Born in Pontypool in 1942, he learned his rugby at Abersychan Grammar School before training to become a teacher at Caerleon Training College. During his club career he played for Pontypool, Newport and Ebbw Vale in the first-class game.
He also turned out for Pontypool United and Blaenavon, playing up to the age of 38. He then turned his hand to coaching, launching a Youth section at Pontypool United.
“The word legend is loosely used, but Laurie was and always will be a true Legend. He shaped the lives of so many young lads through his knowledge of rugby and as a teacher,” said a club statement issued on the Pontypool United Facebook page.
“He is arguably the most successful Youth rugby coach and his approach to coaching was light years ahead of most if not all. Laurie formed Pontypool United’s first youth team in the summer of 1979.
“They won the Welsh Youth Cup in 1982 and many times after that. At one stage his side went 96 games unbeaten, which at youth level was phenomenal. He also once produced five Wales Youth internationals in the same season.
“He moved on to coach the Pontypool United senior and taught so many of the players at the club valuable life skills. It is no coincidence that the club’s current President, Chairman, Vice Chairman and at least two serving committee members all played youth rugby under Laurie.”
Daniel launched his first-class career at Pontypool and was captain for two seasons between 1967-69. He also set a club points record of 190 in the 1967-68 season.
He played in the Combined Pontypool/Cross Keys/Newbridge XV that beat the touring Australians in 1966, scoring a try and kicking two penalties in a 12-3 win at Pontypool Park. A year later he was in the Monmouthshire side that lost 23-12 to the All Blacks at Rodney Parade.
PONTYPOOL / CROSS KEYS / NEWBRIDGE 12 – 3 AUSTRALIA – 29 November, 1966 at Pontypool Park
Gary Musto (Cross Keys); L Daniel (Pontypool), Ken Jones (Newbridge), Cyril Evans (Newbridge), Roger Beese (Cross Keys); Tony Preece (Newbridge) Terry Evans (Newbridge); Ray Gladwyn (Cross Keys), Alan Talbot (Cross Keys), Derek Morgan (Newbridge), Jim Jarrett (captain, Pontypool), Dai Husband (Pontypool), Mel Stiff (Pontypool), Dennis Hughes (Newbridge), Arthur Hughes (Newbridge)NEWPORT 11 – 6 SOUTH AFRICA – 12 November, 1969 at Rodney Parade
John Anthnoy (captain); Laurie Daniel, Ivor Taylor, Dai Cornwall, Allan Skirving; Billy Raybould, Gwilym Treharne; Barry Llewellyn, Vic Perrins, Gary Sutton, Len Anthony, Jeff Watkins, Del Haines, Ken Poole, Paul Watts
In 1969, back at Rodney Parade, he was in the Newport team that became the first Welsh side to beat the touring Springboks since 1912 as he completed the set of playing against the big three southern hemisphere touring teams.
After spending four seasons at Pontypool, he switched to Newport in the summer of 1969. By then he had put himself on the radar of the Welsh selectors having appeared in four trials and toured with Wales to Argentina in the summer of 1968.
He played in four of the six games on tour, notched all eight points with two tries and a conversion in the 8-8 draw with the Argentine Juniors and featured in both uncapped ‘test’ matches.
He was an instant hit at Newport, where as well as beating South Africa in only his sixth outing, he was one of two players to notch a century of points over the season.
Skipper John Anthony reached 162, while Daniel top-scored with 166 as Newport amassed 720 in total to beat their previous best of 716. He was also the leading try scored with No 8 John Jeffrey on 20.
In his second season at Rodney Parade he raised Keith Jarrett’s points scoring record from 250 to 281, and then went even higher in the 1971-72 campaign when he reached 305. That tally included another club record of 32 in one match after he scored five tries and six conversions in a WRU Challenge Cup game against Cwmllynfell.
That record stood until it was finally better by Paul Turner, who notched 368 points in the 1986-87 season. His final tally in 109 games in Black & Amber was 756 points, including 66 tries.
When he moved to Ebbw Vale in the 1972-73 season, he became the record points scorer for the Steelmen as well, scoring 264 points and a season high, 17 tries. He played in three Welsh Counties Cup finals with Monmouthshire, winning the title once in 1963.
His one and only Wales cap came in the opening game of the 1970 Five Nations. Newport clubmate Bily Raybould pulled out of the game the night before with a throat infection and Daniel’s goalkicking prowess won him the nod.
He played on the right wing and Phil Bennett moved into the centre. The Scots took a 9-0 lead before Daniel struck with a debut try in the right corner. His touchline conversion crucially cut the gap to four points at the break.
Earlier he had shown his nerves by hitting the cross bar with a penalty inside the 22 and in front of the posts. He also shanked a conversion attempt of the second try by John Dawes.
That was enough for skipper Gareth Edwards, who took over the goalkicking duties and banged over two conversions of further tries from Barry Llewellyn and Dai Morris to complete the Welsh revival and earn an 18-9 victory.
It proved to be a winning start and end to his international career as he wasn’t picked again. Nevertheless, Daniel enjoyed an amazing career both as a player and then as an inspirational coach and schoolteacher at Twmpath Secondary Modern.
The WRU offers sincere condolences to the family and friends of Laurie Daniel.
Laurie Thomas David Daniel – Cap No: 734 (1 cap) b. 5 March, 1942 in Pontypool; d. 14 March, 2023
* The funeral for Laurie Daniel will take place on Tuesday, 2 May, 2023. There will be a service at New Inn Congregational church at 11.30am, followed by a service at the Gwent Crematorium Croesyceiliog at 12.30pm. A reception will follow at the Green Meadow Golf Club. Donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society in lieu of flowers.
