John spent 17 years playing at Llanelli and the Scarlets before heading ‘north’ to help out as a player / coach at RGC. It was in Colwyn Bay that he first began to help a young Wainwright hone his front row skills.
“I was only 18 when I first started playing for the RGC senior side in the Welsh Premiership.
“We went on to win the WRU Challenge Cup in my first season. That was special,” admitted Wainwright, now playing his rugby at Saracens.
“I had some excellent coaching at RGC and I owe a lot to Mark Jones and Phil John. Phil had a big impact on me, and was a massive mentor.
“With their help and guidance I was lucky enough to get picked up by Saracens. Phil started in the Cup Final when we beat Pontypridd at Principality Stadium and I was on the bench.”
27.06.22 – Wales Rugby Training –
Sam Wainwright during a weights session.
The Bodelwyddan-born tight head has now taken a spot on the Wales bench, to back up starter Dillon Lewis against the world champions, as he looks to make his first international appearance.
Wainwright is set to join many famous north-Walians who have proudly represented their country down the years, in fact there’s an impressive squad of them – identified below!
08.07.22 – Wales Rugby Training –
Players huddle during training.
George North is probably the biggest of all of them, in every sense, and is about to win his 104th cap alongside the potential new debutant.
But the credentials don’t end there.
Wales wing Dewi Bebb went on two tours with the British & Irish Lions, while lock Mike Roberts was part of the 1971 Lions tour party in New Zealand. He also won a Grand Slam that year and a Triple Crown in 1979.
Wilf Wooller, Charles Taylor and Andy Moore all captained Wales, while Tony Gray went on to coach the national side to third place at the inaugural World Cup in 1987 and to a Triple Crown in 1988. Wooller featured in the 1935 side that beat New Zealand and in more recent times former hooker Robin McBryde, a 2001 Lion, was also a hugely successful forwards coach for Wales.
Among the replacements in our north-Walian XV, Richard Garnons-Williams and Godfrey Darbishire were both in the first Wales team to take the field against England in 1881. Darbishire was based in Bangor, where the rugby club was a founder member of the Welsh Football Union that year.
We also feature one uncapped player in Rhun Williams who starred in Wales Under-20s’ Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign in 2016, and was named in the Wales senior squad the following year after impressing on the regional stage, before retiring from the game on medical advice.
NORTH WALES INTERNATIONAL XV
15 Rhun Williams (Caernarfon – 0)
14 Dewi Bebb (Bangor – 34)
13 Wilf Wooller (Rhos-on-Sea – 18)
12 George North (Anglesey – 103)
11 Arthur Emyr (Bangor – 13)
10 Meirion Roberts (Abergwyngregin – 8)
9 Charles Taylor (Ruabon – 9)
1 Eifion Lewis-Roberts (St Asaph – 8)
2 Robin McBryde (Bangor – 37)
3 Ian Buckett (Prestatyn – 3)
4 Mike Roberts (St Asaph – 8)
5 Andy Moore (Wrexham – 26)
6 Rob McCusker (Wrexham – 6)
7 Tony Gray (Bangor – 2)
8 James King (Mold – 11)
Reps
Stuart Roy (Anglesey – 1)
Hugh Vincent (Caernarfon – 1)
Richard Garnons-Williams (Llowes, Radnorshire – 1)
Godfrey Darbishire (Bangor – 1)
