International Dinosaur thread

David Watkins: Dual-code Wales and Lions legend dies aged 81​

Last updated on 3 September 20233 September 2023.From the section Welsh Rugby

David Watkins watches Newport play in 1998
David Watkins captained the Lions in rugby union and rugby league
David Watkins, who played rugby union and rugby league for Wales as well as for each sport's British and Irish Lions teams, has died at the age of 81.
He won 21 Wales union caps from 1963-67 and 16 more in league, adding six each for the Lions in the 15-a-side game and their league counterparts.
Watkins starred at fly-half in union and stand-off in league.
The Rugby Football League said Watkins would "be remembered as one of the best cross-code converts from Wales".
The governing body added: "He became a key figure in a golden era for the Salford club, making more than 400 appearances for the Red Devils, and scoring almost 3,000 points as they were crowned champions twice in the space of three seasons in the mid-1970s."
Wales Rugby League said: "Dai, as he was affectionately known, is recognised as one of the greatest Welshmen to have ever pulled on a rugby shirt."
On social media, Newport RFC said: "We are extremely saddened to hear that David 'Dai' Watkins, one of the greatest players the club has ever produced, has passed away."
Watkins rose to prominence in Wales after joining Newport RFC in 1961, helping them famously beat New Zealand 3-0 in 1963, the year in which he made his Wales debut.
On the 1966 Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand, Watkins started all six Tests at fly-half and captained in two Tests.
In 1967, when moving to the professional ranks of rugby league at Salford for £16,000, Watkins was barred from playing union.
He went on to produce mesmerising performances for Salford, Wales and Great Britain before moving into coaching.
Watkins guided Great Britain to the 1977 World Cup final, in which they lost narrowly to Australia, and went on to coach Wales as well as help found Cardiff Blue Dragons league team.

David Watkins video
He returned to union as Newport team manager in 1992 before becoming chairman, then president, a title he also held with regional team Dragons after they were formed in 2003.
Watkins' passing was announced shortly before Newport hosted Pontypool in the Welsh Premiership, with flags lowered to half mast in tribute.
Tributes also came from leading figures in both sports.
Ex-Wales and Great Britain forward Jim Mills posted on social media: "Heartbreaking news the legendary David (Dai) Watkins has passed away, a wonderful player in both codes of rugby, the only man to captain the Lions in RU & RL.
"Dai was such a lovely man and will be greatly missed. He will never be forgotten. My deepest sympathy to his wife Jane & family."
Regional team Dragons RFC, who are also based in Newport, wrote: "Our thoughts of us all @dragonsrugby are with everyone at @NewportRFC and the family of Dai Watkins."
The union Lions said Watkins was "a true legend of both codes
 
David Watkins: Dual-code Wales and Lions legend dies aged 81
Just gotta say, he was an immensely passionate player whose mouth got the better of him at times.

He infamously had a run in with Colin Meads on Eden Park in 1966.
If I recall he punched Meads, so Meads, who was twice his size dropped him. The howls from the Pom press were loud!!!
I was at the game, at the other end, which at Eden Park means you read about it in the paper!!!

However IMO he was worse in league.

He captained the Welsh side out here in 1975 and was a very ungracious loser. His after match speech at the Auckland Leagues Club was just sour grapes. I guess some would say that he was like Sticky, but IMO Sticky was different, and a far better player.

Watkins was a marked contrast to the Great British Lions from the previous year. That captain was the Lancashire gentleman Chris Hesketh.

Then he did a real shocker. TVNZ was no fan of our game at that time.

So they did a 30 minute feature about league in NZ, with Watkins providing a lot of comment.

Some of the lines I remember were:

NZ League is a second class game played by second class citizens!!!!
Rugby union is an amateur game run by professionals
League is a professional game run by amateurs.

Watkins was highly critical of the standard of the game here, this was in the mid 1970s when our local standard was actually very high. His Welsh team did not do well here, especially compared to the Great Britain team from 1974, so maybe he was miffed because of that.

However the English game was still close to its peak from the 1960s so they were a handful at international level, unlike today.

Just saying like.
 
Just gotta say, he was an immensely passionate player whose mouth got the better of him at times.

He infamously had a run in with Colin Meads on Eden Park in 1966.
If I recall he punched Meads, so Meads, who was twice his size dropped him. The howls from the Pom press were loud!!!
I was at the game, at the other end, which at Eden Park means you read about it in the paper!!!

However IMO he was worse in league.

He captained the Welsh side out here in 1975 and was a very ungracious loser. His after match speech at the Auckland Leagues Club was just sour grapes. I guess some would say that he was like Sticky, but IMO Sticky was different, and a far better player.

Watkins was a marked contrast to the Great British Lions from the previous year. That captain was the Lancashire gentleman Chris Hesketh.

Then he did a real shocker. TVNZ was no fan of our game at that time.

So they did a 30 minute feature about league in NZ, with Watkins providing a lot of comment.

Some of the lines I remember were:

NZ League is a second class game played by second class citizens!!!!
Rugby union is an amateur game run by professionals
League is a professional game run by amateurs.

Watkins was highly critical of the standard of the game here, this was in the mid 1970s when our local standard was actually very high. His Welsh team did not do well here, especially compared to the Great Britain team from 1974, so maybe he was miffed because of that.

However the English game was still close to its peak from the 1960s so they were a handful at international level, unlike today.

Just saying like.
Interesting perspective. You’re a bit older than me, not by much and not a dig, so you’ll have a better recollection. My memory of Watkins was his time at Salford with, funnily enough, Chris Hesketh. Great team to watch in the early 70’s with a Cumbrian legend at full back, Paul Charlton
 
Interesting perspective. You’re a bit older than me, not by much and not a dig, so you’ll have a better recollection. My memory of Watkins was his time at Salford with, funnily enough, Chris Hesketh. Great team to watch in the early 70’s with a Cumbrian legend at full back, Paul Charlton
I wasn't commenting on Watkins playing ability. It was his diplomacy and captaining skills.

From my memory Chris Hesketh was not only a fine centre, especially on defence, but also a very good team leader. He was an excellent tourist and advertisement for the game. I know the Australians liked him as well.

Watkins was just a fiery little shite.

Heyzeuss spare me Colin Meads was a giant of a man, and a hard bastard capable of standing up to Irish ruffians like Willie John McBride. The typical Ulster Scot.

So to be stupid enough to punch Pinetree in the guts, which would have felt like a gentle tap, and then whinge when Meads dropped you for the effort is not evidence of a lot of brainpower.

However what really pissed me off about the little shite :mad: was when he went on national TV and rubbished our game here. It was disgusting. George Rainey in particular was working overtime to put our game on the national map, it wasn't what the game needed.

He was a typical eloquent Welshman, so his words really stung.

I wasn't at the Leagues club for his past match speech in 1975, but I am told it was pretty bad, way worse than Ricky Stuart.

It is sad he has passed, but otherwise he wasn't the best advertisement for the game IMO.
 
This is just a classic story telling from Phil Gould...hilarious...poor old Mark Broadhurst has CTE though now.
 
This is just a classic story telling from Phil Gould...hilarious...poor old Mark Broadhurst has CTE though now.


Another Cantabrian and ex Kiwi,Barry Edkins, is also not in great ‘shape’ these days either.
Gus’ story was almost standard during the day.
That was a wild brawl.
 
Last edited:
Just gotta say, he was an immensely passionate player whose mouth got the better of him at times.

He infamously had a run in with Colin Meads on Eden Park in 1966.
If I recall he punched Meads, so Meads, who was twice his size dropped him. The howls from the Pom press were loud!!!
I was at the game, at the other end, which at Eden Park means you read about it in the paper!!!

However IMO he was worse in league.

He captained the Welsh side out here in 1975 and was a very ungracious loser. His after match speech at the Auckland Leagues Club was just sour grapes. I guess some would say that he was like Sticky, but IMO Sticky was different, and a far better player.

Watkins was a marked contrast to the Great British Lions from the previous year. That captain was the Lancashire gentleman Chris Hesketh.

Then he did a real shocker. TVNZ was no fan of our game at that time.

So they did a 30 minute feature about league in NZ, with Watkins providing a lot of comment.

Some of the lines I remember were:

NZ League is a second class game played by second class citizens!!!!
Rugby union is an amateur game run by professionals
League is a professional game run by amateurs.

Watkins was highly critical of the standard of the game here, this was in the mid 1970s when our
Thanks for that Bruce, much appreciated!
 
I like Bruce. I’ve had a few chats with him over email and we left it that if and when I visit NZ (when I retire) we’d meet up.

Passionate about rugby league all his life.

Wish he’d come back to the forum tbh,
Yeah mate I played around the same era and he certainly brought back memories.
Some times things I had forgotten 😪
 
Back
Top