List of Wales national rugby union team captains


In a rugby union match, each team nominates one of the members of their starting line-up to serve as captain, giving them the responsibility of leading their team and communicating with the referee. Since 1881, the Wales national team has played 722 matches and named 137 captains. Sam Warburton led Wales in the most matches, captaining them 49 times between 2011 and 2016; Warburton also captained Wales to their most victories with 23. The Wales captain to have maintained a 100% record while playing in the most matches is Bleddyn Williams between 1953 and 1955, although Tom Parker captained the side to six wins and a draw between 1921 and 1923. Wales' longest serving captain is Alun Wyn Jones, who first captained the team in 2009. The most recent addition to the list is Jonathan Davies, who led the team against Italy on 9 February 2019 during the Six Nations.
#PlayerClub teamRecord as captainYears as captain
1James BevanCambridge University R.U.F.C.P1, L11881
2Charles P. LewisLlandovery CollegeP3, W1, L21882–83
3Charles H. NewmanNewport RFCP6, D2, L41884–87
4H. Joe SimpsonCardiff RFCP1, W11884
5Frank E. HancockCardiff RFCP1, L11886
6Bob GouldNewport RFCP1, L11887
7Tom ClappNewport RFCP3, W2, L11887–88
8Arthur Frank HillCardiff RFCP4, W1, L31889–94
9Arthur J. 'Monkey' GouldNewport RFCP18, W8, D1, L91889–97
10William H. BowenSwansea RFCP1, L11891
11Williams H. Thomas (Willie)Llanelli RFCP2, W1, D11891
12Williams J. Bancroft (Billy)Swansea RFCP11, W7, D41898–1901
13E. Gwyn NichollsCardiff RFCP10, W7, D1, L21902–06
14Tom W. PearsonNewport RFCP1, W11903
15G. Llewellyn LloydNewport RFCP1, L11903
16William M. Llewellyn (Willie)Newport RFCP5, W4, L11904–05
17Richard M. Owen (Dickie)Swansea RFCP3, W2, L11907–12
18Williams J. Trew (Billy)Swansea RFCP14, W12, L21907–13
19Rhys T. GabeCardiff RFCP1, W11907
20Arthur F. 'Boxer' HardingLondon WelshP1, W11908
21George TraversPill Harriers RFCP1, W11908
22Edward Morgan (Teddy)London Welsh RFCP1, W11908
23H. Bert WinfieldCardiff RFCP1, W11908
24Reggie A. GibbsCardiff RFCP1, W11910
25Johnnie L. WilliamsCardiff RFCP1, W11911
26Jack BancroftSwansea RFCP1, L11912
27Tom H. Vile (Tommy)Newport RFCP4, W1, L31912–21
28John P. Jones (Jack)Pontypool RFCP1, W11913
29Reverend J. Alban DaviesLlanelli RFCP4, W3, L11914
30Glyn StephensNeath RFCP1, L11919
31Harry UzzellNewport RFCP4, W3, L11920
32Jack J. WetterNewport RFCP3, L31921–24
33Tom ParkerSwansea RFCP7, W6, D11921–23
34J. M. Clem LewisCardiff RFCP2, L21923
35Albert JenkinsLlanelli RFCP2, L21923–28
36Joe ReesSwansea RFCP1, L11924
37Jack WhitfieldNewport RFCP1, L11924
38W. Rowe HardingSwansea RFCP4, W2, D1, L11924–28
39Tom JohnsonCardiff RFCP1, L11925
40Steve MorrisCross Keys RFCP1, L11925
41R. Arthur CornishCardiff RFCP2, W1, L11925–26
42W. Idris JonesLlanelli RFCP1, L11925
43Williams J. Delahay (Bobby)Cardiff RFCP1, W11926
44B. R. Turnbull (Lou)Cardiff RFCP1, L11927
45B. Ossie MaleCardiff RFCP3, W1, L21927–28
46Wick C. PowellLondon Welsh RFCP2, W1, L11927
47Ivor E. JonesLlanelli RFCP3, L31927–30
48W. Guy MorganSwansea RFCP4, W3, D11929–30
49Harry M. BowcottCardiff RFCP1, L11930
50Jack BassettPenarth RFCP9, W6, D1, L21930–32
51Watcyn G. ThomasSwansea RFCP3, W1, L21933
52John R. EvansNewport RFCP1, L11934
53E. Claude DaveySwansea RFCP8, W5, D1, L21934–37
54J. Idwal ReesSwansea RFCP3, W1, D1, L11936–37
55Wilf WoollerCardiff RFCP4, W2, L21937–39
56Cliff W. JonesCardiff RFCP3, W2, L11938
57Haydn TannerCardiff RFCP12, W5, D1, L61947–49
58William E. Tamplin (Billy)Cardiff RFCP1, W11947
59John A. GwilliamEdinburgh WanderersP13, W9, D1, L31950–53
60Jack MatthewsCardiff RFCP1, L11951
61Bleddyn L. WilliamsCardiff RFCP5, W51953–55
62J.R.G. Stephens (Rees)Neath RFCP6, W5, L11954–57
63W. Rex WillisCardiff RFCP2, W1, L11954–55
64Ken J. JonesNewport RFCP1, W11954
65Cliff I. MorganCardiff RFCP4, W3, L11956
66Malcolm C. ThomasNewport RFCP2, L21957
67R.C.C. Thomas (Clem)Swansea RFCP9, W5, D1, L31958–59
68R. H. WilliamsLlanelli RFCP1, L11960
69Bryn V. MeredithNewport RFCP4, W2, D1, L11960–62
70D. Onllwyn BraceLlanelli RFCP2, W21960–61
71Terry J. DaviesLlanelli RFCP3, W1, L21960–61
72Lloyd H. WilliamsCardiff RFCP3, D1, L21961–62
73D.C.T. Rowlands (Clive)Pontypool RFCP14, W6, D2, L61963–65
74Alun E.I. PaskAbertillery RFCP6, W3, L31966–67
75David WatkinsNewport RFCP3, W1, L21967
76Norman R. GaleLlanelli RFCP2, D1, L11967–68
77Gareth O. EdwardsCardiff RFCP13, W6, D3, L41968–74
78S. John DawesLondon Welsh RFCP6, W5, L11968–71
79Brian PriceNewport RFCP6, W3, D1, L21969
80D. John LloydBridgend RFCP3, W31972
81W. Delme ThomasLlanelli RFCP1, L11972
82Arthur J. L. LewisEbbw Vale RFCP3, W2, L11973
83T. Mervyn DaviesSwansea RFCP9, W8, L11975–76
84Phil BennettLlanelli RFCP8, W7, L11977–78
85Terry J. CobnerPontypool RFCP1, L11978
86T. G. R. Davies (Gerald)Cardiff RFCP1, L11978
87John P. R. Williams (J. P. R.)Bridgend RFCP5, W3, L21978–79
88Jeff SquirePontypool RFCP6, W3, L31980–81
89Steve P. FenwickBridgend RFCP3, W1, L21980–81
90W. Gareth DaviesCardiff RFCP5, W2, L31981–82
91Eddie T. ButlerPontypool RFCP6, W2, D1, L31983–84
92Mike J. WatkinsNewport RFCP4, W2, L21984
93Terry D. HolmesCardiff RFCP5, W3, L21985
94David F. PickeringLlanelli RFCP8, W4, L41986–87
95Richard D. MoriartySwansea RFCP7, W6, L11986–87
96W. (Billy) JamesAberavon RFCP1, L11987
97Jonathan DaviesLlanelli RFCP4, W2, L21987–88
98Bleddyn BowenSouth Wales Police RFCP5, W4, L11987–88
99Robert NorsterCardiff RFCP1, L11988
100Paul H. ThorburnNeath RFCP10, W1, D1, L81989–91
101Robert N. JonesSwansea RFCP5, L51989–90
102Kevin H. PhillipsNeath RFCP2, W21990
103Ieuan C. EvansLlanelli RFCP28, W13, L151991–95
104Gareth O. LlewellynNeath RFCP7, W5, L21993–95
105Mike R. HallCardiff RFCP3, W1, L21995
106Jonathan M. HumphreysCardiff RFCP19, W6, L131995–2003
107Nigel G. DaviesLlanelli RFCP1, L11996
108I. Scott GibbsSwansea RFCP1, W11997
109R. Gwyn JonesCardiff RFCP5, W4, L11997
110Paul JohnPontypridd RFCP1, W11997
111Robert HowleyCardiff RFCP22, W15, L71998–99
112Kingsley JonesEbbw Vale RFCP1, L11998
113David Young (Dai)Cardiff RFCP12, W6, D1, L52000–01
114Mark TaylorSwansea RFC, Sale SharksP4, W42000–05
115L. Scott QuinnellLlanelli RFCP7, W2, L52000–02
116Andy P. MooreSwansea RFCP2, W22001
117Colin L. CharvisSwansea RFC, Newcastle FalconsP22, W11, L112002–04
118Martyn E. WilliamsCardiff RFC, Cardiff BluesP6, W1, L52003–09
119Gareth ThomasCeltic Warriors, Toulouse, Cardiff BluesP21, W9, L122003–07
120Stephen M. JonesLlanelli RFC, ScarletsP8 W1 D1 L62003–07
121D. Mefin DaviesCeltic WarriorsP1, W12003
122Michael OwenNewport Gwent DragonsP6, W3, D1, L22005–06
123Duncan JonesOspreysP3, W1, L22006
124Dwayne J. PeelLlanelli ScarletsP1, W12007
125Gethin JenkinsCardiff Blues, ToulonP5, W2, L32007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013
126Ryan P. JonesOspreysP33, W19, L13, D12008–10, 2012–13
127Alun Wyn JonesOspreysP23, W14, L92009, 2014, 2017–2023
128Matthew ReesScarlets, Cardiff BluesP9, W4, L52010,2012
129Sam WarburtonCardiff BluesP49, W23, L25, D12011–2016
130Bradley DaviesCardiff BluesP2, W1, L12013
131Scott WilliamsScarletsP1, L12015
132Dan LydiateOspreysP3, W2, L12016–2017
133Jamie RobertsHarlequinsP2, W22017
134Taulupe FaletauBathP1, W12018
135Ellis JenkinsCardiff BluesP3, W32018, 2021
136Cory HillDragonsP2, W22018
137Jonathan DaviesScarletsP5, W2, D1, L22019, 2020, 2021
138Josh NavidiCardiff BluesP1, L12019
139Justin TipuricOspreysP6, W3, L32019, 2020, 2022
140Dan BiggarNorthampton SaintsP5, W1, L42022
141Ken OwensScarletsP2, L22023
142Jac MorganOspreysP5, L12023, 2025
143Dewi LakeOspreysP4, L22023, 2024
144Dafydd JenkinsExeter ChiefsP1, L12023, 2024