Welsh Cap Landmarks

Pontypridd’s Michael Owen became the 1,000th player to be capped by Wales on Saturday in the first test against South Africa in Bloemfontein, but the very first player capped by Wales came from Gwent.
He was James Bevan and he actually captained the side in the very first international on 19 February, 1881.
Of the 15 players who turned out for Wales against England at Blackheath that day, ten never appeared again, including the Australian-born Bevan.
Wales played 19 matches before the 100th capped player arrived in match 20. He was Llanelli forward Stephen Thomas. Wales have used 95 players going into that game and the selectors introduced five new caps but using the WRU’s alphabetical system, Thomas became the 100th capped player.
Another Bevan, this time Swansea forward Thomas Bevan, became the 200th cap when he made his only test appearance against Ireland in Belfast on 12 March, 1904.
Having taken only 16 years and 43 games for Wales to reach 300 players when Swansea stand-off Ben Beynon was credited with the magical figure when Wales played England on 17 January, 1920.
There were eight new caps vying for the title of Wales’ 400th international in the 3-3 draw against England in Cardiff on 16 January, 1926. But it was David Jenkins of Treorchy takes the honour.
Barney McCall, an army officer, became the 500th Welshman to be capped in the no-score draw against England at St Helen’s on 18 January, 1936.
Going into that game, Wales had used 498 players, but selected four new caps and the Welch Regiment officer and Newport win McCall officially became number 500 in Wales’ 168th test.
Llanelli back row man Len Davies became the undisputed 600th cap at Cardiff Arms Park on 27 March, 1954, when he helped Wales to a 19-13 success against the French.
Bridgend’s John Lloyd, who went on to captain and coach Wales, became the 700th player to be capped in the 11-6 victory over England at Twickenham on 15 January, 1966.
Swansea stand off Malcolm Dacey was the 800th player on the Welsh cap roaster, making his debut in the 13-13 draw against England at the Arms Park on 5 February, 1983.
Another Swansea stalwart, No 8 Stuart Davies, celebrated becoming the 900th cap by scoring a debut try in the 16-15 victory over Ireland at Lansdowne Road on 18 January, 1992.
At the start of this season’s Six Nations competition, Wales had capped 997 players in 506 matches with Cardiff wing Craig Morgan then becoming number 998 against Ireland.
Newport centre Andy Marinos took the tally up to 999 when he was used as a replacement against Ireland in the 54-10 defeat in Dublin on 3 February, 2002.
Now Michael Owen has written his name into the record books by becoming the 1000th Welsh cap.