Gareth Thomas

Gareth Thomas was the first Welshman to get a 100 caps, captained the British and Irish Lions, and led Wales to their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 27 years. He also became the one of the first major British sports star to come out as gay. Thomas’s story is remarkable by any sportsman’s standards. Universally known by his nickname ‘Alfie’, he amassed an incredible list of achievements in more than a decade at the top of his sport. He has claimed a record number of Test tries for his country, beating the mark of 33 set by Ieuan Evans, and in 2005 he racked up not just the Grand Slam but also a Heineken Cup-winner’s medal with Toulouse. Thomas stepped into the breach as leader of Sir Clive Woodward’s Lions when captain Brian O’Driscoll’s tour was prematurely ended, and he reached the milestone of 100 caps, the most won by any Wales player, during the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Away from the field, his experiences have often read like a real-life soap opera. Yet, amid the highs and lows of a remarkable rugby odyssey, it is Thomas’s alternative yet engaging personality that marks him out as a true one-off.