Gareth Edwards

Gareth Edwards, born 12 July 1947 in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Wales, is a former Welsh rugby union scrum half, considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game.

Between 1967 and 1978 Edwards won 53 caps for Wales, including 13 as captain, and during his era the Welsh side dominated the Five Nations Championship, winning the title seven times, including three grand slams. He also played ten times for the British Lions.

Edwards was blessed with extreme pace and married this with strength, agility and guile, scoring twenty tries in internationals. His try for the Barbarians against the All Blacks in 1973 at Cardiff Arms Park is often said to be the greatest ever, with the move starting deep with Phil Bennett inside his own 22, and passing through five other pairs of hands before Edwards finished it with a diving score in the corner.

After the 1995 World Cup a rugby magazine polled 200 players, coaches, managers and writers, and Gareth was voted the greatest rugby player of all time.

Since his retirement from the game in 1978 Gareth has gone on to become an accomplished writer, broadcaster and businessman.

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