**The Remarkable Journey of Tony Rees: From Welsh Rugby History-Maker to Queensland Local Legend**
Tony Rees’s life story could easily be mistaken for the plot of an adventure novel, encompassing historic rugby triumphs, globe-trotting escapades, and a transformative new life in Australia. The former Cardiff and Wales A lock, originally from Chepstow, has become a fixture in Queensland, Australia, but his journey there charts a colourful path through some of rugby’s most storied moments.
Arriving in Australia 37 years ago, Rees’s first taste of life Down Under came courtesy of a rugby stint with the University of Queensland in Brisbane. It took just two weeks for him to realise this was where he truly belonged. Despite various adventures far and wide in the years that followed, Queensland ultimately became his long-term home—a place he now shares with his wife Lynn, nestled about half an hour’s drive from Brisbane.
These days, reminders of his Welsh roots—such as a flag flying above his homemade gym—sit side-by-side with symbols of his adopted country. “People always ask about my favourite rugby memory, and it’s got to be Queensland University,” he confides, while grilling steaks outdoors and reflecting on the myriad personalities and experiences that have defined his long love affair with the sport.
What lured Rees most was the vibrant rugby scene and the enviable Australian lifestyle. The club supported him unreservedly, and he marvelled at how even winter in Queensland outshone the best Welsh summers. “It was all so new—exploring tropical islands and playing with some of the biggest names in Australian rugby. I was here for the adventure, and those first six months were packed with unforgettable moments,” he reminisces.
The calibre of teammates at UQ was staggering. When Rees joined the team in the late 1980s, he regularly found himself sharing the pitch with Wallabies legends such as Michael Lynagh and David Nucifora. Playing alongside these giants, he helped the team secure three successive Grand Final wins between 1988 and 1990—a period he still holds dear, especially the fierce rivalry with Brothers, led by the inimitable John Eales.
His rugby journey wasn’t confined to Australia. Returning to Wales with Cardiff, he enjoyed Welsh Cup success and even caught the attention of royalty, being singled out by Prince Charles before a cup final. Yet his time at Cardiff was eventful, including a lengthy ban after a run-in with the referee, and a notorious newspaper headline that raised smiles in both camps: “Rees says ‘I’ll mug the slug’”.
Always open to new horizons, Rees was soon on the move again after a chance conversation led to a contract in Japan, and shortly after, a whirlwind phone call from Wallabies legend Nick Farr-Jones dispatched him to France to play for Brive. In his words, “We landed in France with nothing but summer clothes and no idea where Brive was—it was pure chance and excitement.”
His continental adventures paid off historically—Rees became the first Briton to lift the Heineken Cup, a claim to fame that only truly dawned on him later, when he saw his name popping up in rugby trivia and sports quiz programmes. “At the time, it didn’t seem significant—we were just thinking about where the next contract would come from and how to keep life moving.”
Eventually, rugby’s pull drew him back to Wales for another stint, though not before his escapades included a passport mishap in France that an airport police chief magically resolved. Later, Rees recognised it was time to pivot towards life after sport. He launched a successful landscaping enterprise in Brisbane, which grew to employ 25 people before he sold up just before the pandemic. Personal tragedy—an accident involving one of his trucks—prompted introspection, and he reimmersed himself in the club scene, taking on various roles at UQ and helping the team break its 20-year premiership drought.
Now, an unofficial ambassador, Rees has played a vital role in linking Welsh talent with Queensland, having welcomed over a dozen Welsh players to UQ and mentored future international stars from Japan and Australia alike. At major rugby events, his pride in his adopted club and its people is unmistakable.
Tony Rees’s story encapsulates the adventures, triumphs, and challenges that come with chasing dreams across borders. A pioneer for Welsh rugby in Europe, a champion in Australia, and a fond fixture in Queensland’s rugby fraternity, Rees stands as a testament to the unifying power of sport and the unpredictable journeys it can spark.