GarethCooper

Gareth Cooper enjoyed a nine-year international career with Wales that saw him often battling Dwayne Peel for the starting jersey.

And it was no different on Cooper’s sole Lions Tour which came in 2005 against New Zealand.

The scrum-half was up against his compatriot Peel but also Matt Dawson and Chris Cusiter in the fight for game time in Sir Clive Woodward’s large Touring party.

Cooper – who finished his international career with 46 Wales caps and nine tries – fought hard and made four appearances in the famous Lions jersey on that Tour.

He started the warm-up Test against Argentina in the Welsh capital and when they made it to the Land of the Long White Cloud he saw game time against Taranaki, Southland and Manawatu – scoring a try in the comfortable win against the latter.