A one-time holder of the record number of appearances for the Black & Ambers with 539 between 1973-1989, he also played for the Barbarians, Wales B and won one cap for Wales against Scotland in 1984.
Rhys Morgan’s first cap
Barring his way into the Welsh team were a trio of world class tight heads in Graham Price, Staff Jones and Ian Eidman. When he did get picked to play for Wales it was at short notice after Eidman pulled out two days before the Five Nations clash with the Scots in Cardiff.
He was capped by Wales against Scotland in Cardiff in 1984 and would have made more international appearances were it not for Pontypool’s Graham Price, while he also played for the Barbarians, Crawshay’s and Wales B.
A one-club stalwart, he was a product of Caerleon Comprehensive School and the Newport Youth team. He graduated into the Newport 1st XV in the 1973-74 season, marking it by finishing his first season as the club’s highest points scorer with 126 from 28 penalties, 17 conversions and two tries.
He went on to score 301 points, including 22 tries, over 17 seasons at the club. As the rigours of the front row became greater, so he gave up the goalkicking duties.
A highly skilful and dogged prop, he captained Newport in the 1987-88 season and played in three WRU Challenge Cup finals for the club. He played in the 1977 team that beat Cardiff to win the cup for the first time.
He played against the 1980 All Blacks and the 1985 Fijians at Rodney Parade and was never slow in coming forward when the going got tough. In the 1979-80 season he was sent-off twice, picking up an eight week ban for his second offence, and was banned from using the clubhouse facilities at the club as a result.
In 2012, he was one of the first players to be inducted into the Newport RFC Hall of Fame
The Welsh Rugby Union offers its sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Rhys Morgan.
Gerwyn Rhys Morgan (Wales cap No 817) born 9 June 1954 in Southerndown, Bridgend; died Newport 13 August, 2021.
