Welsh Rugby Union
Encyclopedia
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.
The roots of the Welsh Rugby Union lay in the creation of the South Wales Football Club in September 1875; formed:
The South Wales Football Club was superseded in 1878 by the South Wales Football Union in an attempt to bring greater regulation to the sport and to select representatives from club sides to represent the international game. The SWFU organised an international match against England
in 1880. The match took place on the 19th February 1881, and was won by England 7 goals, 1 dropped goal and 6 tries to nil. This heavy defeat lay the seeds for further reforms that would lead to the creation of the WRU.
There is confusion regarding the official date of creation of the Welsh Rugby Union. In March 1880 nine teams supposedly met at the Tenby Hotel, Swansea
with the intent of creating a new union. These teams are thought to have been, Cardiff RFC
, Chepstow RFC
, Haverfordwest RFC
, Llandaff RFC
, Llanelli RFC
, Neath RFC
, Newport RFC, Pontypridd RFC
and Swansea RFC
. The issue with accepting this meeting is that there is no written evidence, just oral repetition.
On 12 March 1881, eleven clubs met in the Castle Hotel, Neath
to form what would be accepted as a Welsh rugby union. After a humiliating defeat in the very first Wales international rugby game, the Neath meeting was organised by Richard Mullock
to form a union that could organise regular international matches. The founding clubs of the WFU (Welsh Football Union), as it was originally known, were Swansea C & FC
, Pontypool RFC
, Newport RFC, Merthyr RFC
, Llanelli RFC
, Bangor RFC
, Brecon RFC
, Cardiff RFC
, Lampeter RFC
, Llandovery RFC
and Llandeilo RFC
. Strangely the oldest rugby club in Wales, Neath RFC
are not recorded as being present, even though the meeting took place in the town of Neath. It is unknown if this was an oversight by the committee to record the presence of the club, or if Neath RFC actually did not attend. The fact that two of the main committee members of the SWFU, John Llewellyn
and Sam Clark
were Neath men, and the creation of the WFU disbanded their union, is generally accepted as the reason for the absence of a Neath representative.
The WRU was a founding member of the International Rugby Board
in 1886 with Scotland
and Ireland
, with Mullock and Horace Lyne
the Welsh representatives at the formal signing of the union in 1887.
It wasn't until 1934 that the name, the Welsh Rugby Union, was adopted.
The WRU are responsible for the running of Welsh rugby, including 293 member clubs, the Welsh national team
and National Leagues and Cups. The Welsh Rugby Union has a major role in the development of coaches, referees and players throughout all ages for both men and women. They also own the home of Welsh rugby union, the 74,500 capacity Millennium Stadium
, Cardiff, "an icon of the modern Wales".
After the national team the next highest level of representation in Wales is the four regions based around top club sides, but representing a larger area. These regions came into being in 2003 when the WRU elected to reduce the current top tier of Welsh professional rugby union from nine clubs into five regions modelled on the successful Irish provinces and the Super 14
franchises in South Africa
, Australia
and New Zealand
. The WRU had hoped to reduce the teams to four regions but Cardiff and Llanelli successfully argued for stand-alone status. After one year the Celtic Warriors
region was closed down by David Moffett and WRU Chairman David Pickering leaving Wales with only four regions. The four surviving regional clubs are Cardiff Blues
, Scarlets, Ospreys and Newport Gwent Dragons
. They play in the Magners League, European Rugby Cup
and Anglo-Welsh Cup competitions. Each region may call up players from a set of club teams within their area. These top club sides play in the 14-strong Welsh Premier Division
.
In August 2008 WRU chief Roger Lewis confirmed that the body was looking at a proposal to reinstate a fifth Welsh region, based in North Wales. Lewis admitted that he regretted the decision in 2004 to close down Celtic Warriors
. In September 2008 a new North Wales Rugby development team was announced, likely to be based in Wrexham
; ultimately, the team was launched as RGC 1404, and was to be based in Colwyn Bay
instead of Wrexham. In the same month Llanelli Scarlets changed their name to simply Scarlets, believing the new name would better represent their region beyond Llanelli
.
Position no longer exists
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...
in 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...
, recognised by the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
.
The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales
Prince William of Wales
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge KG , is the elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, and third eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.
History
The South Wales Football Club was superseded in 1878 by the South Wales Football Union in an attempt to bring greater regulation to the sport and to select representatives from club sides to represent the international game. The SWFU organised an international match against 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...
in 1880. The match took place on the 19th February 1881, and was won by England 7 goals, 1 dropped goal and 6 tries to nil. This heavy defeat lay the seeds for further reforms that would lead to the creation of the WRU.
There is confusion regarding the official date of creation of the Welsh Rugby Union. In March 1880 nine teams supposedly met at the Tenby Hotel, Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
with the intent of creating a new union. These teams are thought to have been, Cardiff RFC
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
, Chepstow RFC
Chepstow RFC
Chepstow Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Chepstow, in Monmouthshire, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.-History:...
, Haverfordwest RFC
Haverfordwest RFC
Haverfordwest Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Haverfordwest, West Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets.-Club Badge:...
, Llandaff RFC
Llandaff RFC
Llandaff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Llandaff, a district of Cardiff in Wales. They presently play in the Welsh Rugby Union Division Four East and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.....
, Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
, Neath RFC
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
, Newport RFC, 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....
and Swansea RFC
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. The issue with accepting this meeting is that there is no written evidence, just oral repetition.
On 12 March 1881, eleven clubs met in the Castle Hotel, Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
to form what would be accepted as a Welsh rugby union. After a humiliating defeat in the very first Wales international rugby game, the Neath meeting was organised by Richard Mullock
Richard Mullock
Richard Mullock was a Welsh sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union in 1934...
to form a union that could organise regular international matches. The founding clubs of the WFU (Welsh Football Union), as it was originally known, were Swansea C & FC
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
, Pontypool RFC
Pontypool RFC
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool. Pontypool RFC has a long history within Welsh rugby and is one of the most notable clubs, being present at the formation of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881, but disbanding before the turn of the 19th century...
, Newport RFC, Merthyr RFC
Merthyr RFC
Merthyr RFC is a Welsh rugby union club based in Merthyr in South Wales. Merthyr RFC are presently members of the Welsh Rugby Union playing in the Division One East League and are a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues..-Early history:...
, Llanelli RFC
Llanelli RFC
Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...
, Bangor RFC
Bangor RFC
Bangor Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Bangor, North Wales. Bangor RFC is a founding member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets...
, Brecon RFC
Brecon RFC
Brecon Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club from the town of Brecon, South Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues.The club was one of the eleven founding members of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1881...
, Cardiff RFC
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
, Lampeter RFC
Lampeter Town RFC
Lampeter Town Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Lampeter, West Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets....
, Llandovery RFC
Llandovery RFC
Llandovery RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The club is an inaugural member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Scarlets.-Early history:...
and Llandeilo RFC
Llandeilo RFC
Llandeilo Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Llandeilo, in Carmarthenshire, west Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets.-Early History:...
. Strangely the oldest rugby club in Wales, Neath RFC
Neath RFC
Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. The club's home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. The first team is known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white cross pattée as an emblem...
are not recorded as being present, even though the meeting took place in the town of Neath. It is unknown if this was an oversight by the committee to record the presence of the club, or if Neath RFC actually did not attend. The fact that two of the main committee members of the SWFU, John Llewellyn
John Talbot Dillwyn Llewellyn
Sir John Talbot Dillwyn-Llewellyn, 1st Baronet was a Welsh Conservative Member of Parliament who was notable for his links to Welsh sports.-Background and education:...
and Sam Clark
Samuel Clark (rugby player)
Samuel Simmonds Clark was an English-born rugby union official and international rugby union full-back who played club rugby for Neath...
were Neath men, and the creation of the WFU disbanded their union, is generally accepted as the reason for the absence of a Neath representative.
The WRU was a founding member of the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
in 1886 with Scotland
Scottish Rugby Union
The Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873, as the Scottish Football Union.-History:...
and Ireland
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
, with Mullock and Horace Lyne
Horace Lyne
Horace Sampson Lyne MBE was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales and after retiring from playing rugby became the longest serving president of the Welsh Rugby Union...
the Welsh representatives at the formal signing of the union in 1887.
It wasn't until 1934 that the name, the Welsh Rugby Union, was adopted.
Responsibilities
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...
and National Leagues and Cups. The Welsh Rugby Union has a major role in the development of coaches, referees and players throughout all ages for both men and women. They also own the home of Welsh rugby union, the 74,500 capacity Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, Cardiff, "an icon of the modern Wales".
After the national team the next highest level of representation in Wales is the four regions based around top club sides, but representing a larger area. These regions came into being in 2003 when the WRU elected to reduce the current top tier of Welsh professional rugby union from nine clubs into five regions modelled on the successful Irish provinces and the Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
franchises in 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...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and 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...
. The WRU had hoped to reduce the teams to four regions but Cardiff and Llanelli successfully argued for stand-alone status. After one year 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...
region was closed down by David Moffett and WRU Chairman David Pickering leaving Wales with only four regions. The four surviving regional clubs are Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
, Scarlets, Ospreys and Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
. They play in the Magners League, European Rugby Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
and Anglo-Welsh Cup competitions. Each region may call up players from a set of club teams within their area. These top club sides play in the 14-strong Welsh Premier Division
Welsh Premier Division
The Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...
.
In August 2008 WRU chief Roger Lewis confirmed that the body was looking at a proposal to reinstate a fifth Welsh region, based in North Wales. Lewis admitted that he regretted the decision in 2004 to close down 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...
. In September 2008 a new North Wales Rugby development team was announced, likely to be based in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
; ultimately, the team was launched as RGC 1404, and was to be based in Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
instead of Wrexham. In the same month Llanelli Scarlets changed their name to simply Scarlets, believing the new name would better represent their region beyond Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
.
Presidents
- Cyril Chambers (1881(March)–1881(Sept.))
- Victor Albert George Child Villiers, 7th Earl of Jersey (1881(Sept)–1885)
- Sir J.T.D. LlewellynJohn Talbot Dillwyn LlewellynSir John Talbot Dillwyn-Llewellyn, 1st Baronet was a Welsh Conservative Member of Parliament who was notable for his links to Welsh sports.-Background and education:...
(1885–1906) - Horace LyneHorace LyneHorace Sampson Lyne MBE was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club. He won five caps for Wales and after retiring from playing rugby became the longest serving president of the Welsh Rugby Union...
MBE (1906–1947) - Sir David Rocyn-JonesDavid Rocyn-JonesSir David Thomas Rocyn-Jones CBE, K St J, DL, JP was a Welsh medical officer of health and servant of multiple professional bodies within Wales.-Professional career:...
CBE (1947–1953) - Ernest Davies (1953–1954)
- W.R. Thomas MBE (1954–1955)
- Major T.H. VileTommy VileMajor Thomas Henry "Tommy" Vile MBE was a Welsh international rugby union player. He played club rugby predominantly for Newport, captaining the side twice and played county rugby for Monmouthshire. He also represented the British Isles in Australia, and after retiring from playing became an...
MBE (1955–1956) - Glyn StephensGlyn StephensGlyn Stephens was a Welsh international rugby union prop who played club rugby for Neath. He won 10 caps for Wales and captained his country...
(1956–1957) - Enoch H. Rees (1957–1958)
- F.G. Phillips (1958–1959)
- Lt. Col. P.R. Howells (1959–1960)
- D. Hopkin Thomas (1960–1961)
- D.E. Davies (1961–1962)
- Wilf Faull MBE (1962–1963)
- D. Ewart Davies (1963–1964)
- Nathan Rocyn-JonesNathan Rocyn-JonesNathan Rocyn-Jones FRCS was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club and represented Cambridge...
(1964–1965) - David Jones (1965–1966)
- T.C. Prosser (1966–1967)
- Glyn Morgan (1967–1968)
- Ivor E. JonesIvor JonesIvor Egwad Jones CBE was a Welsh rugby union player who played as a back-row forward, mainly at flanker, for Llanelli and won 16 caps for Wales, three of them as captain....
CBE (1968–1969) - V.C Phelps (1969–1970)
- Kenneth Morgan Harris CBE (1970–1971)
- Rhys E. Williams (1971–1972)
- Vernon J. Parfitt (1972–1973)
- Leslie M. Spence MBE (1973–1974)
- Harry BowcottHarry BowcottHarry Bowcott was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Cardiff and London Welsh and later became president of the Welsh Rugby Union.-Club career:...
(1974–1975) - Handel C. Rogers (1975–1976)
- Hywel Thomas (1976–1977)
- T. Rowley Jones (1977–1978)
- D. Luther James (1978–1979)
- Gwyn Roblin (1979–1980)
- Cliff JonesCliff Jones (rugby player)Clifford 'Cliff' William Jones OBE was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for many teams but is most associated with Cardiff and Cambridge University...
OBE (1980–1981) - Osmond John OBE (1981–1982)
- Hermas Evans (1982–1983)
- Eirwyn Davies (1983–1984)
- Kenneth Gwilym (1984–1985)
- Alun ThomasAlun ThomasAlun Gruffydd Thomas was a rugby union centre who played international rugby for Wales between 1952 and 1955. At club level he represented Cardiff, Swansea and Llanelli, and was also selected for invitational tourists The Barbarians...
(1985–1986) - Desmond Barnett (1986–1987)
- W. George Morgan (1987–1988)
- Myrddin Jones (1988–1989)
- Clive RowlandsClive RowlandsClive Rowlands OBE is a former Welsh rugby union footballer and later coach.A teacher by profession, Rowlands played club rugby at scrum-half for Abercraf, Pontypool, Llanelli and Swansea...
(1989–1990) - G.J. Treharne (1990–1991)
- Ieuan EvansIeuan EvansIeuan Evans is a former rugby union footballer who played on the wing for Wales. He is regarded as one of the best Welsh wingers of all time, despite playing through a disappointing era of Welsh rugby. A prolific try scorer at International level, Evans is listed 19th in the world on the all-time...
(1991–1992) - Graham Tregidon (1992–1993)
- Sir Tasker WatkinsTasker WatkinsThe Rt Hon Sir Tasker Watkins VC GBE PC was a Lord Justice of Appeal and deputy Lord Chief Justice...
(1993–2004) - Keith RowlandsKeith RowlandsKeith Alun Rowlands , was a Welsh international lock rugby union player, later administrator who was the first Chief Executive Officer of the International Rugby Board.-Playing career:...
(2004–2006(Nov.)) - Glanmor Griffiths (2007(May)- 2008; )
- Dennis Gethin (2008 to present)
Secretaries
- Richard MullockRichard MullockRichard Mullock was a Welsh sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union in 1934...
(1881–1892) - W.H. GwynnWilliam GwynnWilliam Gwynn was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Swansea and would later become secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union. Gwynn was an all-round sportsman and as well as his success on the rugby pitch he also player cricket for Swansea, of which he became...
(1892–1896) - Walter E. ReesWalter E. ReesCaptain Walter Enoch Rees was a Welsh rugby union administrator who was the longest serving secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union and joint manager of the 1910 British Lions tour of South Africa.-Career as rugby administrator:...
(1896–1948) - Eric EvansEric Evans (Welsh Rugby Union)William Eric Evans was a Welsh rugby player and the secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union from 1948–1955....
(1948–1955) - William H. ClementBill Clement (rugby player)William Harries "Bill" Clement OBE MC TD was a Welsh international wing who played club rugby for Llanelli and was capped six times for Wales. Clement was described as a staunch tackler with speed and a good turn of pace; and after his appearance for the British Isles was seen as the best...
OBE (1956–1981) - Ray WilliamsRay WilliamsRay Williams may refer to:* Ray Williams , basketball player* Ray Williams , founder of HIH Insurance* Ray Williams , English football player...
OBE (1981–1988) - David EastDavid EastDavid East QPM is a retired British police officer who served as Chief Constable of South Wales Police, and was also Secretary of the Welsh Rugby Union.-Pre-South Wales:...
(1989 - Denis Evans (1990–1993)
- Edward Jones (1993–1996)
- Richard Jasinski (1996–1997)
- Dennis Gethin (1998–2002)
Position no longer exists
Honorary Treasurers
- Richard MullockRichard MullockRichard Mullock was a Welsh sporting administrator and official, who is most notable for organising the first Welsh rugby union international game and was instrumental in the creation of the Welsh Football Union, which became the Welsh Rugby Union in 1934...
(1881–1891) - William H. Wilkins (1891–1903)
- T.R. Griffiths (1903–1930)
- Sam West (1930–1934)
- Eric Roberts (1934–1945)
- P.O. Evans (1946–1952)
- Kenneth Morgan Harris (1952–1982)
- Glanmor Griffiths (1984–2003)
- 2003 Position terminated.
See also
- Wales national rugby union teamWales national rugby union teamThe 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...
- Rugby union in WalesRugby union in WalesRugby union is the national sport of Wales and is considered a large part of national culture. Rugby is thought to have reached Wales in the 1850s, with the national body, the Welsh Rugby Union being formed in 1881...
- History of rugby unionHistory of rugby unionThe history of rugby union follows from various football games played long before the 19th century, but it was not until the middle of that century that rules were formulated and codified....
- Magners LeagueCeltic League (rugby union)The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
- Welsh Premier DivisionWelsh Premier DivisionThe Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...
- WRU Challenge CupWRU Challenge CupThe WRU Challenge Cup , or its full name of the Welsh Rugby Union Challenge Cup, is Wales' premier knockout rugby union competition and is organised by the Welsh Rugby Union....
- WRU National Leagues
- Welsh Rugby Players AssociationWelsh Rugby Players AssociationThe Welsh Players Association , founded in 2003, is the representative body for professional rugby union players in Wales. Its General Secretary is Neil Maclean-Smith, who succeeded previous General Secretary, Dean Sheehan and former Chief Executive, Richard Harry. Rhys Williams, former Wales and...