Llanelli return brings back memories of fine Wales win
THE news that Wales will be taking on both Scotland and Georgia at Parc y Scarlets this autumn has brought back memories of the last time they played an international match in Llanelli.
That was in November 1998 when Graham Henry’s team took on Argentina at the old Stradey Park.
Wales, captained by Rob Howley, ran out winners 43-30, with Colin Charvis crossing twice, while Dafydd James and Mark Taylor also touched down on a night Neil Jenkins kicked 23 points.
So, what are the members of that Welsh team doing today? Where are they now? 15. SHANE HOWARTH THESE days, you will find Howarth running a supermarket in the Auckland suburb of Mangere Bridge.
His 19-cap Wales career came to an abrupt end in 2000 when he found himself at the centre of the Grannygate scandal.
After finishing playing in 2003, he headed back to New Zealand and moved into coaching with Auckland and the Blues, while he also had spells with the Pacific Islanders, Worcester and then in Japan with Honda Heat.
14. GARETH THOMAS
THE former postman from Pencoed went on to win 100 Wales caps and skipper both his country and the Lions, scoring 41 Test tries in all.
Since finishing playing, he has become an even bigger name, appearing on shows such as Celebrity Big Brother, Dancing on Ice and The Jump, as well as fronting programmes of his own and working as a TV rugby pundit and campaigner.
13. MARK TAYLOR
A qualified accountant, Taylor has worked in that profession since finishing his playing career in 2005 with 52 Wales cap to his name, having turned out for Pontypool, Swansea, the Scarlets, Sale and the Ospreys.
He has also served as a team manager for Wales at different age group levels, as well as for the Scarlets, while he was on the WRU Council for a spell until earlier this year.
12. SCOTT GIBBS
NOW 49, Gibbs has been out in America, attending the Wharton Business School in Philadelphia, having previously lived in South Africa and Verona in Italy.
He has been familiarising himself with the complexities of neuroscience after his wife Kate suffered a brain injury in a road traffic accident in Italy in 2016. The former Wales and Lions centre played his 58th and final Test match in 2001.
11. DAFYDD JAMES
WENT on to win 48 caps for Wales and played in all three Tests on the Lions’ 2001 tour of Australia, while he was much-travelled, plying his trade with Bridgend, Pontypridd, Llanelli, Celtic Warriors, Harlequins, Scarlets, Cardiff Blues and Sale.
Since retiring from playing, he has worked as a personal trainer out in Dubai, while also being involved in recruitment. In 2018, he opened up about his struggles with mental health.
10. NEIL JENKINS
THE “Ginger Monster” racked up 87 Welsh caps in all, accumulating a then-record international haul of 1,090 points, including his tally from four Lions Tests.
When he hung up his prodigious boots in 2004, he moved straight into coaching with the WRU and two years later became part of the national team set-up as kicking coach, a position he still holds today.
9. ROB HOWLEY
The former Wales and Lions scrum-half has just this week been announced as Canada’s assistant coach. That marks his return to rugby following the nine month ban he served for breaching betting regulations.
After a playing career that brought him 59 caps, 22 of them as skipper, he moved into coaching and was part of Warren Gatland’s Wales management team for 11 years, also linking up with him on three Lions tours.
1. ANDREW LEWIS Known throughout the game as Alp due to his Christian names, he spent the majority of his career at looshead prop, but then
switched to hooker at the instigation of Wales coach Graham Henry.
A one-club man at Cardiff, he went on to win 29 caps in all, his last appearance coming in 2002. Outside of rugby, he has worked in wealth management.
2. JONATHAN HUMPHREYS
The Cardiff hooker slipped out of the Wales reckoning the following season, but was recalled after a four break in 2003 to captain Steve Hansen’s team. Ended up with 35 caps, 19 of them as skipper.
After retiring from playing, he had spells working with the packs at the Ospreys, Scotland and Glasgow. He is now part of Wayne Pivac’s Wales management team as forwards coach.
3. CHRIS ANTHONY The Argentina game was just a second start for Wales for the Neath-born tighthead, who had stints with Swansea, Newport, Ebbw Vale and the Dragons.
He won 17 caps in all, making his final appearance for the national side in 2003. After his rugby career ended, he went on to be a primary school teacher.
4. CRAIG QUINNELL The barnstorming former second row is heavily involved with the family business Aquatreat, of which his father Derek is managing director and where brother Gavin also works. Having won 32 Wales caps, he called it a day at 30 due to a neck injury, following spells with Llanelli, Richmond, Cardiff, Saracens and Worcester. He remains a huge character.
5. CHRIS WYATT
THE “One-man Riot” now lives in Pertuis, near the city of Aix-en-provence, in France, with his job being transporting vehicles back and forth to the UK.
Having earned 38 caps for Wales, he headed across the channel to join Bourgoin in 2007 after spells at Newport, Neath, the Scarlets and Munster.
Carried on playing lower league club rugby in France into his early 40s and also turned his hand to coaching.
6. COLIN CHARVIS
The back rower scored two tries on that Stradey Park night against Argentina, crossing for 22 in all during his 94-cap Wales career, which featured 22 games as captain.
After retiring from playing, he was part of the coaching set-up at the Dragons for a period, while he now runs a carpet and general flooring business in Swansea and also sits on the WRU council. 7. MARTYN WILLIAMS Like Jenkins and Humphreys, the 100-times capped ex-flanker is now part of the Wales management team.
He took over from the long-serving Alan Phillips as team manager last year, having worked extensively within the media since retiring in 2012, as well as being involved in the financial services sector.
8. SCOTT QUINNELL
THE big man has remained a big presence in rugby, working as a TV pundit and presenting the School of Hard Knocks show, while also having his own radio programme.
He had a recurring role on TV series Stella, playing himself, while he owns Quinnell Candles with his family. Won a total of 55 Wales caps in union, either side of a spell in league.