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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Jon Doel & Katie Sands

What Wales' rugby players' 10-Year Challenge pictures look like

As a new decade approaches, it is customary to look back on the last 10 years and see what has changed.

You may have seen Twitter and Facebook filled with glimpses back at how family and friends used to look way back when in 2009, in a craze which has come back into the spotlight.

In terms of peoples' appearances, things move on quite dramatically, and rugby players are no different.

The 10-Year Challenge sees people post a picture of themselves from 10 years ago alongside a current picture, sometimes highlighting stark differences, embarrassing outfit choices or questionable haircuts.

But how much have some of Wales' best rugby players changed over a decade?

Well, we decided to take a look...

(And you can find how famous Welsh faces have changed here).

Liam Williams

The Wales and Saracens favourite is pictured here back in his Waunarlwydd RFC, picking up a Man of the Match award.

Nowadays, of course, he can be found playing for Premiership side Saracens, and he is rejoining Scarlets for next season.

Gareth Anscombe

Way back in 2009, Anscombe was playing his rugby in his homeland of New Zealand, before joining up with the Cardiff Blues in 2014.

He's now with the Ospreys, but has yet to play for his new region after suffering an injury before the World Cup.

Alun Wyn Jones

The Wales and Ospreys stalwart is pictured here in the first British & Irish Lions squad he was named in, back in 2009. He has, of course, gone on to feature for the Lions on two more tours, in 2013 to Australia and in 2017 to New Zealand.

Dan Biggar

The former Ospreys star and current Northampton Saints fly-half is pictured here looking fresh-faced back in 2009.

Taulupe Faletau

Here's Faletau looking a bit different way back when.

The Bath number eight has just marked his return to the field after a lengthy injury lay-off that saw him miss the World Cup.

Leigh Halfpenny

Here's Halfpenny stubble-free back in 2009 in his picture for the 2009 Lions tour.

Rhys Webb 

Webb, who can't play for Wales just now as he is in Toulon, is pictured here playing for Wales' Under-20s - complete with blond highlights! The scrum-half has just agreed a move to the Ospreys after two years in France.

Scott Williams

The 29-year-old Ospreys centre is pictured here in Wales U-20s action against England in 2009.

Hadleigh Parkes

Now a household name in Wales, Scarlets favourite Parkes was playing his club rugby for Manawatu in New Zealand nearly a decade ago.

He has now been with the Scarlets since 2014 and made his Wales international debut back in December 2017.

Ken Owens

Cannonball Ken is photographed here in Scarlets kit back in 2009.

Justin Tipuric

The Ospreys flanker is photographed here on Wales duty back in the day, without his now-standard head accessory, of course.

Sam Warburton

Now retired, of course, former Wales captain and Cardiff Blues stalwart Warburton posted this collage on social media earlier this year.

George North

And last but not least, here's George North photographed back when he was representing Wales a decade ago, before he burst onto the senior international scene just a year later.

Some great pics there!

   
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