WRU searching for 150 Wales Women internationals missing from records

Former Wales captain Liza Burgess is part of the group tasked with identifying ex-Wales Women stars

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is seeking former players who have represented Wales Women but remain unidentified because of incomplete records.

Of the 300 players known to have played for Wales from 1987 to the present day, 150 have been identified.

A working group containing former Wales Women internationals Claire Donovan, Liza Burgess and Philippa Tuttiett was created in 2021 to aid the search.

Since then a number of players have been awarded their caps.

Records from the era prior to the women's game being fully incorporated into the WRU this century are incomplete, with many player names missing.

Welsh rugby's governing body wants to ensure all players who represented their country in the past receive their place in Welsh rugby history and are presented with a physical cap at a ceremony later this year.

"We have been trying hard to locate all of our former Welsh internationals, we have tracked down many but there is still a significant number out there who have not been given the recognition they deserve and we would like to fix that and appeal to them to come forward," said Donovan.

Donavon became only the second woman, after Burgess in 2019, to be elected onto the WRU Council in 2021.

"There are a significant number of people out there who have played an important part in the proud history of Women's international rugby in Wales and we want to recognise them properly," she added.

"It has always taken a huge personal commitment to play for Wales and these people deserve to be recognised for their roles in our history and heritage.

"Perhaps they have moved away from Wales or changed their names through marriage or have been lost to us or put off from making contact for any other reason.

"We have tried tracking people down in all the traditional ways and all that we have left to do now is launch an appeal for these former players to come forward.

"There are players out there who deserve their place in history, so if anyone out there can help please get in touch."

In 2021 a group of former internationals who were found through the initial search were invited to a cap presentation at Principality Stadium along with their families.

They included Sue Lovell, who played in the first Wales Women international against England in 1987, and Lynne Delfosse, who first represented Wales Women in 1991 in Spain but went on to feature in the Canada Cup in 1993 and Rugby World Cup in Scotland in 1994.