Clive Rowlands

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clive Rowlands (born 14 May 1938 in Upper Cwmtwrch) is a former Welsh rugby union footballer and later coach.

A teacher by profession, Rowlands played club rugby at scrum-half for Abercrave, Pontypool, Llanelli and Swansea. He captained Pontypool in the 1962 – 63 season, and captained Swansea in the 1967 – 1968 season

Unusually, his first cap for Wales against England in 1963 was as captain, a position which he retained for his next 13 caps between 1963 and 1965, leading Wales to their first Triple Crown victory since 1952. He captained Wales in every game he played.

In the 1963 Five Nations match against Scotland in wet and muddy conditions, Rowlands and David Watkins decided to kick for touch as many times as possible, with the result that there were 111 line-outs in the match. Wales won 6-0 but the International Rugby Board responded with a change in the laws, making it illegal to kick direct into touch except from within the team's own 22.

After retiring as a player, Rowlands was coach of the Welsh national team for 29 matches between 1968 and 1974, becoming the youngest person to hold this position. This was a successful period for Wales, including a Grand Slam in 1971 and included the tour of New Zealand in 1969. He was manager of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 1989 and also managed the British Isles team versus a rest of the world team in 1986, as well as managing Wales in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. He was President of the Welsh Rugby Union in 1989.