THE Welsh Rugby Union awarded 11 more players with 'president's caps' at a presentation ceremony before Wales' international against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium.

Most of the new beneficiaries played in one of the five matches called the Victory Internationals in 1946 while the other game from which players are honoured is Wales versus Canada in Edmonton in 1989.

This takes the total number of president's caps holders to 48 since the honour was introduced in Wales three years ago. Records are held separately to the senior international list to avoid any confusion over cap numbers.

The new beneficiaries were identified and honoured after the WRU continued its review of historic games for which international caps were not awarded at the time.

WRU President Dennis Gethin said: "It is with great pleasure that we now award President's caps to these individuals who represented Wales across previous decades.

"It is a great honour to represent your country and to have now received this recognition will be a source of great pride.

"I am delighted that the contribution of these talented players to Welsh international rugby is now recorded in this way."

At the presentation ceremony the only surviving player honoured was Ceri John Jones who took part in the Edmonton match against Canada. The other players honoured were represented at the ceremony by surviving family.

Victory International, Wales v Kiwis, January 5, 1946 at Cardiff: Graham Bagnall Hughes, William George Jones, Leslie Morgan Thomas

Victory International, Wales v England, January 19, 1946 at Cardiff: Alfred Thomas Brickell, Eifion Davies

Victory International, Wales v Scotland, February 2, 1946 at Swansea: Henry Raymond Hughes, Douglas Haig Steer

Victory International, Scotland v Wales, March 30, 1946 at Murrayfield: Tyssul Griffiths

Victory International, France v Wales, April 22, 1946 at Colombes, France: William Eric Williams

Canada v Wales, June 3, 1989 at Edmonton: Mike Budd, Ceri John Jones