What happened to the players you may have forgotten turned out for Wales

To pull on the famous red jersey of Wales must be one of the proudest moments in one’s lifetime.

Us mere mortals only get to watch on from the sidelines or from in front of our TV screens.

They say Wales is full of about three million selectors but you bet your bottom dollar the majority would actually prefer to represent their country on the field rather than cheer them on from the terraces.

So many famous names have worn Wales’ colours over the years that the names just roll off the tongue.

But how about the ones who were just fleeting? Here we look at those whose time in the national team was all too brief.

James Bater

The Swansea back rower made his appearance off the bench in the World Cup audition against Romania in 2003, joining fellow Test debutants Nathan Brew, Jon Bryan, Brent Cockbain, Mike Phillips, Andy Williams and Paul Young. Bater earned his cap due to his outstanding club form, but he didn't win another.

He retired at 29 due to a neck injury, later becoming a dentist.

Jason Forster

A tough-as-nails flanker who never backed down - one on-field altercation with then Llanelli prop Phil John could have been promoted by Don King - Forster earned his solitary Wales cap under Mike Ruddock against Argentina in Tucuman in 2004. The openside brought a steel edge to every team he played for.

He went on to become an ambassador for the Dragons and a registered social care manager.

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Greg Prosser

Formed an impressive second-row partnership at Pontypridd with Mark Rowley, and was part of the 1995 World Cup squad, earning his sole cap against a formidable New Zealand team boasting stars like Jonah Lomu, Andrew Mehrtens, Sean Fitzpatrick, Josh Kronfeld, Ian Jones and Walter Little. The match was a tough one for Wales, particularly after team manager Geoff Evans had boldly claimed pre-match that his side were bigger, faster, fitter, and stronger than the All Blacks - a statement that fell flat as Wales suffered a 34-9 defeat.

Prosser, who also served as a police officer, was known for his hard work on the field but did not make another appearance for his country.

Terry Shaw

Terry Shaw earned his first cap for Wales in a forgettable match against Romania in Bucharest in 1983, which saw the Welsh side lose 24-6. The Romanian captain Mircea Paraschiv later remarked, "My only dangerous opponent was the referee - he put his finger in my eye."

While the loss wasn't Shaw's responsibility, and certainly not the incident involving the referee and the Romanian captain, it didn't help his international prospects.

A stalwart at club level, Shaw had been played out of position as a middle jumper instead of his usual front-of-the-line spot, leading to a disastrous lineout performance. He never represented Wales again and went on to become head of engineering services for Caerphilly Borough Council.

Jon Bryant

Jon Bryant was known for his bone-crunching tackles during his heyday with Pontypidd, and one memorable clash with London Irish saw him send their South African player-coach Brendan Venter reeling. Recalling the incident, Bryant shared: "He told me that there was a long way to go and that they were going to win," to which he retorted, "I replied that he was the one on the floor."

Bryant's robust defence earned him a solitary cap for Wales against Romania in August 2003 before he transitioned into coaching.

Alan Edmunds

Alan Edmunds was a try-scoring machine for Neath during the 1989-90 season, crossing the whitewash an astonishing 45 times, including a score against the mighty New Zealand. His prolific form saw him earn a place in the Five Nations squad for Wales, facing Ireland, but that was to be his only international outing.

Post-rugby, the dynamic Edmunds ventured into the construction sector.

Stuart Parfitt

Stuart Parfitt earned his stripes with Swansea, winning two caps in 1990. He made his debut against Namibia in Windhoek and then took on the Barbarians in Cardiff, where he faced off against rugby giants Joe Stanley and Jeremy Guscott.

Parfitt, who began his career at Bridgend and also played for South Wales Police, later rose through the ranks to become a chief superintendent in the police force.

John Funnell

The former Neath centre, who had formed an excellent club partnership with Leigh Davies thanks to his quick hands giving his hard-running and skilful mate that extra split-second to do his thing, only managed two caps for Wales. He played against Zimbabwe and in the disastrous clash with South Africa at Loftus Versfeld in 1998, when the tourists were overwhelmed 96-13.

Funnell later established his own decorative living company in Hay-on-Wye called Llewellyn and Company, specialising in French furniture.

Nick Walne

A Cambridge graduate, Walne was very bright and very quick. He represented his country three times during the Graham Henry era, with Wales winning each time.

One of his caps saw him come off the bench in the unforgettable victory over England at Wembley in 1999. Walne played his club rugby with Richmond and Cardiff and has since enjoyed a successful career in finance and industry.

Rhys Oakley

The image of Rhys Oakley taking photos of the Lansdowne Road pitch after his first game for Wales in August 2003 is still vivid. The friendly forward had just played his first match for Wales, and it was refreshing to see a player savouring the moment - not all do.

It was assumed that the 6ft 4in back rower would make many more appearances at Test level. However, he only earned one more cap, against Scotland two weeks later.

After overcoming cancer in 2019, he returned to coaching with Hartpury and later Lydney.

Anthony Sullivan

Anthony Sullivan, son of rugby league legend Clive Sullivan, was known as a deadly finisher in the 13-man code, scoring over 200 tries. He had two spells with Cardiff in rugby union, earning him a couple of caps in 2001.

His union Test debut saw Wales lose 30-16 at home to Argentina, marking the end of the Graham Henry era. A match with Tonga followed, and that was the end of Sullivan's Test career in 15-a-side rugby.

He later became a plasterer before becoming a personal trainer and owning his own gym. Perhaps his finishing skills alone warranted more union caps.

Tal Selley

Despite his nomadic career, he had a successful run which included winning a full cap against the USA on tour in 2005 and being named player of the tournament when Wales clinched the World Cup Sevens in 2009. Selley, who could play as a wing or centre, was known for his strong runs and try-scoring ability.

The west Walian later transitioned into an oil worker.

Warren Fury

In 2008, Wales brought the scrum-half from Swansea to South Africa for two Tests against the Springboks. Fury had been making waves with London Irish.

However, further Test opportunities eluded him due to Mike Phillips' dominance in the position. Fury subsequently spent time with Wasps, Leeds, Bath and Newcastle before hanging up his boots in 2012.