Dream Team – Introduction

CARMARTHEN QUINS DREAM TEAM

1950 – 2000

I came up with the idea of creating a Carmarthen Quins Dream Team in the summer of 2011. I presented an outline of my proposal to the committee in October that year and was given a free hand to take the project forward. I chose the 50 years between 1950 and 2000 mainly for two reasons:-

Firstly, I knew several ex-players who had played for the Quins in the 1950’s (they would become Mentors) and was fairly confident I would be able to use their power of recollection as to who played for the Quins in that decade; the positions they played in and which players were generally regarded as excellent or outstanding in the way they played week in week out. Secondly, the Quins entered the semi-professional game in the 2000-2010 decade. Keeping to the 40 years between 1960 and 2000 as well as the 1950’s decade meant the players would be on as much of a level field as I could make it.

 The participants who took part in selecting the Dream Team – click here.

I identified twelve ex-players (and two reserves) who had played for the club between 1950 and 2000; had played an active role on the committee and/or had coached the 1st XV during that 50 year period. They were also individuals who had maintained an interest in the club’s fortunes on the playing field during those 50 years. They became the “Jury” who would choose the Dream Team but with constructive input from the “Mentors.” Our independent adjudicators were Mr Delme Thomas and Mr Roy Bergiers (Llanelli/Wales/British & Irish Lions) who attended all our meetings and scrutinised the entire selection process.

We identified all the players we believed had played in those 50 years (511 in total); their preferred position (most players play in more than one position); and split them into decade teams. By means of elimination, the Jury eventually reduced the candidates for the Dream Team to 75 players (5 for each position). The Jury met in December 2011 and although set a most challenging task, along with the six Mentors they eventually decided on their final XV.  Many of the 75 candidates were worthy of selection to the Dream Team but as a purely subjective exercise, the Jury chose whom they felt were the best XV players.

As a means of engaging with our supporters and ex-players, we invited them to choose who they believed were the best 15 from the short-list of 75, with the person whose selection was nearest the selected Dream Team being rewarded with two international tickets at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.

A function was held at the Quins clubhouse on the 17th February 2012 with an invitation having been sent to each of the 45 short-listed players (or a relative as some sadly were no longer with us) to attend. We had not disclosed the selected Dream Team to anyone until the presentation evening. Mr Delme Thomas and Mr Roy Bergiers presented each of the chosen 15 players (or relative) with a plaque in recognition of their selection to the Quins Dream Team.