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19 unusual facts about Wales national rugby union team


Aled de Malmanche

He was also qualified to play for Wales through his Welsh grandparents, but became ineligible after his All Blacks debut.

Anthony Floch

He held his place for the final game of the tournament against Wales in Cardiff where the hosts were victorious and secured their second Grand Slam in four seasons.

Apenisa Naevo

He went on tour in November of the 2002 season, playing in the games against Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

Ben Morgan

He had been due to qualify for Wales (having lived there for three years) in time for the 2012 Six Nations Championship.

If he had played for the Saxons, he would not have been allowed to opt for Wales.

David H. Cooke

David made his international debut on 17 January 1981 at Cardiff Arms Park in the Wales vs England 5 Nations match.

Desmond Brayley, Baron Brayley

He was noted as a free spending extrovert by some, and enjoyed returning to Cardiff for social occasions and to watch Wales play rugby from the balcony of his apartment.

Ezequiel Jurado

He had 28 caps for Argentina, scoring 6 tries, 30 points on aggregate, from the 53-7 loss to Australia, at 30 April 1995, in Brisbane, in a friendly game, to the 26-36 loss to Wales, at 5 June 1999, in Buenos Aires, in another friendly game.

Frederic Alderson

When Alderson moved to Hartlepool he joined local team Hartlepool Rovers, and it was while representing Rovers, that he was selected for his first international game for England; an encounter with Wales in the opening match of the 1891 Home Nations Championship.

Kelvin Deaker

In 2001, the year he turned professional, Deaker refereed his first international rugby match, taking charge of the match between Wales and Japan on 17 June 2001.

Kosuke Endo

In the 2007 Rugby World Cup he notably finished a spectacular break out try from their own 5 metre line against Wales at the Millennium Stadium which was praised as one of the outstanding tries of the tournament one of Japan's best of all time.

Manuel Carizza

He was capped in June 2006 in one of the Tests against Wales during the hosting of a two match series, which Argentina eventually won.

Murray Hofmeyr

Playing as a full-back, Hofmeyr appeared in three of England's four Tests in the 1950 Five Nations Championship, against Wales, France and Scotland.

Nigel Walker

Walker made his Wales debut on 6 March 1993 in the five nations match against Ireland.

Paulo Murinello

He scored the only Portuguese try in the 11-102 loss to Wales, in Lisbon, at 18 May 1994, for the 1995 Rugby World Cup qualifyings.

Peter Preece

He played his final match for England on 17 January 1976 at Twickenham in the England vs Wales match.

Sila Puafisi

He was called up to Tonga for the 2013 Autumn Internationals against Romania, France and Wales.

To’o Vaega

Vaega made his debut for Samoa against Wales on 14 June 1986, starting one of the longest international careers in modern rugby union history.

Wyatt Gould

Of the six brothers, three were capped at an international level, all for Wales; they were Bob, Bert and most famously Arthur "Monkey" Gould.


Adam Ashley-Cooper

Against Italy, Ireland, USA, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Wales at the 2011 Rugby World Cup Ashley-Cooper played outside centre (13), on the wings (both 11 & 14), and fullback (15).

Archie Skym

Archie Skym (12 July 1906-15 June 1970) was an international rugby union player for Wales and played club rugby for Llanelli and Cardiff.

Brains Brewery

Brains use shirt sponsorship for the Welsh rugby union team and the Crusaders as part of their marketing strategy.

Carlo Checchinato

Checchinato's international try total was an all-time record for forwards until 2007, when it was surpassed by Colin Charvis of Wales.

Lynn Howells

Howells was assistant coach to the Wales national rugby union team under Graham Henry during the 1999 Rugby World Cup and took over as caretaker head coach for the 2001 Wales tour to Japan whilst Henry was touring as coach of the British and Irish Lions.

Machen RFC

One of the club's earliest and most notable players was Frank Purdon, who would later go on to play from Newport and Wales.

Olly Kohn

In January 2013 Kohn announced that he was eligible to play for Wales as his grandfather was from the Rhymney Valley.

Philippe Saint-André

But yet again his tenure came to an abrupt end when he was sacked in January 2004 after he admitted that he was a candidate to succeed Steve Hansen as coach of Wales.

Ralph Sweet-Escott

Ralph Bond Sweet-Escott (11 January 1869 – 11 November 1907) was an English-born international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and was capped three times for Wales.

Ronnie Boon

Ronald Winston "Ronnie" Boon (11 June 1909 – 3 August 1998) was an international rugby union wing for Wales who played club rugby for Cardiff.

Roy Prosser

Prosser played 25 Test matches: seven against South Africa, six against New Zealand, five against France, three against Ireland and one each against England, Scotland, Wales and Fiji.

Toyota Park

On June 6, 2009 the stadium hosted a 2009 mid-year rugby test series match between United States and Wales in a warmup match for the USA in its campaign to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.