- Date of Birth09 / 12 / 1980
- Lions Tours2009
- International CapsWALES / LIONS
- Lions Origin SchoolsTonyrefail GS
- Lions Origin ClubsScarlets, Tonyrefail, Pontypridd RFC, Barbarians, Merthyr RFC, Celtic Warriors, Cardiff Rugby
Welsh hooker Matthew Rees featured in all three Test matches on the Lions tour to South Africa in 2009.
Rees was named among the replacements for the first Test, but replaced Lee Mears in Pretoria as an all-Welsh front row turned out for the Lions for the first time since 1955, with Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones either side of him.
He was injured in the first half of the third and final Test, which the Lions went on to win 28-9.
He was made captain of Wales for the first time in November 2010 when Australia visited Cardiff but missed the 2011 Rugby World Cup with a neck injury and flanker Sam Warburton took over as skipper.
Rees was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 2013, but was able to return to the Cardiff Blues squad in March 2014. Later that year he overtook Garin Jenkins to become Wales' most capped hooker.