The sport of rugby union holds a special place in Welsh culture and is considered by historians to be as synonymous with Wales as coal mining. The popularity of the sport and the support of loyal fans means that all 74 500 seats at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales' national stadium, are regularly sold out.
Origins
The game of rugby recognized today was introduced to Wales in the mid 1800s and historians believe it was first played at Lampeter College, now known as the University of Wales. The first international game played by the first official Welsh team was against England and took place in 1881. The Welsh Rugby Union was formed soon after and became the care-takers of the Welsh national sport. The founding clubs were Lampeter, Swansea, Llandeilo, Newport, Llanelli, Brecon, Merthyr, Bangor, Cardiff, Llandovery and Pontypool.
Wins
Between 1907 and 1910, the Welsh team achieved a record winning run of 11 games unbeaten and became a major force in the sport. In 1908, Wales became the first nation to win the Grand Slam in the Five Nations Championship, an achievement repeated the following year and then again in 1911. To win the Grand Slam, one nation must beat all other competing nations in the Championship games. Before 2000, the competing nations were England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Wales but the inclusion of Italy in 2000 marked the beginning of the now Six Nations Championship. Wales have won a total of 10 Grand Slams to date, winning the Championship on 24 occasions.
Players
In 2002, Gareth Edwards was awarded the title of Greatest Welsh Player of all time by public vote. In 2003, a poll of international players compiled by "Rugby World" magazine voted Edwards the greatest player of all time, and in 2007 former England captain Will Carling ranked Edwards as the greatest player ever in his 50 Greatest Rugby Players' list. The 1970s are considered to be the "golden era" of Welsh rugby and other rugby hall of famers from that period include Barry John and J.P.R. Williams. Barry played from 1966 to 1972 and earned the reputation of being an "untouchable ghost" on the field due to his speed and skill. Williams played 55 games in the Welsh team in a career that spanned three decades from 1969 to 1981.
Emblem
Wales plays in red jerseys with white shorts and green socks, the three colors of the Welsh national flag. The emblem on the jersey is the Prince of Wales Feathers, chosen by the Welsh Rugby Union in the 19th century. Another popular suggestion for the emblem at the time was the leek, a recognized symbol of Wales, but the Prince of Wales Feathers represented the loyalty of the Welsh nation to Great Britain.
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