1997 Wales rugby union tour of North America

March 2014 March 2014 Wales 1997 Kevin Bowring Gwyn Jones 6 6 0 0 3 3 0 0 USA 2 2 0 0 CAN 1 1 0 0 1996 Australia 1998 Africa The Wales national rugby union team toured North America in July 1997, playing two tests against the United States and one against Canada, as well as three tour matches across the two countries. Wales won all six matches on the tour, including a 94–3 victory over an all-star team representing USA Rugby South in the opening game. They beat the United States in both Wilmington, North Carolina, and San Francisco, California, before beating Canada by the tour's narrowest margin (three points) in Markham, Ontario. Wales named a weakened squad as their best and more experienced players were selected in the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa. Several uncapped players were included in the squad, and coach Kevin Bowring gave test debuts to full-back Kevin Morgan and prop Chris Anthony against the United States, and flanker Rob Appleyard and lock Steve Moore against Canada. Squad Head coach Kevin Bowring named a 30-man squad for Wales' tour of North America. Hooker Jonathan Humphreys, who had captained the team since September 1995, was left out of the squad, who were instead led by flanker Gwyn Jones. Several players were missing, having been called up to the British Lions squad for their tour to South Africa, including the two-time reigning Welsh Player of the Year, scrum-half Rob Howley. As a result, the Wales squad that travelled to North America had a youthful bias and featured several uncapped players, including Pontypridd full-back Kevin Morgan, who had recently received the Most Promising Player in Wales award.Owen (1997), p. 65.Owen (1997), p. 74. Name Position Club Notes Gwyn Jones rugby union Back row Cardiff Captain Garin Jenkins Hooker Swansea Robin McBryde Hooker Llanelli Chris Anthony rugby union Prop Swansea Ian Buckett Prop Swansea Aled Griffiths Prop Pontypridd Injury replacement for Christian Loader Christian Loader Prop Swansea Lyndon Mustoe Prop Cardiff Gareth Llewellyn Lock Harlequins Steve Moore rugby union Lock Swansea Mike Voyle Lock Llanelli Neil Watkins Lock Neath Chris Wyatt rugby union Lock Llanelli Rob Appleyard Back row Swansea Andrew Gibbs Back row Llanelli Nathan Thomas rugby union Back row Bath Steve Williams rugby union, born 1970 Back row Neath Paul John rugby union Scrum-half Pontypridd Andy Moore rugby union, born 1968 Scrum-half Richmond Lee Jarvis Fly-half Cardiff Arwel Thomas Fly-half Swansea Neil Boobyer Centre Llanelli Leigh Davies Centre Cardiff Jason Lewis rugby union Centre Pontypridd Gareth Thomas rugby, born 1974 Centre Bridgend Dafydd James Wing Bridgend Wayne Proctor Wing Llanelli Nigel Walker athlete Wing Cardiff Gareth Wyatt Wing Pontypridd Matt Back Full-back Swansea Kevin Morgan rugby union Full-back Pontypridd Matches DateVenueHomeScoreAway1 July 1997Davidson College, Charlotte, North CarolinaSouth All Stars3–94WAL5 July 1997Brooks Field, Wilmington, North CarolinaUSA20–30WAL8 July 1997Balboa Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaUSA Development XV23–55WAL12 July 1997Balboa Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaUSA23–28WAL15 July 1997Mohawk Sports Park, Hamilton, OntarioOntario10–54WAL19 July 1997Fletcher's Fields, Markham, OntarioCAN25–28WAL South All Stars vs Wales 1 July 1997 19:00 South All Stars 3–94 WAL De Kock G. Wyatt (4)James (3)Morgan (2)Jarvis (2)MooreC. WyattG. Thomas Jarvis (12) Davidson College, Charlotte, North Carolina United States vs Wales (1st test) 5 July 1997 USA 20–30 WAL TakauAnitoni Alexander (2) Alexander (2) A. Thomas (2)WalkerJones A. Thomas (2) A. Thomas (2) Brooks Field, Wilmington, North Carolina Ken McCartney (Scotland) FB 15Chris Morrow RW 14Vaea AnitoniOC 13Tomasi TakauIC 12Mark Scharrenberg LW 11Brian HightowerFH 10Matt AlexanderSH 9 Andre BacheletN8 8 Dan Lyle (c)OF 7 Jay Wilkerson BF 6 Jason WalkerRL 5 Luke GrossLL 4 Dave HodgesTP 3 Ray LehnerHK 2 Tom BillupsLP 1 Christopher LippertReplacements:FB Kurt Shuman CE Alatini Saulala FL Mika McLeod Coach:USA Jack Clark FB 15Kevin MorganRW 14Wayne ProctorOC 13Leigh DaviesIC 12Gareth ThomasLW 11Nigel WalkerFH 10Arwel ThomasSH 9 Paul JohnN8 8 Steve Williams OF 7 Gwyn Jones (c)BF 6 Andrew GibbsRL 5 Mike VoyleLL 4 Gareth LlewellynTP 3 Lyndon MustoeHK 2 Garin JenkinsLP 1 Christian Loader Replacements:PR Chris Anthony N8 Nathan Thomas Coach:Kevin Bowring USA Development XV vs Wales 8 July 1997 USA Development XV 23–55 WAL HoltzmanShuman Flecton (2) Flecton (3) Back (2)Lewis (2)Moore (2)James (2)Appleyard Jarvis (5) Balboa Park, San Francisco, California United States vs Wales (2nd test) 12 July 1997 USA 23–28 WAL AnitoniWalker Alexander (2) Alexander (3) Proctor (3)A. Thomas A. Thomas A. Thomas (2) Balboa Park, San Francisco, California Chuck Muir (Scotland) FB 15Chris MorrowRW 14Vaea AnitoniOC 13Tomasi Takau IC 12Mark ScharrenbergLW 11Brian HightowerFH 10Matt AlexanderSH 9 Andre BacheletN8 8 Jason Walker OF 7 Jay Wilkerson BF 6 Dan Lyle (c)RL 5 Dave HodgesLL 4 Luke GrossTP 3 Ray LehnerHK 2 Tom Billups LP 1 Christopher LippertReplacements:CE Alatini Saulala HK Sean Allen FL Mika McLeod FL Scott Yungling Coach:USA Jack Clark FB 15Kevin MorganRW 14Wayne ProctorOC 13Leigh DaviesIC 12Gareth ThomasLW 11Nigel WalkerFH 10Arwel ThomasSH 9 Paul JohnN8 8 Nathan ThomasOF 7 Gwyn Jones (c)BF 6 Andrew GibbsRL 5 Mike VoyleLL 4 Gareth LlewellynTP 3 Lyndon MustoeHK 2 Robin McBrydeLP 1 Ian BuckettReplacements:PR Chris Anthony FL Steve WilliamsCoach:Kevin Bowring Ontario vs Wales 15 July 1997 Ontario 10–54 WAL Pagano Pettigrew Pettigrew G. Wyatt (3)James (2)Jarvis (2)AppleyardBoobyer Jarvis (3) Jarvis Mohawk Sports Park, Hamilton, Ontario Canada vs Wales 19 July 1997 CAN 25–28 Report WAL Schmid (2)Ross Rees (2) Rees Ross ProctorG. ThomasDavies A. Thomas (2) A. Thomas (3) Fletcher's Fields, Markham, Ontario Santiago Borsani (Argentina) FB 15Bobby RossRW 14Winston StanleyOC 13Dave LougheedIC 12Scott BryanLW 11Scott StewartFH 10Gareth ReesSH 9 John GrafN8 8 Mike SchmidOF 7 John HutchinsonBF 6 Al CharronRL 5 John TaitLL 4 Mike JamesTP 3 Rod SnowHK 2 Kevin Morgan LP 1 Eddie Evans Replacements:SH 16Rob CardWG 17Ron ToewsPR 18Richard Bice LK 19Tony HealyFL 20Ian GordonHK 21Mark Cardinal Coach:IRE rugby union Patrick Parfrey FB 15Kevin MorganRW 14Wayne ProctorOC 13Leigh DaviesIC 12Gareth ThomasLW 11Nigel WalkerFH 10Arwel ThomasSH 9 Paul JohnN8 8 Steve WilliamsOF 7 Rob AppleyardBF 6 Andrew Gibbs RL 5 Mike VoyleLL 4 Steve MooreTP 3 Lyndon MustoeHK 2 Garin JenkinsLP 1 Ian Buckett Replacements:CE 16Neil BoobyerFH 17Lee JarvisSH 18Andy MooreN8 19Nathan Thomas PR 20Chris Anthony HK 21Robin McBrydeCoach:Kevin Bowring Touch judges: Victor Rabuffetti Ganzio (Argentina) Ricardo Lanastra (Argentina) References General Mick Cleary Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1998–99 1998 Headline 0-7472-7653-6 1997 Cardiff Owen Arwyn Rugby Annual for Wales 1997–98 Welsh Brewers 0-9524041-3-3 Specific Category:1997 rugby union tours 1997 1997 1997 1997 tour Category:1997 in Canadian rugby union Category:1997 in American rugby union Category:July 1997 sports events in Canada Category:1997 in sports in Ontario Category:Sports competitions in Hamilton, Ontario Category:Sports in Markham, Ontario