Gary Rees is seen above playing for England in the game against France at Twickenham.
Career Record: Played 23: Won 13, Lost 10
Test Points: 8
Tries: 2.
1984 v South Africa (R) (Johannesburg) L 35-9
1984 v Australia (Twickenham) L 19-3
1986 v Ireland (Twickenham) W 25-20 (FN)
1986 v France (Paris) L 29-10 (FN)
1987 v France (Twickenham) L 19-15 (FN)
1987 v Wales (Cardiff) L 19-12 (FN)
1987 v Scotland (Twickenham) W 21-12 (FN)
1987 v Australia (Sydney) L 19-6 (W. Cup)
1987 v Japan (Sydney) W 60-7 (W. Cup)
1987 v USA (Sydney) W 34-6 (W. Cup)
1987 v Wales (Brisbane) L 16-3 (W. Cup)
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1988 v Scotland (R) (Murrayfield) W 9-6 (FN)
1988 v Ireland (Twickenham) W 35-3 (FN)
1988 v Ireland (Dublin) W 21-10
1988 v Australia (Brisbane) L 22-16
1988 v Australia (Sydney) L 28-8
1988 v Fiji (Suva) W 25-12
1989 v Wales (R) (Cardiff) L 12-9 (FN)
1989 v Romania (R) (Bucharest) W 58-3
1989 v Fiji (R) (Twickenham) W 58-23
1990 v Argentina (R) (Twickenham) W 51-0
1991 v Fiji (Suva) W 28-12
1991 v USA (Twickenham) W 37-9 (W.Cup)
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Gary Rees is pictured above during England's match against Australia on Saturday 3rd.
November 1984. Photograph George Herringshaw. ©
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Flanker Gary Rees was the archetypal "one club man", who like forward predecessors Tony Neary, Bill Beaumont and Roger Uttley played all his rugby for a so called unfashionable side. Born in Long Eaton, Gary himself turned out for lowly ranked Nottingham, and earned 23 caps for England spread across seven years between 1984 and 1991. His debut came as a replacement on tour against South Africa in Johannesburg, a match that was lost 35-9 and sounded the death knell of the careers of Dusty Hare, John Scott and John Horton. Gary was next in action against Australia at Twickenham, but England could only manage a solitary penalty by Stuart Barnes and went down 19-3. Gary missed the 1985 season, but played against Ireland and France in 1986.
He played in three matches of the 1987 Five Nations, as well as making four appearances in the inaugural World Cup. However, England were accused of treating the tournament like a "Jolly Boy's Outing" and performed without distinction save the early part of their defeat by Australia. Despite the team's failure, Gary did have the consolation of scoring his first try in a 60-7 defeat of Japan. Following the World Cup, Rees remained in first team contention and played six matches of the 1988 season, including all three tests on tour in Australia and Fiji. Earlier in the year he scored his second international try in a 35-3 thrashing of Ireland at Twickenham. Once the Carling era had begun, Gary was regarded more as a squad player and played in just four matches in the 1989 and 1990 seasons, all as a replacement. His last appearance for England came in an easy win over the USA in the 1991 World Cup, a match which also saw his Nottingham teammate Simon Hodgkinson make his final bow. (Jon Collins)
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