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David Watkins (rugby)

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David Watkins
MBE
Personal information
Full nameDavid Watkins[1]
Born(1942-03-05)5 March 1942
Blaina, Monmouthshire, Wales
Died3 September 2023(2023-09-03) (aged 81)
Playing information
Height5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight10 st 3 lb (143 lb; 65 kg)
Rugby union
PositionFly half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Abertillery
Ebbw Vale
Pontypool
1961–67 Newport
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1963–67 Wales 21 2 3 15
1966 British and Irish Lions 6 2 2 12
1962–67 Crawshays
Glamorgan
Monmouthshire
1962 Barbarians
Rugby league
PositionThree-quarter back, Fullback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1967–79 Salford 405+2 147 1225 16 2907
1979–80 Swinton 20 2 19 9 53
1982 Cardiff City 2+2 0 0 0 0
Total 431 149 1244 25 2960
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1968–79 Wales 16 2 34 4 74
1971–74 Great Britain 6 0 3 0 6
1975 Wales tour 5+1 1 17 0 37
1974 GB tour 5+2 2 11 0 25
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1981–84 Cardiff City
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1977 Great Britain 4 2 0 2 50
1976–77 Wales 1 1 0 0 100
1982–85 Wales 2 0 0 2 0

David Watkins MBE (5 March 1942 – 3 September 2023) was a Welsh dual-code rugby international, having played both rugby union and rugby league football for both codes' national teams between 1963 and 1979.[1][3] He captained the British and Irish Lions rugby union side,[2] and made six appearances for the Great Britain rugby league team.[4][6] With the Wales national rugby league team he played in every match of the 1975 World Cup, and with English club Salford he played more than 400 games over 12 seasons.

Background

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Watkins was born in Blaina, Monmouthshire, Wales, he played rugby union for Cwmcelyn Youth, as well as occasional games for Abertillery RFC Ebbw Vale RFC and Pontypool RFC, becoming a Wales Youth International.

Rugby career

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Rugby Union

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Joining Newport RFC in 1961, he made his début for Newport on 2 September that year against Penarth RFC. In his first season with Newport the team won the Welsh Championship. Watkins played for invitational team the Barbarians during his first season for Newport in 1962.

Watkins made his international début in 1963, at the age of 20, for Wales against England partnering Clive Rowlands. He was a key figure in Newport's win over Whineray's 1963 New Zealand All Blacks. He was vice captain of Newport under Brian Price in 1963–64 and went on to captain them for three seasons 1964–65, 1965–66 and 1966–67. He set the club dropped goal record of 14 in 1966–67. In all he scored 228 points including 55 dropped goals for Newport. He never played on the losing side for Newport at sevens. In 1967 Watkins assembled his own team to enter the first ever Glengarth Sevens at Davenport Rugby Club where he won the main competition.

Watkins led the Lions in two tests in New Zealand in 1966. He set up position for Uzzell's drop goal and kicked a penalty to draw with Australia in 1966. He played 21 times for Wales (including the 1964–65 Triple Crown) and was captain three times in 1967.

Wales[7]
Against Years
England  1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967
Ireland  1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967
France  1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967
New Zealand  1963
Scotland  1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
South Africa  1964

Rugby league

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In October 1967 Watkins signed to play rugby league, joining English club Salford for £16,000, a then club record. He was signed the same day as outstanding young talent Jimmy Newbrook. He was Salford's captain in 1967 and also in the Challenge Cup Final in 1969 when they were beaten by Castleford.

Watkins became Salford's record points scorer and steered them to victory in the Lancashire Cup Final in 1972 by beating Swinton at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington. In the 1972–73 season he kicked a world record 221 goals in a season. He also holds the longest scoring run record in 92 consecutive matches for Salford from 19 August 1972 to 25 April 1974. Watkins totalled 929 points from 41 tries and 403 goals. The record refers to scoring consecutively for one club and does not include representative matches.

During the 1972–73 League season Watkins played at centre and kicked two conversions in Salford's 7–12 defeat by Leeds in the Player's No.6 Trophy Final at Fartown, Huddersfield on Saturday 24 March 1973.

Watkins played right-centre and scored a try, and five conversions in Salford's 25–11 victory over Swinton in the 1972 Lancashire Cup Final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 21 October 1972, played right-centre and scored a try, and three conversions in the 9–19 defeat by Wigan in the 1973 Lancashire Cup Final at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 13 October 1973.[8] During the 1973 Kangaroo tour, Watkins was selected to play for Great Britain against Australia in the 3rd Ashes Test as a reserve. He led Salford to the Championship in 1974.

In October 1974, Watkins decided to retire from rugby league,[9] but was persuaded to return by Salford three months later.[10] He played at centre and scored two conversions in the 10–5 victory over Warrington in the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final replay at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Tuesday 28 January 1975. He played in all eight of Wales' matches in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup tournament. For the 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season Salford won the Championship by finishing as League Leaders but lost the Premiership Final. Watkins played for Salford at fullback, kicking two drop goals in the defeat by St. Helens. He finished that season as the League's top point scorer. Watkins' Testimonial match at Salford took place in 1977.

During the 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season Watkins played at fullback, and scored two conversions in the 7–16 defeat by Widnes in the 1975 Lancashire Cup Final at Central Park, Wigan on Saturday 4 October 1975. Watkins retired having set Salford's "Most Career Points" record with 2,907 points,[11] and is one of fewer than ten Welshmen to have scored more than 2,000 points in their rugby league career.[12] Watkins' rugby league career ended in 1979 after playing for Swinton for a season. He'd also played six international rugby league matches against New Zealand, Australia and France, and both captained and coached Great Britain and Wales.

During the 1978 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, Watkins was selected to captain Wales from fullback in their one-off Test match against the Australians, scoring all of the home side's points in their 3–8 loss at St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea.[4]

In the 1986 New Year Honours, Watkins was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to rugby league football.[13]

Coaching career

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International

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After he'd stopped playing Watkins coached rugby league.[5] He was the Wales national team coach and also coached Great Britain, taking them to the 1977 World Cup Final, which they lost by one point to the hosts, Australia. David had two stints in the Wales head coach role, separated by 7 years.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Coach

Cardiff Blue Dragons
1981–1984 		Succeeded by
Reformed as Bridgend Blue Dragons

Cardiff City Blue Dragons

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Watkins coached in Wales for the Cardiff City club.

Administration

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Watkins was appointed Newport RFC team manager in 1992–93 and later became the club's chairman when he was awarded an MBE. In 2006 Watkins, along with Falklands War hero Simon Weston, was installed as a patron of the Welsh Rugby League at a ceremony held in the Welsh Assembly. He was managing director of the Cardiff City Blue Dragons. In 2009, Watkins took over the position of Crusaders president from Jonathan Davies.[14]

Death

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David Watkins died on 3 September 2023, at the age of 81.[15][16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Statistics at en.espn.co.uk (RU)". espn.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Profile at lionsrugby.com (RU)". lionsrugby.com. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Statistics at wru.co.uk (RU)". wru.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org (RL)". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Gareth Thomas completes switch from union to Wales rugby league side Crusaders". telegraph.co.uk. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  7. ^ Fields of Praise, The Official History of the Welsh Rugby Union 1881–1981, David Smith, Gareth Williams (1980) pg472 ISBN 0-7083-0766-3
  8. ^ "1973-1974 Lancashire Cup Final". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. ^ Mather, Harold (4 October 1974). "End of career and an era". The Guardian. London. p. 23. ProQuest 185756989.
  10. ^ "Watkins back tonight". The Guardian. London. 10 January 1975. p. 23. ProQuest 185814318.
  11. ^ "Salfordat greyhoundderby.com". greyhoundderby.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  12. ^ Robert Gate (1988). "Gone North – Volume 2". R. E. Gate. ISBN 0-9511190-3-6
  13. ^ "No. 50361" (PDF). The London Gazette. 31 December 1985. p. 16.
  14. ^ "Jonathan Davies". BBC News. 10 January 2011.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Rest in Peace, David Watkins". Salford Red Devils. 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  16. ^ "RIP Dai Watkins". Welsh Rugby League. 3 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
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