where the fire happened.

“What a crazy 48 hours,” wrote Webb on an Instagram story.

“Came home to find my place literally on fire. So, so lucky my family weren’t inside at the time. Even luckier it was only a small blaze and I’d left the door open so the emergency services could get in quickly.

“Two days later, everything back to normal and now we can finally relax.”

After that post, Webb then posted a video of a Dubai-based cleaning company scrubbing down a door after the fire – thanking them for their service.

Webb’s rugby career was effectively ended last year, when he was banned for four years for a positive drug test while playing in France.

The British and Irish Lions scrum-half had been suspended shortly after joining Pro D2 club Biarritz in 2023 after returning a positive test for human growth hormone (HGH) during a training session.

Both A and B samples came back positive.

The ban means that Webb will be ineligible to play until 2027. He will be 38 by the time the ban runs it course.

At the time of his ban, Webb protested his innocence as he outlined his intent to appeal.

“The sanction imposed on Rhys Webb is not final, and we have immediately instructed a lawyer at the Conseil d’Etat to lodge an appeal to overturn the AFLD’s decision,” said a statement from his lawyers.

“In the meantime, Rhys wishes to reaffirm his innocence, pointing out that he has never undergone any other disciplinary procedure, of any kind, during his long career as a professional athlete and has never used any doping product, growth hormone in particular.”

Prior to the ban, Webb had retired from international rugby ahead of the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

During his Test career, he played 40 times for Wales, as well as winning two Test caps for the Lions in New Zealand in 2017.