Gareth is a former Welsh rugby union footballer who played scrum-half, considered by many to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He was prominent in the Welsh national team that was to the fore in European rugby in the 60s and 70s.
He made his debut for Cardiff RFC against Coventry on 17 September 1966, then playing all season for Cardiff, scoring 67 tried in 195 games. Gareth won his first international cap for Wales on 1 April 1967 at the young age of 19 against France in Paris.
Between 1967 and 1978 Gareth won 53 caps for Wales, including 13 as captain. All his caps were won in succession; Gareth was the ultimate finisher, blessed with extreme pace, married with strength, agility and guile. He scored twenty tries in internationals.
He is Wales' youngest ever captain, gaining his first captaincy at the age of 20 in 1968 against Scotland. In 1969, Gareth was named Player of the Year in Wales, and in 1974 was named BBC Wales Sports Personality of the year. He followed up this success by receiving an MBE in 1975.
Gareth´s long successful international career came to an end on 18 March 1978 in the same way as he had started his career, against France in the Five Nations Championship.
He also played ten times for the British Lions, playing for the legendary 1971 Lions team that was the only such team to win a series in New Zealand and for the unbeaten 1974 side in South Africa.
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