Former Wales Hooker Watkins Dies Aged 73

Former Wales, Cardiff and Newport hooker Mike Watkins has died aged 73.

Watkins won 4 caps and besides captained his country.

Known arsenic 'Spikey' for his combative nature, Watkins was calved successful Abercarn successful southbound Wales and first came to prominence playing for adjacent Crumlin RFC.

Watkins switched clubs to Cardiff successful 1976, playing 118 games for nan superior nine until 1981, earlier a move to Newport wherever he played different 229 games for nan Black and Ambers earlier hanging up his boots successful 1987.

Dragons said that everyone associated pinch nan Rodney Parade nine was "deeply saddened by nan passing of... a existent Man of Gwent", adding that Watkins was "uncompromising and a leader connected nan field, a hugely celebrated characteristic disconnected it".

The move from Crumlin to Cardiff saw Watkins first drawback nan oculus of nan Wales selectors and he was chosen for nan 1978 circuit to Australia but did not play successful either of nan 2 Test defeats to nan Wallabies - and would person to hold different six years to triumph his world caps.

That was mostly down to nan beingness of Bobby Windsor, nan Pontypool fable who was Wales' first-choice hooker from 1973 to 1979 and won 5 caps for nan British and Irish Lions complete 2 tours.

In those days replacements were only utilized for injuries, and Watkins was near warming nan Wales chair 17 times without winning a headdress - though he did play for nan Wales B squad respective times during nan '70s.

During those amateur days, for nan bulk of his profession Watkins worked for his begetter - a erstwhile Regimental Sergeant Major successful nan British service - arsenic a motortruck driver.

When Windsor retired, Wales saw nan likes of Alan Phillips - Watkins' Cardiff team-mate - arsenic nan man to return complete nan number 2 jersey.

Watkins yet sewage his Test chance successful 1984 astatine nan property of 32 pinch nan nationalist squad successful nan doldrums pursuing nan status of a drawstring of nan game's greats, who had been portion of Wales' sparkling sides of nan '70s.

Having proved his activity by captaining a Newport broadside coached by Charlie Faulkner, and past starring Wales B to a first triumph successful their history successful France, Watkins was called up for nan Five Nations crippled distant to Ireland successful February 1984.

He was besides handed nan Wales captaincy connected debut and led nan broadside to an 18-9 triumph successful Dublin, past played successful nan pursuing conclusion to France pinch Eddie Butler fixed nan armband.

In March, Watkins was made skipper again and guided Wales to a 24-15 triumph complete England astatine Twickenham successful nan last information of matches, pinch Wales finishing 3rd successful nan array arsenic Scotland claimed nan Grand Slam.

Watkins played his last Test nan pursuing November successful a nonaccomplishment against an Australia broadside who hit each 4 location nations connected their 1984 tour, while nan hooker besides made 2 appearances for nan Barbarians successful that year.

At nan extremity of 1984, having waited truthful agelong to play for his country, Watkins decided to discontinue from world rugby on pinch players including Butler, Graham Price and fly-half Gareth Davies successful protestation and vexation astatine what they saw arsenic a flawed and muddled Wales action policy.

Later successful life, Watkins emigrated to Thailand, moving successful PR and settling down pinch his schoolteacher woman Maew.