2003 Wales rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand

March 2014 June 2020 Wales 2003 Steve Hansen 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 AUS 1 0 0 1 NZL 1 0 0 1 2002 South Africa 2004 Argentina/South Africa The Wales national rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand in June 2003, playing test matches against the Australia and New Zealand national teams as part of their preparations for the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Wales lost both test matches, first going down 30–10 to Australia in Sydney, before a 55–3 defeat to New Zealand in Hamilton. Squad Wales coach Steve Hansen named an initial squad of 30 for their tour to Australia and New Zealand, as well as a pre-tour match against the Barbarians. Bath's 20-year-old back-rower Gareth Delve was a surprise selection in the original squad,Delight for young Delve https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3007973.stm BBC Sport 7 May 2003 19 October 2023 but he suffered a shoulder injury against the Barbarians and was replaced in the final squad by uncapped Swansea back-rower Jonathan Thomas.BBC SPORT Rugby Union Welsh Delight for young Delve http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3007973.stm https://web.archive.org/web/20260407075725/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3007973.stm 2026-04-07 2026-04-07 news.bbc.co.uk The other uncapped players in the final squad were Neath prop Adam Jones, Llanelli scrum-half Mike Phillips, Swansea hooker Huw Bennett and Leeds back-rower Alix Popham. Four captains were named for the tour: flankers Colin Charvis and Martyn Williams, hooker Robin McBryde and fly-half Stephen Jones.Hansen names four captains https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/3001735.stm BBC Sport 6 June 2003 19 October 2023 Name Position Club Notes Huw Bennett Hooker Swansea Mefin Davies Hooker Pontypridd Robin McBryde Hooker Llanelli Captain Ben Evans rugby union Prop Cardiff Gethin Jenkins Prop Pontypridd Adam Jones rugby union, born 1981 Prop Neath Iestyn Thomas Prop Llanelli Robert Sidoli Lock Pontypridd Gareth Llewellyn Lock Neath Vernon Cooper Lock Llanelli Chris Wyatt rugby union Lock Llanelli Martyn Williams Back row Cardiff Captain Colin Charvis Back row Swansea Captain Dafydd Jones Back row Llanelli Jonathan Thomas Back row Swansea Alix Popham Back row Leeds Gareth Cooper Scrum-half Bath Dwayne Peel Scrum-half Llanelli Mike Phillips rugby union Scrum-half Llanelli Gavin Henson Fly-half Swansea Stephen Jones rugby union Fly-half Llanelli Captain Ceri Sweeney Fly-half Pontypridd Sonny Parker rugby union Centre Pontypridd Jamie Robinson rugby union Centre Cardiff Tom Shanklin Centre Saracens Mark Taylor rugby union, born 1973 Centre Swansea Matthew Watkins Centre Llanelli Mark Jones rugby union, born 1979 Wing Llanelli Garan Evans Full-back Llanelli Rhys Williams rugby union, born 1980 Full-back Cardiff Matches Wales vs Barbarians Wales prepared for their tour to Australia and New Zealand with an uncapped match against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium on 31 May 2003. It served as a farewell match for fly-half Neil Jenkins, who was retiring from international rugby as the all-time top point scorer in test history.Jenkins quits international stage https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/3018259.stm BBC Sport 11 May 2003 19 October 2023 The Barbarians scored eight tries during the match, taking a 48–28 lead into the closing stages; Jenkins, who had come on in the 66th minute, set up Tom Shanklin for his hat-trick try, before slotting the final points of the game himself.Baa-Baas spoil Jenkins' day https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/2952752.stm BBC Sport 31 May 2003 19 October 2023 31 May 2003 WAL 35–48 Report Barbarians TaylorHarrisShanklin (3) S. Jones (4)Jenkins Reihana (2)MagneHardingTuilevuGalweyGarveyRobinson Contepomi (4) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 23,721 Dave Pearson (England) FB 15Garan EvansRW 14Mark JonesOC 13Mark TaylorIC 12Iestyn HarrisLW 11Rhys WilliamsFH 10Stephen JonesSH 9 Dwayne PeelN8 8 Alix PophamOF 7 Martyn Williams (c)BF 6 Colin CharvisRL 5 Gareth LlewellynLL 4 Vernon CooperTP 3 Adam JonesHK 2 Robin McBrydeLP 1 Iestyn ThomasReplacements:HK 16Mefin DaviesPR 17Ben EvansN8 18Gareth DelveFL 19Chris WyattSH 20Mike PhillipsFH 21Neil JenkinsWG 22Tom ShanklinCoach:NZL Steve Hansen350px FB 15RSA Percy MontgomeryRW 14FIJ Aisea TuilevuOC 13ITA Cristian StoicaIC 12NZL Daryl GibsonLW 11NZL Bruce ReihanaFH 10ARG Felipe ContepomiSH 9 NZL Mark RobinsonN8 8 RSA AJ VenterOF 7 FRA Olivier MagneBF 6 NZL Sam HardingRL 5 AUS Mark Connors (c)LL 4 RSA Ryan StrudwickTP 3 FRA Franck TournaireHK 2 NZL Matt SextonLP 1 RSA Ollie le RouxReplacements:HK 16FRA Raphaël IbañezPR 17RSA Adrian GarveyLK 18IRE rugby union Mick GalweyFL 19ARG Santiago PhelanSH 20WAL Darren EdwardsFB 21ENG Matt PerryCE 22AUS Scott StaniforthCoach:RSA Alan Solomons Australia vs Wales 14 June 2003 AUS 30–10 Report WAL Sailor (2)LathamPaulGrey Roff Flatley Robinson S. Jones S. Jones Stadium Australia, Sydney 63,688 Mark Lawrence (South Africa) FB 15Chris LathamRW 14Wendell SailorOC 13Morgan TurinuiIC 12Steve KefuLW 11Joe RoffFH 10Elton FlatleySH 9George Gregan (c)N8 8Toutai KefuOF 7Phil WaughBF 6David GiffinRL 5David LyonsLL 4Nathan SharpeTP 3Patricio NoriegaHK 2Jeremy PaulLP 1Bill YoungReplacements:HK 16Brendan CannonPR 17Ben DarwinLK 18Dan VickermanFL 19Daniel HeenanSH 20Chris WhitakerCE 21Nathan GreyWG 22Lote TuqiriCoach:Graham Henry350px FB 15Rhys WilliamsRW 14Mark JonesOC 13Jamie RobinsonIC 12Mark TaylorLW 11Tom ShanklinFH 10Stephen JonesSH 9Gareth CooperN8 8Colin CharvisOF 7Martyn Williams (c)BF 6Jonathan ThomasRL 5Robert SidoliLL 4Gareth LlewellynTP 3Gethin JenkinsHK 2Robin McBrydeLP 1Iestyn ThomasReplacements:HK 16Mefin Davies PR 17Ben EvansLK 18Chris WyattN8 19Alix Popham SH 20Dwayne PeelFH 21Ceri SweeneyCE 22Gavin HensonCoach:NZL Steve Hansen New Zealand vs Wales 21 June 2003 NZL 55–3 Report WAL HowlettSpencerCarterMeeuwsMealamuUmagaRokocoko (2) Carter (6) S. Jones Waikato Stadium, Hamilton 27,500 Daniel Lewis (Ireland) FB 15Mils MuliainaRW 14Doug HowlettOC 13Tana UmagaIC 12Dan CarterLW 11Joe RokocokoFH 10Carlos SpencerSH 9Steve DevineN8 8Jerry CollinsOF 7Marty HolahBF 6Reuben Thorne (c)RL 5Ali Williams 47LL 4Chris JackTP 3Kees MeeuwsHK 2Keven MealamuLP 1Carl HoeftReplacements:HK 16Anton OliverPR 17Dave HewettLK 18Brad Thorn 47FL 19Richie McCawSH 20Byron KelleherCE 21Aaron MaugerWG 22Caleb RalphCoach:Graham Henry350px FB 15Rhys WilliamsRW 14Mark JonesOC 13Jamie Robinson 68IC 12Mark TaylorLW 11Tom Shanklin 76FH 10Stephen JonesSH 9 Gareth Cooper 76N8 8 Colin Charvis 23OF 7 Martyn Williams (c) 28 40BF 6 Dafydd JonesRL 5 Gareth Llewellyn 51LL 4 Robert SidoliTP 3 Gethin JenkinsHK 2 Robin McBryde 51LP 1 Iestyn ThomasReplacements:HK 16Mefin Davies 51PR 17Ben EvansLK 18Chris Wyatt 28 40 51FL 19Jonathan Thomas 23SH 20Dwayne Peel 76FH 21Ceri Sweeney 68CE 22Gavin Henson 76Coach:NZL Steve Hansen References External links Australia drop Flatley for missing training https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/jun/16/rugbyunion.australiarugbyunionteam The Guardian 16 June 2003 27 May 2013 Black day as Wales suffer https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2003/jun/22/rugbyunion.newzealandrugbyunionteam The Guardian 21 June 2003 27 May 2013 Category:2003 rugby union tours Category:2002–03 in Welsh rugby union 2003 Category:2003 in Australian rugby union Category:2003 in New Zealand rugby union 2003 2003 Category:History of rugby union matches between New Zealand and Wales Category:History of rugby union matches between Australia and Wales 2003