Stuart Watkins (born 5 June 1941) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

international

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

wing who played club rugby for Newport and

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

. Watkins began his rugby career at Cross Keys before switching to Newport in 1963, staying with the club for the majority of his career. In 1970, in a dispute about training, Watkins left Newport to join rival club Cardiff.

International career

Watkins made his international debut for Wales against Scotland on 1 February 1964. Played at the

Cardiff Arms Park Cardiff Arms Park ( cy, Parc yr Arfau Caerdydd), also known as The Arms Park, is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. It is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green. The Arms Park was host to the British E ...

, it was Scotland's only defeat of the season and would be the key game in Wales winning the championship that year. Watkins would represent his country on 26 occasions, and his most notable game came against France on 26 March 1966. It was the final game of the tournament and Wales were trailing by 8 points to a team they had beaten only once in the last eight encounters.Godwn (1983), pg 314. Keith Bradshaw had dragged Wales back into the game with two penalty goals when Watkins intercepted a French three quarter movement on his own 25 yard line. He raced 75 yards down the right touch line to score a memorable try that not only gave Wales the match but also the championship.Smith (1980), pg 378. In 1966, Watkins was selected to play for the British Lions in their tour of New Zealand and Australia. Watkins would play in three of the tests.

International games played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 473. * 1966 * 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 * 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969 * 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970 * 1967, 1969 * 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 British Lions *

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

1966 *

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

1966, 1966

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, Stuart Welsh rugby union players Wales international rugby union players Rugby union players from Newport, Wales 1941 births Newport HSOB RFC players Newport RFC players Cardiff RFC players British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Wales Barbarian F.C. players Cross Keys RFC players Living people Rugby union wings