Dale McIntosh
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Dale McIntosh is a famous rugby union player. Born Dale Lynsey Manawa McIntosh on 23 November 1969 in King's Country, New Zealand, he has become a cult hero in his adopted country of Wales.
He first arrived in the country in 1989, settling in the Coed-y-Cwm area of Ynysybwl (near Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff), following the path taken by his older brother Shane McIntosh. Very soon afterwards, he was discovered up by Pontypridd Rugby Football Club as a promising young forward.
Not content with simply being another squad member, however, McIntosh made a great impression in his first season at Sardis Road. Thanks to his Scottish father he was selected to play for the Scotland "A" side in 1992, but later opted to wait until his residential status meant he could play for Wales. He achieved this goal, playing for both Wales "A" and the full Welsh international team, winning his one full cap against South Africa in 1996. Further international honours include several appearances for the world-renowned Barbarians team.
By the mid 1990s Dale had become one of the focal points of the Pontypridd RFC team both on and off the pitch. A strong back-row forward with good handling skills and a superb tackle, he was a leader on the pitch and a hero on the terraces. He is also noted for the work he did within the youth structure of Pontypridd RFC, inspiring many of the current crop of young talent from the south Wales valleys.
Dale McIntosh was still at the forefront of his game when Rugby Union in Wales became a professional sport in the late 1990s. He was awarded his club captaincy in 2001. However, the changes in Welsh rugby came somewhat too late for McIntosh: the strength of the Celtic Warriors' back line meant that he would have had to move to another region to gain a contract. Instead, he chose to stay in Pontypridd and help develop the next generation of regional players.
With his retirement in 2004 and the liquidation of the Celtic Warriors regional set up by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), McIntosh accepted a role as the WRU's Rugby Development Officer for the South Wales Valleys, allowing him to continue to inspire young players in his adopted home.
Dale McIntosh is remembered for his immense ability on the rugby field, but is also popular for his charity and development work off the field.