No-one should make the mistake of asking Clive Rowlands to

show them his medals.

A Wales captain who delivered a Triple Crown, he went onto

become a hugely successful national coach whose reign hit a

peak with a Grand Slam.

He managed Wales to their best ever World Cup finish and he

was in charge of the successful 1989 Lions tour of

Australia.

He also became Welsh Rugby Union president.

And the distinctive thing about Rowlands, who answers to the

sobriquet Top Cat, is that he has done it all his way.

He was at scrum-half in 1963 when Wales played Scotland in

the match of 111 line-outs - most of them brought about by

Rowlands kicking for touch.

The legislators changed the law after that match.

A remarkable stat of Rowlands's Wales career is that he was

captain for all 14 of his appearances in a red jersey. The

Triple Crown success came in 1965, ending a 13-year Welsh

drought.

As a coach, Rowlands gave fire-and-brimstone dressing-room

addresses that moved some players to tears.

And it was a sharp tactical mind that got the best out of a

succession of dazzling Welsh sides between 1968 and 1974.

In a dressing room of big names, he was the boss.

After a hammering by New Zealand 24 years later, he came out

with a quote that Wales could always go back to beating

England.

Some would later use the line against him, but no-one could

ever doubt Rowlands's passion for all things Welsh.

An inspiration and a winner, Rowlands remains a character,

always willing to offer sharp comment from his eyrie in Upper

Cwmtwrch.

When they made him they threw away the mould.