Current men’s captain Elliot Kear scores for Wales 9s v Lebanon 9s in Sydney in 2019. Digital image by Shane Myers � NRL Photos
To play for Wales is one thing, to captain Wales is another.
Whether a player has captained Wales 18 times, like current men’s record holder Jim Sullivan, or just the once like a number have done, it’s a great honour to lead the team out and stand in the centre for the photographs or coin toss.
From Tom Llewellyn, who captained Wales in the first ever international rugby league match between two full nations anywhere in the world when Wales beat New Zealand 9-8 in Aberdare on New Years Day 1908, Wales have had over 50 captains who have led our country in men’s, women’s or Wheelchair full international matches and first class games.
The men’s side stats include 180 full internationals, five “tour” matches in New Zealand in 1975 against regional and representative sides, plus four recognised first class matches against representative sides played in England, Wales and France.
The Wales Wheelchair side was formed in 2012 and have played only full international matches. The Wales Women’s side first played in 2019 with a friendly and first class game before playing their first full international in 2021.
THE WALES CAPTAINS ROLL OF HONOUR
* includes non full international matches (number of stars signifies how many of these)