Gareth Thomas

Gareth Thomas (born 25 July 1974) is a Welsh former professional rugby union and rugby league player, who represented Wales in both codes.

Nicknamed "Alfie", he was the first Wales rugby union player to play in 100 test matches, and is currently the sixth-most capped Wales player.

Gareth Thomas made his début for Wales on 27 May 1995 against.

Equally at home at centre, it was from that position he scored the longest interception try ever seen at the Arms Park, a 90-metre dash against in 1996.

He then spent a spell at Cardiff starting in 1997 before rejoining hometown club Bridgend again in 2001 and captaining them to a Welsh Premier Division title in 2003, in a campaign where they were unbeaten at home and only lost to runners-up Neath and Cardiff away.

He scored a Welsh record-equalling four tries in the match against in Treviso in 1999; one of only seven players to achieve that feat for Wales.

He also got a hat-trick of tries in the Second Test against Japan in 2001; 51 appearances after announcing his arrival on the international scene with a hat-trick in the 1995 World Cup game against the same opposition.

He then joined the Celtic Warriors once the Welsh Rugby Union implemented its regional rugby plans for the 2003–04 season.

After one season as captain of the Warriors, the region was disbanded by the then-WRU chief David Moffett, and owner Leighton Samuel, although Thomas had already agreed a deal to join French club Toulouse where he was seen as the ideal replacement for soon-to-retire captain Émile Ntamack.

He helped the club to a Heineken Cup victory in 2005 after a victory over Stade Français at Murrayfield.

Thomas was selected for the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.

Following injury to Brian O'Driscoll in the opening minutes of the first test against, he was made captain for the second and third tests of the series, becoming the ninth Welsh captain in Lions' history.

In 2005 Thomas was found guilty of assault while playing rugby in France and in 2007 was banned for four weeks for misconduct charges.

On 20 January 2007, Cardiff Blues completed a deal to bring Thomas back to Wales for the 2007–08 season.

Thomas was named as captain for Wales' final match in the 2007 Six Nations against England after current captain Stephen Jones was ruled out with a broken wrist.

When Thomas took the field, he equalled Gareth Llewellyn's Wales record of 92 caps.

He broke Llewellyn's record when he led Wales out against Australia at Telstra Stadium in Sydney on 26 May 2007, a match that Wales lost 29–23 on a Wallabies try after the siren.

His 100th and last test match was in his team's defeat by Fiji in the 2007 World Cup.

He held the Wales record for the most international tries with 40 until Shane Williams surpassed that total in the 2008 Six Nations Championship He surpassed the try record previously held by Ieuan Evans in 2004 against Italy.

Thomas came out as gay in December 2009.

The following year he was voted the most influential gay person in the UK in The Independent on Sunday Pink List and received Stonewall's Hero of the Year award.

Thomas started his career at Pencoed RFC at youth level before starting his first class career at Bridgend.

He then transferred to Pontypridd, but never actually played a game for them before re-signing for Bridgend.

In 2010 he changed codes to rugby league when he transferred from Cardiff Blues to the Crusaders in Super League, and later played for Wales.

Thomas joined Crusaders in March 2010 on an 18-month deal.

He made his Crusaders' (and rugby league) début against French side Catalans Dragons on 19 March 2010.

Thomas was concussed seconds into his rugby league début after a heavy challenge from Catalans player David Ferriol, and as a result had to leave the field after thirty minutes.

Crusaders went on to win the game 14–6.

Thomas went on to score his first try for the Crusaders against Wakefield Trinity in a 20–10 away victory on 11 April.

A groin injury prematurely ended Thomas' first season in rugby league, but his recovery was hoped to be complete in time for the 2010 European Cup, for which Thomas was selected in the Welsh preliminary squad.

In a warm-up test before the European Cup, he made a try-scoring international rugby league début in Wales 13–6 defeat by Italy in October 2010.

He scored again in his next international vs Scotland.

In the final game of the tournament, Thomas was appointed captain, filling in for the injured Lee Briers.

He retired from rugby in October 2011.

He scored a try in that game, helping Wales to a one-point win for both the European Cup Trophy and a spot in the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations.

On 9 July 2011, Thomas confirmed on Twitter that he had broken his left arm during the 38–10 defeat by Hull Kingston Rovers, and expected to be sidelined for two months.

After missing the rest of the season and failing to reach 100% fitness before the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament, on 25 October 2011 Thomas announced his immediate retirement.

He is 15th among international try scorers, and is the third-highest Wales try scorer.

He also won four rugby league caps for Wales, scoring three tries.

He played rugby union as a fullback, wing or centre for Bridgend, Cardiff, the Celtic Warriors, Toulouse, Cardiff Blues, and Wales.