Gareth Edwards biography
Gareth Edwards, in full Sir Gareth Owen Edwards, (born July 12, 1947, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Wales), Welsh rugby union soccer participant who led the Welsh nationwide staff that dominated European play from the mid-Sixties by the ’70s. Edwards was the most effective participant on what might have been the best again line within the historical past of the game. Some consultants argue that Edwards was merely the best rugby participant ever. With Edwards at scrum half, Wales received the Five Nations Championship 11 instances in 16 seasons (1964–78).
Between 1967 and 1978 Edwards performed 53 Test (worldwide) matches plus 10 Tests for the British Lions (now the British and Irish Lions). He was a part of the Welsh again line that included fly halves Barry John (1966–72, 25 Tests) and Phil Bennett (1969–78, 29 Tests), winger Gerald Davies (1966–78, 46 Tests), and fullback John Peter Rhys (“JPR”) Williams (1969–81, 55 Tests). Wales was continuously launched into assault by Edwards, who handed the ball again to Johns and later Bennett, with the motion ending typically in a strive from one of many nice again line gamers reminiscent of Davies. Amazingly for a scrum half, Edwards additionally scored 20 tries in his 53 checks for Wales. After the retirement of Edwards, Davies, Bennett, and Williams, which all got here in fast succession between 1978 and 1981, the Welsh nationwide staff started a gradual decline.
Edwards was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007 and a knight bachelor in 2015.