Rugby union in Wales is considered a large part of Welsh national culture. Rugby union is thought to have reached Wales in the 1850s, with the national body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) being formed in 1881. Wales are considered to be one of the most successful national sides in Rugby Union, having won the most Six Nations Championships, as well as having reached 3 World Cup semi finals in 1987, 2011 and 2019, having finished 3rd in the inaugural competition and having finished 4th in 2011 in a repeat of the first third place play-off. The Welsh team of the 1970s is considered to be arguably the greatest national team of all time, prompting many experts in the game to suggest that had the Rugby World Cup existed during this period, Wales would be amongst the list of World Cup winners. As of November 2021, they are ranked 8th in the world.
Gavin Lloyd Henson is a Welsh former professional rugby union player, who played as a fly-half, fullback and inside centre.
Kevin Andrew Morgan is a Welsh former rugby union player. He won 48 caps for Wales, mainly at full back but also on the wing.
Jonathan Thomas is a Welsh rugby union coach and former player, he played mainly at flanker having also played at number eight and lock. He was previously head coach of Worcester Warriors. On 17 January 2023 he was appointed as an Assistant Coach of the Welsh rugby union team.
Stephen Myler is an English rugby player. He played most of his career with the Northampton Saints in Premiership Rugby, and he currently plays for Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship.
James William Hook is a retired Welsh rugby union player. Hook has won 81 caps for Wales and is Wales' fifth highest all-time points scorer. Most often playing as a fly-half, Hook is known as a utility player, and has also played as a centre, wing and fullback.
Barry Hugh Williams is a Welsh international rugby union player. He played hooker. In 1997, he toured South Africa with the British & Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Neath RFC.
Shaun Connor is a former Wales 7s international rugby union player and current backs coach of the Russian National Team. He was part of the Ospreys team that defeated Australia, where he played a crucial role and was named Man of the Match. He has previously played for the Ospreys, being the first back to make 100 appearances for the club, and the Dragons. After retiring he went on to coach the Ospreys Under 20s and also worked with the Dragons as backs coach.
Rhys Webb is a Welsh rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for Ospreys. Born in Bridgend, he is a product of the Ospreys academy and played club rugby for Bridgend RFC and Aberavon RFC before breaking into the regional side in 2008. He played for the Ospreys for 10 years before moving to French club Toulon in 2018, but terminated his contract with them in 2020 and agreed a return to the Ospreys; however, he was unable to join the Ospreys immediately and signed for Bath for the remainder of the 2019–20 season before returning to the Ospreys.
Daniel Biggar is a Welsh professional rugby union player currently playing for French Top 14 side Toulon as a fly-half. A Wales international, Biggar has also twice been selected to tour with the British and Irish Lions.
Welsh regional rugby is the top tier of professional Welsh club rugby and is composed of the Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby and the Dragons which compete in the United Rugby Championship.
Hanno Dirksen is a South African rugby union player currently playing for NOLA Gold of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Jeff Hassler is a Canadian rugby union player. He plays at wing and occasionally at the centre position for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR), and Rugby Canada's National 15s. He has 36 caps for the National squad in all contests, and former member of the Neath-Swansea, Ospreys.
Tevita ‘Tex’ Cavubati is a Fijian Rugby Union player who currently plays as a lock for Harlequins in the Premiership and for Fiji.
George Horne is a Scottish professional rugby union player who plays as a scrum-half for United Rugby Championship club Glasgow Warriors and the Scotland national team.
Tom O'Flaherty is an English rugby union player who plays for Premiership Rugby Sale Sharks. His playing position is a Wing.
Robbie Smith is a Scottish rugby union player who is a Stage 3 Scottish Rugby Academy player assigned to Northampton Saints. His usual position is hooker.
Cai Evans is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for the Dragons as a full-back. He is a Wales under-20 international.
Rhys Davies is a Welsh international rugby union player, who currently plays for Ospreys. He plays as a lock.
Luke Scully is a Welsh rugby union player, currently playing for United Rugby Championship side Ospreys. His preferred position is fly-half but has also played at centre.
