Graham Price

Graham Price MBE (born 24 November 1951 in Moascar, Egypt) is a former Welsh rugby union player, who was a member of the famous Pontypool RFC front row known as the "Viet Gwent". He won 41 caps for , and a record 12 for the British and Irish Lions as a prop forward (second in most caps for the British and Irish lions after Willie John McBride )

Early life Graham Price was born in Moascar, Egypt, on 24 November 1951. He was brought up in Pontypool, where he was educated at West Monmouth School. He studied civil engineering at UWIST, part of the University of Wales in Cardiff.

Rugby career Pontypool

He joined Pontypool after leaving school, and played at tight-head prop. With Bobby Windsor and Charlie Faulkner he became part of the legendary front row, also known as the "Viet Gwent" (a play on Viet Cong) and immortalised in song by Max Boyce. Price played 567 times for the club scoring 57 tries.

Wales caps He made his debut for Wales national rugby union team in the 1975 Five Nations Championship against France at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The game featured six players earning their first cap, and the entire Pontypool front line. When the ball was hacked forward some from the French line following a Welsh counter attack, Price caught the ball as it bounced and ran it in for a try. Wales won by 25–10, and the try was subsequently voted the fourth best try ever by a Welsh player. The BBC’s commentator of the match Nigel Starmer-Smith memorably said of Price’s try at the time ‘They will never believe it in Pontypool’. Grand Slams followed for the Wales team in 1976 and 1978.

British and Irish Lion Price played as a prop in a record 12 successive tests for the British and Irish Lions, touring New Zealand in 1977. .

Outside rugby In 2012 Price made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of the UK comedy drama Stella.

Recognition Price was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours for services to rugby union in Wales.