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PORNICHET - Wales captain Gareth Thomas, who will win his 100th test cap against Fiji on Saturday, has been the galvanising core of the national side for more than a decade.
The speedy youngster who marked his debut with a hat-trick of tries against Japan in the 1995 World Cup has developed into one of the canniest and most admired players on the global stage.
A passionate Welshman who wears his heart on his sleeve, Thomas has etched his name in the record books in his native country.
His 12-year long test career has featured an all-time high 39 tries, 51 victories and seen him produce world-class performances in three separate positions behind the scrum. Not bad for a former postman from Bridgend.
Controversy has also never been far from Thomas either, and his alleged role in the shock departure of then coach Mike Ruddock last year, and his subsequent `mini-stroke' that threatened to halt his career in the aftermath, remain dark moments in Welsh rugby history.
His defining moment on the pitch came in 2005 when he inspired Wales to their first Grand Slam in 27 years, but his finest achievement has been the way he has evolved as the game changed from amateur to professional within his dozen years at the top.
The professional game has evolved without remorse yet the 33-year-old has been able to change with the times - whether at wing, full-back or centre - and match the ever increasing physical demands of the modern game.
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins said: "Gareth is a special player who has earned the right to get to where he is right now. He's been a fantastic professional throughout his career and has matured and grown as he gets older.
"I'm proud to the coach who gives him this honour of a hundredth cap. His importance to the team cannot be underestimated, he's reached an historic milestone but no-one will be more focused on Saturday's game than him."
Thomas was plucked from nowhere for the 1995 World Cup in South Africa and announced his arrival on the test scene with a hat-trick in Wales' opening game.
Since then the team has always come before individual glory.
He said: "As much as I will be proud of this achievement, I will always stay true to myself. The game is not about me and never will be.
"This Saturday is about the team winning an important game to get through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup so I have to make sure I don't get caught up in the excitement of the occasion. The most important thing is that it's a huge game for Wales to win."
- REUTERS
