List of Wales national rugby union team captains

In a rugby union match, each team nominates one of the members of their starting line-up to serve as captain, giving them the responsibility of leading their team and communicating with the referee. Since 1881, the Wales national team has played 722 matches and named 137 captains. Sam Warburton led Wales in the most matches, captaining them 49 times between 2011 and 2016; Warburton also captained Wales to their most victories with 23. The Wales captain to have maintained a 100% record while playing in the most matches is Bleddyn Williams (5) between 1953 and 1955, although Tom Parker captained the side to six wins and a draw between 1921 and 1923. Wales' longest serving captain (albeit not a continuous spell) is their current skipper, Alun Wyn Jones, who first captained the team in 2009. The most recent addition to the list is Jonathan Davies, who led the team against Italy on 9 February 2019 during the Six Nations.[1]

  • Information correct as of 14 March 2019.
# Player Club team Record as captain Years as captain
1 James Bevan Cambridge University R.U.F.C. P1, L1 1881
2 Charles P. Lewis Llandovery College P3, W1, L2 1882–83
3 Charles H. Newman Newport RFC P6, D2, L4 1884–87
4 H. Joe Simpson Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1884
5 Frank E. Hancock Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1886
6 Bob Gould Newport RFC P1, L1 1887
7 Tom Clapp Newport RFC P3, W2, L1 1887–88
8 Arthur Frank Hill Cardiff RFC P4, W1, L3 1889–94
9 Arthur J. 'Monkey' Gould Newport RFC P18, W8, D1, L9 1889–97
10 William H. Bowen Swansea RFC P1, L1 1891
11 Williams H. Thomas (Willie) Llanelli RFC P2, W1, D1 1891
12 Williams J. Bancroft (Billy) Swansea RFC P11, W7, D4 1898–1901
13 E. Gwyn Nicholls Cardiff RFC P10, W7, D1, L2 1902–06
14 Tom W. Pearson Newport RFC P1, W1 1903
15 G. Llewellyn Lloyd Newport RFC P1, L1 1903
16 William M. Llewellyn (Willie) Newport RFC P5, W4, L1 1904–05
17 Richard M. Owen (Dickie) Swansea RFC P3, W2, L1 1907–12
18 Williams J. Trew (Billy) Swansea RFC P14, W12, L2 1907–13
19 Rhys T. Gabe Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1907
20 Arthur F. 'Boxer' Harding London Welsh P1, W1 1908
21 George Travers Pill Harriers RFC P1, W1 1908
22 Edward Morgan (Teddy) London Welsh RFC P1, W1 1908
23 H. Bert Winfield Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1908
24 Reggie A. Gibbs Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1910
25 Johnnie L. Williams Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1911
26 Jack Bancroft Swansea RFC P1, L1 1912
27 Tom H. Vile (Tommy) Newport RFC P4, W1, L3 1912–21
28 John P. Jones (Jack) Pontypool RFC P1, W1 1913
29 Reverend J. Alban Davies Llanelli RFC P4, W3, L1 1914
30 Glyn Stephens Neath RFC P1, L1 1919
31 Harry Uzzell Newport RFC P4, W3, L1 1920
32 Jack J. Wetter Newport RFC P3, L3 1921–24
33 Tom Parker Swansea RFC P7, W6, D1 1921–23
34 J. M. Clem Lewis Cardiff RFC P2, L2 1923
35 Albert Jenkins Llanelli RFC P2, L2 1923–28
36 Joe Rees Swansea RFC P1, L1 1924
37 Jack Whitfield Newport RFC P1, L1 1924
38 W. Rowe Harding Swansea RFC P4, W2, D1, L1 1924–28
39 Tom Johnson Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1925
40 Stephen Morris Cross Keys RFC P1, L1 1925
41 R. Arthur Cornish Cardiff RFC P2, W1, L1 1925–26
42 W. Idris Jones Llanelli RFC P1, L1 1925
43 Williams J. Delahay (Bobby) Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1926
44 B. R. Turnbull (Lou) Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1927
45 B. Ossie Male Cardiff RFC P3, W1, L2 1927–28
46 Wick C. Powell London Welsh RFC P2, W1, L1 1927
47 Ivor E. Jones Llanelli RFC P3, L3 1927–30
48 W. Guy Morgan Swansea RFC P4, W3, D1 1929–30
49 Harry M. Bowcott Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1930
50 Jack Bassett Penarth RFC P9, W6, D1, L2 1930–32
51 Watcyn G. Thomas Swansea RFC P3, W1, L2 1933
52 John R. Evans Newport RFC P1, L1 1934
53 E. Claude Davey Swansea RFC P8, W5, D1, L2 1934–37
54 J. Idwal Rees Swansea RFC P3, W1, D1, L1 1936–37
55 Wilf Wooller Cardiff RFC P4, W2, L2 1937–39
56 Cliff W. Jones Cardiff RFC P3, W2, L1 1938
57 Haydn Tanner Cardiff RFC P12, W5, D1, L6 1947–49
58 William E. Tamplin (Billy) Cardiff RFC P1, W1 1947
59 John A. Gwilliam Edinburgh Wanderers P13, W9, D1, L3 1950–53
60 Jack Matthews Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1951
61 Bleddyn L. Williams Cardiff RFC P5, W5 1953–55
62 J.R.G. Stephens (Rees) Neath RFC P6, W5, L1 1954–57
63 W. Rex Willis Cardiff RFC P2, W1, L1 1954–55
64 Ken J. Jones Newport RFC P1, W1 1954
65 Cliff I. Morgan Cardiff RFC P4, W3, L1 1956
66 Malcolm C. Thomas Newport RFC P2, L2 1957
67 R.C.C. Thomas (Clem) Swansea RFC P9, W5, D1, L3 1958–59
68 R. H. Williams Llanelli RFC P1, L1 1960
69 Bryn V. Meredith Newport RFC P4, W2, D1, L1 1960–62
70 D. Onllwyn Brace Llanelli RFC P2, W2 1960–61
71 Terry J. Davies Llanelli RFC P3, W1, L2 1960–61
72 Lloyd H. Williams Cardiff RFC P3, D1, L2 1961–62
73 D.C.T. Rowlands (Clive) Pontypool RFC P14, W6, D2, L6 1963–65
74 Alun E.I. Pask Abertillery RFC P6, W3, L3 1966–67
75 David Watkins Newport RFC P3, W1, L2 1967
76 Norman R. Gale Llanelli RFC P2, D1, L1 1967–68
77 Gareth O. Edwards Cardiff RFC P13, W6, D3, L4 1968–74
78 S. John Dawes London Welsh RFC P6, W5, L1 1968–71
79 Brian Price Newport RFC P6, W3, D1, L2 1969
80 D. John Lloyd Bridgend RFC P3, W3 1972
81 W. Delme Thomas Llanelli RFC P1, L1 1972
82 Arthur J. L. Lewis Ebbw Vale RFC P3, W2, L1 1973
83 T. Mervyn Davies Swansea RFC P9, W8, L1 1975–76
84 Phil Bennett Llanelli RFC P8, W7, L1 1977–78
85 Terry J. Cobner Pontypool RFC P1, L1 1978
86 T.G.R. Davies (Gerald) Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1978
87 John P.R. Williams (JPR) Bridgend RFC P5, W3, L2 1978–79
88 Jeff Squire Pontypool RFC P6, W3, L3 1980–81
89 Steve P. Fenwick Bridgend RFC P3, W1, L2 1980–81
90 W. Gareth Davies Cardiff RFC P5, W2, L3 1981–82
91 Eddie T. Butler Pontypool RFC P6, W2, D1, L3 1983–84
92 Mike J. Watkins Newport RFC P4, W2, L2 1984
93 Terry D. Holmes Cardiff RFC P5, W3, L2 1985
94 David F. Pickering Llanelli RFC P8, W4, L4 1986–87
95 Richard D. Moriarty Swansea RFC P7, W6, L1 1986–87
96 W. (Billy) James Aberavon RFC P1, L1 1987
97 Jonathan Davies Llanelli RFC P4, W2, L2 1987–88
98 Bleddyn Bowen South Wales Police RFC P5, W4, L1 1987–88
99 Robert Norster Cardiff RFC P1, L1 1988
100 Paul H. Thorburn Neath RFC P10, W1, D1, L8 1989–91
101 Robert N. Jones Swansea RFC P5, L5 1989–90
102 Kevin H. Phillips Neath RFC P2, W2 1990
103 Ieuan C. Evans Llanelli RFC P28, W13, L15 1991–95
104 Gareth O. Llewellyn Neath RFC P7, W5, L2 1993–95
105 Mike R. Hall Cardiff RFC P3, W1, L2 1995
106 Jonathan M. Humphries Cardiff RFC P19, W6, L13 1995–2003
107 Nigel G. Davies Llanelli RFC P1, L1 1996
108 I. Scott Gibbs Swansea RFC P1, W1 1997
109 R. Gwyn Jones Cardiff RFC P5, W4, L1 1997
110 Paul John Pontypridd RFC P1, W1 1997
111 Robert Howley Cardiff RFC P22, W15, L7 1998–99
112 Kingsley Jones Ebbw Vale RFC P1, L1 1998
113 David Young (Dai) Cardiff RFC P12, W6, D1, L5 2000–01
114 Mark Taylor Swansea RFC, Sale Sharks P4, W4 2000–05
115 L. Scott Quinnell Llanelli RFC P7, W2, L5 2000–02
116 Andy P. Moore Swansea RFC P2, W2 2001
117 Colin L. Charvis Swansea RFC, Newcastle Falcons P22, W11, L11 2002–04
118 Martyn E. Williams Cardiff RFC, Cardiff Blues P6, W1, L5 2003–09
119 Gareth Thomas Celtic Warriors, Toulouse, Cardiff Blues P21, W9, L12 2003–07
120 Stephen M. Jones Llanelli RFC, Scarlets P8 W1 D1 L6 2003–07
121 D. Mefin Davies Celtic Warriors P1, W1 2003
122 Michael Owen Newport Gwent Dragons P6, W3, D1, L2 2005–06
123 Duncan Jones Ospreys P3, W1, L2 2006
124 Dwayne J. Peel Llanelli Scarlets P1, W1 2007
125 Gethin Jenkins Cardiff Blues, Toulon P5, W2, L3 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013
126 Ryan P. Jones Ospreys P33, W19, L13, D1 2008–10, 2012–13
127 Alun Wyn Jones Ospreys P23, W14, L9 2009, 2014, 2017–
128 Matthew Rees Scarlets, Cardiff Blues P9, W4, L5 2010,2012
129 Sam Warburton Cardiff Blues P49, W23, L25, D1 2011–2016
130 Bradley Davies Cardiff Blues P2, W1, L1 2013
131 Scott Williams Scarlets P1, L1 2015
132 Dan Lydiate Ospreys P3, W2, L1 2016–2017
133 Jamie Roberts Harlequins P2, W2 2017
134 Taulupe Faletau Bath P1, W1 2018
135 Ellis Jenkins Cardiff Blues P3, W3 2018, 2021
136 Cory Hill Dragons P2, W2 2018
137 Jonathan Davies Scarlets P5, W2, D1, L2 2019, 2020, 2021
138 Josh Navidi Cardiff Blues P1, L1 2019
139 Justin Tipuric Ospreys P6, W3, L3 2019, 2020, 2022
140 Dan Biggar Northampton Saints P5, W1, L4 2022
141 Ken Owens Scarlets P2, L2 2023
142 Jac Morgan Ospreys P5, L1 2023
143 Dewi Lake Ospreys P4, L2 2023
144 Dafydd Jenkins Exeter Chiefs P1, L1 2023

References edit

  1. ^ "List of captains". ESPN Scrum. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 7 June 2018.