Martyn Williams was the first captain of the Cardiff Blues when the game took on it regional format in 2003, and led from the front in every game, before stepping down in 2005.
Martyn is no stranger to the responsibilities of leadership. Having been capped at every junior level for Wales, he captained Wales under-21 before winning Wales A honours and a first full cap against the Barbarians in 1996. At the time he was a member of the Pontypridd club, with whom he won championship medals in 1997. Further captaincy experience came with Wales on tour in Argentina in 1999 and for a Wales XV against the USA Eagles at the Millennium Stadium.
He made his Cardiff club debut immediately after the World Cup in 1999, playing in 21 out of a possible 23 matches before the end of the season to win his club cap. His great service continued for two more seasons, interrupted only by a shoulder injury in the autumn of 2001.. He has also toured South Africa (twice), Argentina, Australia and New Zealand with Wales and has also toured with the British and Irish Lions to Australia in 2001 and to New Zealand in 2005.
Following Wales' Grand Slam win in the 2005 RBS 6 Nations, Martyn was awarded the RBS Player of the Championship. The award had been voted for by BBC Sport website users with over 23,000 fans voting during the final week of the RBS 6 Nations. Martyn Williams received 7,796 votes with Brian O'Driscoll in second place (2,466) and Shane Williams in third (2,066).
In 2007 Martyn was selected for the Wales RWC squad, his third world cup.
