Tony Faulkner, a Wales Grand Slam winner in their 1970s golden era and a member of the famed Pontypool front row, has died aged 81.
Widely known as ‘Charlie’ Faulkner, he won 19 Wales caps, each of them alongside Pooler front-row team-mates Graham Price and Bobby Windsor.
Faulkner’s Wales debut came as they beat France 25-10 in Paris in 1975.
The Pontypool trio also played together for the 1977 British and Irish Lions against Hawkes Bay.
The Newport-born forward’s debut came at the age of 34 on the day his fellow prop Price scored a memorable debut try in the Five Nations opener against France.
Away from rugby, Faulkner was a judo black belt and after his playing days he coached at Newport, Cardiff and Caerphilly.
Pontypool led the tributes to Faulkner, saying: “It [is] with huge sadness that Pontypool RFC has learned of the passing of one of its true greats.”
More tributes were also posted about the popular Welsh rugby figure, including from former Wales, Cardiff and Pontypool fly-half and centre Mark Ring, who had coached with Faulkner.
Ring said he was “absolutely gutted” at Faulkner’s passing.
