Wales Rugby

The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments, competing alongside England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy in the Six Nations. Wales have also appeared in all seven Rugby World Cups, finishing third in 1987 and fourth in 2011. Wales play their home games at the Millennium Stadium, which replaced Cardiff Arms Park in 1999 as the country's national stadium.

The governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was first established in 1881, going on to play their first international game that same year against England, competing in the first Home Nations Championship (now the Six Nations) in 1883, winning the tournament outright for the first time in 1893. A tough few decades followed for Wales, seriously impacted upon by the two World Wars, but returned to winning ways by winning the Grand Slam in 1950 and 1952. 

Overall, Wales have won the Six Nations and the previous versions of the tournament 26 times outright, with their most recent championship win coming in 2013 after a famous 30-3 victory against England in the final game of the tournament to win their third title in six years. 

Wales appeared in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, achieving their best finish of third place in the tournament. The Welsh failed to progress from the pool stage of the 1991 and 1995 World Cups before hosting the event in 1999, going on to reach the quarter-finals that year and again four years later in Australia.

In 2005, Wales won their first Grand Slam since 1978 (and their first since the tournament became the Six Nations). The squad followed that success with two more Grand Slams, in 2008 and in 2012, taking their total to 11. The 2012 Grand Slam was Wales' third in seven years, bettering the legendary Wales side from the 1970s that won three between 1971 and 1978. 

Current head coach Warren Gatland has been in his position since 2007, overseeing one of the most impressive improvements in world rugby, winning three Six Nations crowns during his time in the role. The New Zealander was appointed the British and Irish Lions coach for their 2013 winning tour of Australia, leading a Welsh-heavy squad to a stunning 2-1 series win against the Wallabies. 

Neil Jenkins holds the record for all-time leading points scorer with 1049, as well as the record for most successful penalty kicks for Wales with 248, and most points in a single match with 30. 

For all the latest Wales Betting Tips place check out betting.betfair