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David Watkins was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2000
Dual code rugby legend David Watkins has died. He was 81.
The son of a miner from Blaina in the Gwent Valleys, Watkins is widely regarded as one of the finest Welsh fly halfs of all time.
He won 21 caps for Wales in rugby union and toured New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions before moving to rugby league.
After joining Salford for the club record £15,000 in 1967, Watkins became the club’s record points scorer and made six Tests for Great Britain.
He captained the Wales rugby league team and coached the GB Lions on their 1977 tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Watkins was a classic Welsh-style fly-half. Standing just 5’6″ and weighing less than 150 pounds, he relied on lightning pace and clever tactics to smash through defenses.
He rose to fame as a teenager in 1963, playing four games for Wales and helping his club Newport to a memorable 3-0 win over the All Blacks – the only game the New Zealanders lost on that tour.
Watkins quickly established himself as the leading runners-up in Britain and was rewarded with a spot on the 1966 Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, where he led the team in two Tests.
On his return to Wales, Watkins was dropped from the national team in favor of Barry John.
However, after losses to Australia and Scotland, Watkins was reinstated as fly-half and made captain for the remainder of the season.
However, the 34-21 win over England on 15 April 1967 was his last rugby union game for Wales as he switched codes in October.
He made a dream start in the 13-man game, hitting a 70-yard attempt and dropping two goals on his debut for Salford, but his small stature and high transfer fee made him a target for opponents.
In 2002, Watkins said, “In my first two seasons, I broke my nose four times, cracked my ribs, and fractured my jaw, and they were all unforeseen incidents.”
“I remember getting hit with an ax in a game against Leigh. I got up and asked the referee what he would do about it. He said, ‘Hey son, you’ve been paid enough to take care of yourself’!”
However, Watkins proved he had the guts and determination to use his talent, scoring in 92 consecutive games for Salford between August 1972 and April 1974.
Overall, the Welshman scored 41 tries and scored 403 goals for the Red Devils and made six appearances for Great Britain before coaching the side in 1977.
He was awarded an MBE for services to the sport and, after retiring from playing, was managing director of the short-lived Cardiff Blue Dragons rugby league franchise.
Watkins always maintained his links with Newport Rugby Club and in 1992 led a consortium that took over the club.
He was later elected chairman and president of the Newport Gwent Dragons when the region – now called the Dragons RFC – was formed in 2002.
A passionate supporter of the 13-man code, Watkins was also patron of the Wales Rugby League and was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
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