Martyn Williams facts for kids
Williams from 2007 Rugby World Cup under Wales team
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| Birth name | Martyn Elwyn Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 1 September 1975 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Pontypridd, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 97 kg (15 st 4 lb; 214 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Coedylan Comprehensive School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Martyn Elwyn Williams is a famous Welsh former professional rugby union player. He was born on September 1, 1975. Martyn played as a flanker, which is a key position in rugby.
He is well-known for playing 100 games for the Wales national team. This was a record for a forward player for a long time. Martyn also played for the British & Irish Lions, a special team made up of players from the UK and Ireland. He went on three tours with them to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Contents
Martyn Williams' Club Rugby Journey
Martyn Williams started his club rugby career with Pontypridd. He helped them win the Welsh league in the 1996–97 season.
In 1999, he moved to play for Cardiff RFC. He became the captain of the Cardiff team in 2002. When the regional team, Cardiff Blues, was formed in 2003, Martyn continued as their captain.
A Memorable Match
In 2009, Martyn played in a very exciting Heineken Cup semi-final match. It was against Leicester Tigers. The game was tied even after extra time, so it went to a penalty shootout. This was the first time a professional rugby union match was decided this way.
Martyn announced that he would stop playing professional rugby at the end of the 2011–12 season.
Playing for His Country: Wales
Martyn Williams played for Wales at many junior levels before joining the senior team. His first game for the senior Wales team was in 1996 against the Barbarians. He first played in the Five Nations Championship against England in 1998.
He became captain of the Wales team for the first time in 2003. This was in a match against Scotland.
Grand Slam Success
In 2005, Martyn played his 50th game for Wales against England. That year, Wales achieved a Grand Slam, which means they won every game in the Six Nations Championship. Martyn was a very important player in this success. He even scored two tries against France in Paris, helping Wales win a tough game. He was named the best player of the 2005 Six Nations Championship.
After the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Martyn said he would stop playing for Wales. But then, in 2008, the new coach, Warren Gatland, asked him to come back. Martyn agreed and was a key player in Wales winning another Grand Slam in 2008. Many people thought he was one of the best players in that tournament.
Martyn holds the Welsh record for playing the most games in the Five and Six Nations championships. He played his 100th game for Wales against the Barbarians on June 2, 2012.
Playing for the British & Irish Lions
Martyn Williams was chosen to play for the British & Irish Lions on three tours:
- To Australia in 2001.
- To New Zealand in 2005.
- To South Africa in 2009.
He played 17 times for the Lions across these three tours. He also played in 4 important test matches.
Life Outside Rugby
Before becoming a rugby star, Martyn Williams also played football. He was a centre-back for the Welsh YMCA Under-16 football team.
In 2012, Martyn was given an award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award recognized his great contributions to rugby. In July 2012, he was also made an honorary fellow of Cardiff University.
See also
In Spanish: Martyn Williams para niños
