Wales are one of the great, storied names of rugby league. Though their exploits might not have reached to Australia at times – and when they did, they were wrapped up as Great Britain – the players that moved north from the Valleys stand with just about any in the history of rugby league in the Northern Hemisphere.
Clive Sullivan. Billy Boston. Gus Risman. Dave Watkin. Kel Coslett. Mike Nicholas. Jim Sullivan. If you don’t know who these blokes are, then congratulations, you’ve just earned yourself a solid evening on the internet of enjoyment as you look them up.
Welsh rugby league was once right up there. When Great Britain last won the World Cup, in 1972, it was a Welshman – the aforementioned Clive Sullivan – who scored a wonderful try in the final.
Even as recently as 2000, they gave the Australians a real shake in the semi-final, with scheming modern greats Iestyn Harris, Kieron Cunningham and Lee Briers to the fore.
That talent, unfortunately, is not quite what it was. Their midseason defeat to France saw just one Super League player take part, and while that will increase come the World Cup, this is still a team based on lower league talent plus a few others.
Bradman Best and Tyson Frizell were thought to be chances, but instead, this will be a team without any NRL players at all.
They do have John Kear, as wily an old fox of a coach as they get, but also have a group with Tonga and PNG, who will surely be too strong, and the Cook Islands. Kear has targetted their meeting in Leigh as a chance for Wales’ first World Cup win since that fairytale run in 2000.
Let’s get to the Super League talent first. Rhys Williams is the captain and will start on a wing, but Gil Dudson got himself suspended late in the Super League season and will miss out entirely.
Aussie fans will be familiar with Caleb Aekins, once of the Panthers and now of Leigh, who still start at fullback and Bailey Antrobus, once of the Dragons, in too.
Josh Ralph, playing NSW Cup with Mounties, goes from State Cup, along with two from the Brisbane comp, James Olds and brother Ollie Olds, both of Valleys Diehards.
The list of English lower league talent is extensive. Kear was coach at Bradford and signed a lot of Welsh talent, so they will provide Chester Butler, Elliot Kear, Ant Walker and the Evans brothers, Rhys and Ben.
Luis Roberts, a massive winger/centre at Widnes, will be in, as will Matty Fozard who will wear the 14. Mike Butt from Swinton will be a backline option while Gavin Bennion of Rochdale Hornets adds bulk to the pack.
The Cumbrian contingent will include Will Evans and Curtis Davies of Whitehaven, Connor Davies of Workington and Tom Hopkins of Barrow.
Dalton Grant, who might have opted for Jamaica, instead goes for Wales given the Jamaicans’ strength in wingers. Dual code winger Kyle Evans, once of Llanelli Scarlets in union, Joe Burke of West Wales Raiders, Dan Fleming of Featherstone and Rhodri Lloyd of Swinton round out the squad.
Wales Squad
1 Caleb Aekins
2 Elliot Kear
3 Dan Fleming
4 Rhys Evans
5 Rhys Williams
6 James Olds
7 Josh Ralph
8 Joe Burke
9 Curtis Davies
10 Gavin Bennion
11 Chester Butler
12 Bailey Antrobus
13 Ben Evans
14 Matty Fozard
15 Tom Hopkins
16 Rhodri Lloyd
17 Ant Walker
18 Ollie Olds
19 Dan Fleming
20 Kyle Evans
21 Luis Roberts
22 Dalton Grant
23 Will Evans
24 Mike Butt
Confused in Carroll
Guest
Wales is a good example of how much difference having a Super League club makes. Crusaders brought up Eliot Kear, Ben Flower, Gil Dudson, Lloyd White and drew in union legend Gareth Thomas. With the exception of Regan Grace, we've hardly seen any Welshmen since then rise to the top tier. If Crusaders had not folded, I suspect that Wales would be ascendant as France is now. (Not withstanding the relegation of Toulouse, which is a real shame itself.)
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
Depends whether you go by passport or not. Chris Heighington played eight times for England, even though he was born in Camden. Just another example of the "nationality" flexibility which is such a feature of League.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Cool. Yeah, mostly a backrower, but I wanted him in the team somewhere. I think Bateman would be the last, unless you count Chris Heighington (and you probably shouldn't).
Mike Meehall Wood
Editor
Not sure Nicko ever played prop and I'd have big Jim Mills in that spot with Nicko back row. I'll text him and ask, he loves chatting about the old times. Did a podcast once with him for an hour and forgot to turn the mic on, he loved the chance to do it all over again. Legend on and off the field, probably the most influential person in Welsh RL history, esp given what he did coaching and behind the scenes as well as being the hardest bloke alive. Shout out for Scott Gibbs, John Devereux and Allan Bateman too - interesting (well, I hope) fact: Allan Bateman was the last UK player for the Sharkies. They've not had one since 1996.
Tony
Roar Guru
Looks a tad stronger than the projected Welsh team for the cup
Redcap
Roar Guru
Land of my fathers, as it were. I did pick an all-time Wales team as part of my aborted all-time international team series. What a team it is: 1. Jim Sullivan 2. Roy Francis 3. Gus Risman 4. Jonathan Davies 5. Clive Sullivan 6. Iestyn Harris 7. Lee Briers 8. Mike Nicholas 9. Kieron Cunningham 10. Frank Whitcombe 11. Trevor Foster 12. George Parsons 13. Kel Coslett Bench: Willie Davies, Gil Dudson, Tyson Frizell and Richie Eyres. * No Billy Boston because, as far as I know, he never actually played a test match for Wales.