Gareth Thomas’s reign as Wales’s sole centurion ended on Saturday March 15th 2008 as one of the bastions of Welsh Women’s rugby took to the field and won her 100th cap for Wales Women. The finale to the 2008 Women's Six Nations with Wales Women taking on France Women at Taffs Well RFC provided the setting for Louise Rickard to become Wales Women's first centurion, 168 days after Thomas had set the record in the men's game.

Rickard enjoyed a successful Women's Six Nations during the 2007-2008 season, prolificly try-scoring from the wing once against both Ireland Women and Italy Women and wading in with two against Scotland Women with 32 tries for her country going into her century appearance.

Rickard made her debut for Wales Women in 1993 in the Canada Cup tournament against England Women and has been a stalwart of the side ever since, currently playing her club rugby for the Woodbridge Amazons. During the 2006-2007 season the 37-year-old school teacher surpassed Gareth Llewellyn's 92 cap record to hold the overall Welsh cap record for the first time in history, albeit briefly, as ‘Alfie’ soon overtook her in June 2007 on the Wales tour to Australia.

Outside of her full time role as winger for Wales Women, Rickard juggles her sporting life with that as a biology and PE teacher but does so far away from the country she represents at the highest level – in Suffolk. Despite her admission that she finds it “hard to juggle a professional job and full time rugby”, Rickard has done so successfully for the many years of her international career. A steadfast member of the squad over her fifteen year involvement with the Wales Women, the winger believes that Lady Luck has smiled upon her to an extent in the Women’s game.

Although she drew level with Thomas in March 2008 she plans for more and its targeting her next few caps. Her 100th appearance has put her level with Donna Kennedy, now retired from Scotland Women, making her the joint most-capped player in Women's Rugby worldwide. One more cap and Rickard will take the World Record.