David Watkins MBE
1963-1967
Born Blaina 5th March 1942
Played for Abertillery, Ebbw Vale, Newport, Wales (21 caps 1963-67) and British Lions 1966 (2 tests v Australia and 4 tests v New Zealand).
At Rugby League he played for Salford , Swinton, Cardiff, Wales and Great Britain.
A Wales Youth cap, he soon blossomed into one of the fastest-ever fly halves. His play for a Wales XV against Fiji in 1964 took him straight to a full cap and that year he toured with Wales to South Africa and played in the SA 75th anniversary games.
On the Lions tour of 1966 he skippered the side in two tests and later captained Wales in the famous 'Jarrett game' as well as scoring 288 points in 202 games for Newport, who he also captained.
He was in the Newport side that defeated New Zealand in 1963, but turned to Rugby League in 1967, playing 472 times for Salford and scoring 3,117 points. He played 16 times for Wales and six for Great Britain, later coaching Great Britain in the 1977 World Cup.
He became managing director/coach/player for Cardiff RL and received an MBE in 1986 for services to Rugby League. In 1978 he had received an Hon MA from Salford University.
David became a Newport manager in 1992 and is currently the chairman of the club.
