Gareth Edwards

Infobox Rugby biography
name = Gareth Edwards


caption =
birthname = Gareth Owen Edwards
nickname = The Prince
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1947|7|12
placeofbirth = Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, Wales
dateofdeath =
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height =
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ru_position = scrum-half|capital=yes
ru_amateuryears =
ru_amateurclubs = Cardiff RFC
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ru_nationalteam = Wales
British Lions
ru_nationalyears = 1967-1978
1971-1974
ru_nationalcaps = 53
10
ru_nationalpoints = (88)
0(3)
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other = yes
occupation =
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school = Millfield
university = Cardiff College of Education

Gareth Owen Edwards CBE (born 12 July 1947 in Pontardawe, Wales) is a former Welsh rugby union footballer who played scrum-half, considered by many to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/2369877.stm|title=BBC Sport – The State of the Union] He led the Welsh national team that dominated European rugby in the 60s and 70s.

In the 2007 New Years Honours List, Edwards was made a CBE for services to sport. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6217133.stm BBC NEWS | Wales | Sporting stars head honours list ] ]

Early life

Edwards was a miner's son from Gwaun-cae-Gurwen. He won a scholarship to the elite Millfield Public School, where he came under the tutelage of Bill Samuels.

Playing career

Wales

Edwards won his first international cap for Wales on 1st April 1967 at the young age of 19 against France in Paris [ [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=3581 Gareth Edwards - Wales Rugby Player - Rugby-Heroes.net ] ] . Unfortunately he would not make a winning start to his international career Wales lost 20-14 to eventual championship winners France [1967 Five Nations Championship] . Between 1967 and 1978 Edwards won 53 caps for Wales, including 13 as captain. All his caps were won in succession; he never had a dip in form or an injury that would allow anybody else to take his place. Edwards was the ultimate finisher, blessed with extreme pace and married this with strength, agility and guile, scoring twenty tries in internationals.

He is Wales' youngest ever captain, gaining his first captaincy at the age of 20 in February 1968 against Scotland - a game which the Welsh side won 5 - 0 [Sporting Heroes [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=3580] ] . Edwards was very forunate in playing with two of the best outside halves the game has ever seen: Barry John and Phil Bennett. In the early part of his career, Edwards and his club team mate Barry John appeared inseparable, always knowing what the other was doing. During his era the Welsh side dominated the Five Nations Championship, winning the title seven times, including three grand slams.

In 1974 Edwards was named BBC Wales Sports Personality of the year.

Edwards' long successful international career came to an end 18th March 1978 in the same way as he had started his career - against France in the Five Nations Championship. However, unlike his debut Edwards celebrated with a winning finish in front of a home crowd at the Arms Park in Cardiff 16-7. Wales also sealed the Grand Slam and a third consecutive Triple Crown - a record, given that no team had ever won it more than twice in a row [1978 Five Nations Championship] .

British Lions

He also played ten times for the British Lions, playing for the legendary 1971 Lions team that was the only such team to win a series in New Zealand and for the unbeaten 1974 side in South Africa.

"That Try"

His try for the Barbarians against the All Blacks in 1973 at Cardiff Arms Park, often referred to simply as 'that try', is commonly said to be the greatest ever and is available to view on the Barbarians Website. [ [http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/video/video_view.cfm?videoID=2 barbarians Website] .] The move starts with a deep kick from the New Zealand winger. The ball drops from up high towards the tiny Phil Bennett near to his own goal line and facing the entire New Zealand team, arguably one of the greatest teams assembled. Bennett side-stepped and evaded two tackles, offloaded the ball to JPR Williams, passing through four other pairs of hands (Pullin, Dawes, David and Quinell) before Edwards finished it with a diving try in the left-hand corner.

Cliff Morgan's now legendary commentary of the try describes it thus: "Kirkpatrick to Williams. This is great stuff. Phil Bennett covering, chased by Alistair Scowan. Brilliant! Oh, that's brilliant! John Williams, Brian Williams, Pullin, John Dawes. Great dummy! David, Tom David, the half-way line. Brilliant by Quinnell. This is Gareth Edwards. A dramatic start. What a score! Oh that fellow Edwards". His other memorable score came against Scotland in 1972 when from a scrum deep in own half, Edwards raced the length of the field to score a try in the corner, and resulted in the memorable picture of him emerging caked in the red mud from the dog track that used to surround the Arms Park Stadium. The commentary for the try from Bill McLaren is as equally memorable, "Its beautiful laid back for Gareth Edwards, Edwards over the 25 yard line, over half way, the kick ahead by Edwards, can he get there, it would be a miracle if he could. And he has!!! The sheer magic of Gareth Edwards has brought the whole of this stadium to its feet. You can see on his face, the power, the strength, the fitness that took him there".

Post Playing Career

When he wrote his autobiography he was branded a "professional" and was temporarily prevented from coaching or being involved in any way with the sport of rugby union.

In 1997, Gareth Edwards was one of the first fifteen former players inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame along with (among others) former playing partners Barry John and JPR Williams [International Rugby Hall of Fame - First Induction Dinner 1997 [http://www.indysearch.co.uk/Results.aspx?q=international+rugby+hall+of+fame&FORM=MICUAQ] ] .

In a poll of international rugby players conducted in 2003 by "Rugby World" magazine, Edwards was declared the greatest player of all time. Surprisingly, Edwards has admitted that All Black scrum-half Sid Going most likely got the better of him over their seven encounters, "As I say, he was the best I played against and, yes, he probably had the edge on me in the games we played". Edwards does however think that the pack Going was playing behind may have helped, "...I wouldn't have minded playing with the back row the All Blacks had...then Sid might not have come out on top". [Palenski, R: "Century In Black, 100 Years of All Black Test Rugby", page 105. Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Ltd, 2003]

He now commentates on the game for the BBC and S4C, commentating for the latter in Welsh, his mother tongue. He is also a director at the Cardiff Blues region.

A statue of Gareth Edwards stands in the St David's shopping centre, Cardiff.

References

ee also

*Five Nations Championship
*Welsh rugby team
*Cardiff RFC
*Welsh Rugby Union

External links

* [http://www.wru.co.uk/12750_14256.php?player=25930&includeref=dynamic Wales profile]
*cite web| url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1165 |title=Gareth Edwards |publisher=sporting-heroes.net |accessdate=2007-08-21
*cite news| url=http://sport.guardian.co.uk/columnists/story/0,,2048668,00.html |title=This is Gareth Edwards' dramatic finish - what a score |publisher=The Guardian |date=2007-04-03 |last=Keating |first=Frank |accessdate=2007-08-21
*cite news| url=http://www.scrum.com/39_46590.php |title=Edwards reaches another milestone |publisher=scrum.com |date=2007-08-02 |last=Taylor |first=John |accessdate=2007-08-21
*cite news| url=http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/5018_2136.php |title=Welsh Rugby Legends Name The Greatest Of The Welsh Greats |publisher=ercrugby.com |date=2002-11-22 |accessdate=2007-08-21
*cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/paul_kimmage/article1564157.ece |title=Leader of the backs |publisher=timesonline.co.uk |date=2007-03-25 |last=Kimmage |first=Paul |accessdate=2007-08-21
*cite web| accessdate=2007-08-21 |title=Gareth Edwards |url=http://www.scrum.com/1200_1205.php?player=25930&includeref=dynamic |publisher=scrum.com
*cite web| accessdate=2007-08-21 |title=Gareth Edwards |url=http://www.rugbyhalloffame.com/pages/edwards1997.htm |publisher=rugbyhalloffame.com
*cite web| url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/walesonair/database/garethedwards.shtml |title=The Wales rugby hero's greatest tries |publisher=bbc.co.uk |accessdate=2007-10-05

Persondata
NAME=Gareth Edwards
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Gareth Owen Edwards
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Welsh Rugby union footballer.
DATE OF BIRTH=12 July 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH=Pontardawe, Wales
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=