The Wales national rugby union team toured North America in July 1997, playing two tests against the United States and one against Canada, as well as three tour matches across the two countries. Wales won all six matches on the tour, including a 94–3 victory over an all-star team representing USA Rugby South in the opening game. They beat the United States in both Wilmington, North Carolina, and San Francisco, California, before beating Canada by the tour's narrowest margin (three points) in Markham, Ontario.
Wales named a weakened squad as their best and more experienced players were selected in the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa. Several uncapped players were included in the squad, and coach Kevin Bowring gave test debuts to full-back Kevin Morgan and prop Chris Anthony against the United States, and flanker Rob Appleyard and lock Steve Moore against Canada.
Squad Head coach Kevin Bowring named a 30-man squad for Wales' tour of North America. Hooker Jonathan Humphreys, who had captained the team since September 1995, was left out of the squad, who were instead led by flanker Gwyn Jones. Several players were missing, having been called up to the British Lions squad for their tour to South Africa, including the two-time reigning Welsh Player of the Year, scrum-half Rob Howley. As a result, the Wales squad that travelled to North America had a youthful bias and featured several uncapped players, including Pontypridd full-back Kevin Morgan, who had recently received the Most Promising Player in Wales award.Owen (1997), p. 65.Owen (1997), p. 74.
Name Position Club Notes Back row Cardiff Captain Hooker Swansea Hooker Llanelli Prop Swansea Prop Swansea Prop Pontypridd Injury replacement for Christian Loader Prop Swansea Prop Cardiff Lock Harlequins Lock Swansea Lock Llanelli Lock Neath Lock Llanelli Back row Swansea Back row Llanelli Back row Bath Back row Neath Scrum-half Pontypridd Scrum-half Richmond Fly-half Cardiff Fly-half Swansea Centre Llanelli Centre Cardiff Centre Pontypridd Centre Bridgend Wing Bridgend Wing Llanelli Wing Cardiff Wing Pontypridd Full-back Swansea Full-back Pontypridd
Matches DateVenueHomeScoreAway1 July 1997Davidson College, Charlotte, North CarolinaSouth All Stars3–945 July 1997Brooks Field, Wilmington, North Carolina20–308 July 1997Balboa Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaUSA Development XV23–5512 July 1997Balboa Park, San Francisco, California23–2815 July 1997Mohawk Sports Park, Hamilton, OntarioOntario10–5419 July 1997Fletcher's Fields, Markham, Ontario25–28
South All Stars vs Wales
United States vs Wales (1st test)
FB 15Chris Morrow RW 14Vaea AnitoniOC 13Tomasi TakauIC 12Mark Scharrenberg LW 11Brian HightowerFH 10Matt AlexanderSH 9 Andre BacheletN8 8 Dan Lyle (c)OF 7 Jay Wilkerson BF 6 Jason WalkerRL 5 Luke GrossLL 4 Dave HodgesTP 3 Ray LehnerHK 2 Tom BillupsLP 1 Christopher LippertReplacements:FB Kurt Shuman CE Alatini Saulala FL Mika McLeod Coach: Jack Clark FB 15Kevin MorganRW 14Wayne ProctorOC 13Leigh DaviesIC 12Gareth ThomasLW 11Nigel WalkerFH 10Arwel ThomasSH 9 Paul JohnN8 8 Steve Williams OF 7 Gwyn Jones (c)BF 6 Andrew GibbsRL 5 Mike VoyleLL 4 Gareth LlewellynTP 3 Lyndon MustoeHK 2 Garin JenkinsLP 1 Christian Loader Replacements:PR Chris Anthony N8 Nathan Thomas Coach:Kevin Bowring
USA Development XV vs Wales
United States vs Wales (2nd test)
FB 15Chris MorrowRW 14Vaea AnitoniOC 13Tomasi Takau IC 12Mark ScharrenbergLW 11Brian HightowerFH 10Matt AlexanderSH 9 Andre BacheletN8 8 Jason Walker OF 7 Jay Wilkerson BF 6 Dan Lyle (c)RL 5 Dave HodgesLL 4 Luke GrossTP 3 Ray LehnerHK 2 Tom Billups LP 1 Christopher LippertReplacements:CE Alatini Saulala HK Sean Allen FL Mika McLeod FL Scott Yungling Coach: Jack Clark FB 15Kevin MorganRW 14Wayne ProctorOC 13Leigh DaviesIC 12Gareth ThomasLW 11Nigel WalkerFH 10Arwel ThomasSH 9 Paul JohnN8 8 Nathan ThomasOF 7 Gwyn Jones (c)BF 6 Andrew GibbsRL 5 Mike VoyleLL 4 Gareth LlewellynTP 3 Lyndon MustoeHK 2 Robin McBrydeLP 1 Ian BuckettReplacements:PR Chris Anthony FL Steve WilliamsCoach:Kevin Bowring
Ontario vs Wales
Canada vs Wales
FB 15Bobby RossRW 14Winston StanleyOC 13Dave LougheedIC 12Scott BryanLW 11Scott StewartFH 10Gareth ReesSH 9 John GrafN8 8 Mike SchmidOF 7 John HutchinsonBF 6 Al CharronRL 5 John TaitLL 4 Mike JamesTP 3 Rod SnowHK 2 Kevin Morgan LP 1 Eddie Evans Replacements:SH 16Rob CardWG 17Ron ToewsPR 18Richard Bice LK 19Tony HealyFL 20Ian GordonHK 21Mark Cardinal Coach: Patrick Parfrey FB 15Kevin MorganRW 14Wayne ProctorOC 13Leigh DaviesIC 12Gareth ThomasLW 11Nigel WalkerFH 10Arwel ThomasSH 9 Paul JohnN8 8 Steve WilliamsOF 7 Rob AppleyardBF 6 Andrew Gibbs RL 5 Mike VoyleLL 4 Steve MooreTP 3 Lyndon MustoeHK 2 Garin JenkinsLP 1 Ian Buckett Replacements:CE 16Neil BoobyerFH 17Lee JarvisSH 18Andy MooreN8 19Nathan Thomas PR 20Chris Anthony HK 21Robin McBrydeCoach:Kevin Bowring Touch judges: Victor Rabuffetti Ganzio (Argentina) Ricardo Lanastra (Argentina)
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