DURING the Six Nations we are taking a look at some of the local rugby stars who have represented Wales.
Here are a few more capped players that have come from our region.
Josh Turnbull
Josh Turnbull was born on March 12, 1988, in Haverfordwest and grew up in Newcastle Emlyn.
He plays second row for Cardiff Rugby and has played for Llandovery RFC, Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets.
He made his debut for the Scarlets in a pre-season friendly against Exeter Chiefs in 2007, making 130 appearances over seven years before moving to then Cardiff Blues in 2014.
Last season, he was named as captain for Cardiff.
He played for Wales first at Under 18, Under 19 and Under 20 levels. In 2006, he won the Grand Slam with the Under 19 team.
He made his international debut for the senior side in the 24-6 win over Scotland in the 2011 Six Nations after coming on from the bench.
He started for Wales for the first time in a friendly against the Barbarians in June 2012. He had a mixed period over the next few years, being featured sparingly for Wales. He played in the two tests on the 2014 summer tour to South Africa.
He was named in the squad for 2016 Six Nations but did not take part. He played in the summer friendly against England that year and in the tour squad to travel to New Zealand but was never picked in the matchday squads.
In 2018, he played in both tests of the tour to Argentina and the United States.
In 2021, he was a replacement against Canada and Argentina, and then started against Argentina in the final game of the tour.
At present, he has13 caps for Wales.
Ricky Evans
Richard Lloyd ‘Ricky’ Evans was born in Aberporth on June 23, 1960.
He played his club rugby at Cardigan RFC and Llanelli RFC and played in the side that beat world champions Australia in 1992 where he started at loose head prop.
He played for Wales 19 times, making his debut in 1993 at Cardiff Arms Park against England.
He played in the Five Nations tournament in 1994 – which Wales won – and had a vital part in the defeat to England in the final game. He was on to score a try, but was tap tackled at the last second by Dewi Morris.
Luckily for Wales, he was able to hold on to the ball, made it available and Nigel Walker scored the try in the corner. Although Wales still lost the game, the try reduced the deficit and secured Wales the championship.
On January 23, 1995, he got injured against France in the Five Nations. This injury would lead to him suing Olivier Merle, the French lock who caused the injury, claiming it was done through foul play as he was headbutted by the lock and suffered a double fracture of his leg, ligament damage in his left ankle and fractured his nose.
The French courts accepted video evidence for the first time in the history of the courts as his father had taped the game and he was given a settlement.
He recovered from the injury to play against New Zealand and Ireland in the World Cup later that year.
However, his career would end shortly after due to injuries.
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Denzil Thomas
Denzil Thomas was born on April 21, 1929, in Llandyffriog, near Newcastle Emlyn. He began playing rugby at Llandeilo and Ystalyfera Grammar Schools.
He played as a centre for Brynamman, Skewen, Bath, Cwmgors, the RAF, Tenby United, Neath and Llanelli.
He earned his only Wales cap in 1954 in a game against Ireland.
Denzil was one of six new caps for the game in the Five Nations Championship, scoring a drop goal in the last minute to secure Wales’ victory.
Despite that being his first and only cap, it was not his first taste of international rugby as a year earlier, he was part of the Llanelli team that lost 17-3 to New Zealand.
John Davies
John Davies was born on February 1, 1969, in Cardigan.
He played as a prop for Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets.
John made his international debut in the Five Nations Championship match against Ireland in Cardiff on February 16, 1991. He would play for Wales again that year against France and would receive a further cap in the 1992 championship.
He made a total of 34 appearances for Wales, including once off the bench in the 1993 Five Nations Championship against France and scoring a try against Zimbabwe. He also played against Canada and Japan.
In 1994, he played 10 times for Wales, including all four matches of the Five Nations Championship.
He played all three of the pool matches in the 1995 World Cup and played nine times in 1996, including against the Barbarians invitational team.
John was the first player to receive a red card in the Five Nations Championship, being sent off on February 18, 1995 by French referee Didier Mené after he kicked England’s Ben Clarke.
John worked as an academy coach at the Scarlets.
Jenkin Alban Davies
Jenkin Alban Davies was born on September 5, 1885, in Aberaeron. He played for Swansea RFC from 1910 and made his Welsh debut in the 1913 Five Nations Championship against Scotland. He then played against France that same year when he scored his first try for Wales.
He went on to make five more appearances in the Five Nations Championship, including all four matches of the 1914 championship, scoring another try against France. He had moved to play for Llanelli by 1914 and captained the ‘Terrible Eight’ against Ireland.
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