Dale McIntosh
Encyclopedia
Dale "Chief" McIntosh is a rugby union
player. Born Dale Lynsey Manawa McIntosh on 23 November 1969 in the King Country
, New Zealand
, he has become a cult hero in his adopted country of Wales
. He received the nickname "The Chief" (or "Chiefy") because of his physical resemblance to the Chief Bromden character in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
.
He first arrived in the country in 1989, settling in the Coed-y-Cwm area of Ynysybwl
(near Pontypridd
, Rhondda Cynon Taff
), following the path taken by his older brother Shane McIntosh. Very soon afterwards he joined Pontypridd RFC
as a promising young forward.
Not content with simply being another squad member, however, McIntosh made a great impression in his first season at Sardis Road
. Thanks to his Scottish
father he was selected to play for the Scotland
"A" side in 1992, but later opted to wait until his residential status meant he could play for Wales. He achieved this goal, playing for both Wales "A" and the full Wales
international team, winning his one full cap against South Africa
in 1996. Further international honours include several appearances for the world-renowned Barbarians
team.
By the mid 1990s Dale had become one of the focal points of the Pontypridd RFC team both on and off the pitch. A strong back-row forward with good handling skills and a superb tackle, notably against Andy Robinson
the former England
Coach in a European Match against Bath Rugby Club
at Sardis Road. He was a leader on the pitch and a hero on the terraces. He is also noted for the work he did within the youth structure of Pontypridd RFC, inspiring many of the current crop of young talent from the south Wales valleys.
Dale McIntosh was still at the forefront of his game when Rugby Union in Wales became a professional sport in the late 1990s. He was awarded his club captaincy in 2001. However, the changes in Welsh rugby came somewhat too late for McIntosh: the strength of the Celtic Warriors
' back line meant that he would have had to move to another region to gain a contract. Instead, he chose to stay in Pontypridd and help develop the next generation of regional players.
Following the liquidation of the Celtic Warriors regional set up by the Welsh Rugby Union
(WRU), McIntosh accepted a role as the WRU's Rugby Development Officer for the South Wales Valleys, allowing him to continue to inspire young players in his adopted home. Alongside this he has continued as club captain at Pontypridd RFC, helping to nurture and develop the young team and leading them to successive finals of the Welsh cup in 2005 and 2006. However, personal circumstances (2005) and injury (2006) meant he was unable to play in either final.
Dale McIntosh is best known for his immense ability on the rugby field, but is also popular for his charity and development work off the field.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. Born Dale Lynsey Manawa McIntosh on 23 November 1969 in the King Country
King Country
The King Country is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of the Whanganui River in the south, and from the Hauhungaroa and Rangitoto Ranges in the east to near the Tasman...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, he has become a cult hero in his adopted country of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He received the nickname "The Chief" (or "Chiefy") because of his physical resemblance to the Chief Bromden character in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a 1975 American drama film directed by Miloš Forman and based on the 1962 novel of the same name by Ken Kesey....
.
He first arrived in the country in 1989, settling in the Coed-y-Cwm area of Ynysybwl
Ynysybwl
Ynysybwl is a village in Cwm Clydach in Wales. It is situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, roughly north-north-east of Cardiff, north of Pontypridd and south of Merthyr Tydfil, and forms part of the community of Ynysybwl and Coed-y-cwm....
(near Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Rhondda Cynon Taf, or RCT, is a county borough in the South Wales Valleys of Wales. It consists of 3 valleys: the Rhondda Valley, Cynon Valley and Taff-Ely Valley...
), following the path taken by his older brother Shane McIntosh. Very soon afterwards he joined Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd RFC
Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, known as Ponty, are a rugby union team from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, currently playing in the British and Irish Cup, Principality Premiership, and are the current SWALEC Cup champions....
as a promising young forward.
Not content with simply being another squad member, however, McIntosh made a great impression in his first season at Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Sardis Road is a rugby union stadium situated in Pontypridd, Wales. It is home to the Principality Premiership team, Pontypridd RFC and previously the Celtic Warriors, the now defunct regional rugby union team...
. Thanks to his Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
father he was selected to play for the Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
"A" side in 1992, but later opted to wait until his residential status meant he could play for Wales. He achieved this goal, playing for both Wales "A" and the full Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
international team, winning his one full cap against South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1996. Further international honours include several appearances for the world-renowned Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
team.
By the mid 1990s Dale had become one of the focal points of the Pontypridd RFC team both on and off the pitch. A strong back-row forward with good handling skills and a superb tackle, notably against Andy Robinson
Andy Robinson
Richard Andrew 'Andy' Robinson OBE is an English rugby union coach and retired player. He is currently the head coach of Scotland.Robinson played as an openside flanker for Bath, England and the British and Irish Lions...
the former England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
Coach in a European Match against Bath Rugby Club
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
at Sardis Road. He was a leader on the pitch and a hero on the terraces. He is also noted for the work he did within the youth structure of Pontypridd RFC, inspiring many of the current crop of young talent from the south Wales valleys.
Dale McIntosh was still at the forefront of his game when Rugby Union in Wales became a professional sport in the late 1990s. He was awarded his club captaincy in 2001. However, the changes in Welsh rugby came somewhat too late for McIntosh: the strength of the Celtic Warriors
Celtic Warriors
The Celtic Warriors were a regional rugby union team from Wales, who played in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup between 2003 and 2004.-History:The Warriors were one of the five original regions of the Welsh Regional Rugby Era...
' back line meant that he would have had to move to another region to gain a contract. Instead, he chose to stay in Pontypridd and help develop the next generation of regional players.
Following the liquidation of the Celtic Warriors regional set up by the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
(WRU), McIntosh accepted a role as the WRU's Rugby Development Officer for the South Wales Valleys, allowing him to continue to inspire young players in his adopted home. Alongside this he has continued as club captain at Pontypridd RFC, helping to nurture and develop the young team and leading them to successive finals of the Welsh cup in 2005 and 2006. However, personal circumstances (2005) and injury (2006) meant he was unable to play in either final.
Dale McIntosh is best known for his immense ability on the rugby field, but is also popular for his charity and development work off the field.