We've all picked our greatest ever Wales XVs, but what about the players who wore the red of their country but never quite went on to become household names?

After a search through the archives followed by an impromptu selection meeting at WalesOnline HQ, we've come up with the Welsh team  most supporters probably thought could never have been assembled.

With the greatest respect to them all, none were ever exactly Lions contenders.

There's full-back Matt Cardey, the New Zealander who played once under Graham Henry in the 2000 Six Nations, and there's to Tim Fauvel, the Aberavon No.8 who was capped against the All Blacks in 1988 before disappearing from the Test scene.

And there's hooker Ken Waters of Newbridge fame, who has the dubious honour of winning his one and only cap in the 16-13 defeat to Western Samoa at the 1991 World Cup.

So here they are, the guys who came, saw, didn't quite conquer, but still achieved a boyhood dream.

Scroll through the gallery below for details


15 Matt Cardey: The New Zealander, who played for Llanelli between 1999 and 2003, won his only cap for Wales  against Scotland at the Millennium Stadium in 2000. He is most famous for being caught up in the Grannygate scandal.

14 Richard Wintle: The Kenfig Hill born winger, who played for Bridgend, Cardiff and Swansea came off the bench for Wales against Samoa in 1998. But, after his one appearance, was never seen on the international stage again.

13 Jason Jones-Hughes: Sydney born centre Jones-Hughes upset his nation of birth by opting to play for Wales in 1999, despite previously touring Argentina with them. He played three times for Wales but was never a hit among the rugby public.

12 Andy Marinos: South African born Marinos joined the Newport Gwent Dragons in 1999. He played eight times for Wales and scored one try before becoming the chief executive of the Rodney Parade club.

11 Richard Diplock: The Ebbw Vale born wing played for Aberavon and Bridgend before making his Wales debut against Romanina in Cardiff in December 1988. He's another player who never featured again.

10 Colin Stephens: Kicking specialist Stephens was the Llanelli outside half when they beat Australia in 1992. He played four times for Wales in that year, bowing out in the 23-6 Autumn defeat against the Wallabies.

9 Ryan Powell: The Gwent born scrum-half, who came through the ranks at the Cardiff Blues, played three times for Wales in 2002 after making his debut off the bench in South Africa. The emergence of Dwayne Peel and Mike Phillips saw an end to his international career.

1 Ian Buckett: The North Walian prop played nine times for Wales A before being capped against Tonga in 1994. He later played against the USA and Canada before being overlooked by the national selectors for the rest of his career.

2 Ken Waters: Cwmbran born Waters made his name playing for Newbridge but only played once for Wales, in the 13-16 defeat to Western Samoa in the 1991 World Cup. He was replaced by Garin Jenkins and never played again.

3 Peter Francis: Prop Peter Francis is another who only played for Wales once, against Scotland at Murrayfield in 1987. The Scots won 21-15 and he was never selected again.

4 Will James: Plymouth born lock James played for Pontypool and Pontypridd before his Wales call-up in the 2007 World Cup warm-up match against England. He then played in the World Cup against Japan and still plays for Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership.

5 Stuart Russell: Russell played alongside Bob Norster in the second-row for Wales against USA in 1987. Wales won the game 46-0 but Russell never got the call to play for Wales again.

6 Alun Carter: The Newport born flanker made his Wales debut against England in 1991 on the same day as Neil Jenkins and Scott Gibbs first appeared. He never played again but later became a WRU analyst.

7 Glen George:

Another player who made his debut that day was back rower Glen George. Like Carter, he played in the 25-6 defeat to England and in the following match in Scotland but the Newport man was ignored by selectors.

8. Tim Fauvel: The Aberavon back rower was the last of 48 Wizards to play for Wales when he was capped on the disastrous tour of New Zealand in 1988. After Wales were beaten 52-3 in Christchurch, the Birdgend born man disappeared from the international scene.