Toulouse back Gareth Thomas was today rewarded for his long and distinguished service to the Welsh rugby union team with his appointment as the new Wales captain.

Thomas, Wales' record international try-scorer, will replace the back-row forward Colin Charvis, although Charvis has been asked to fill the role of vice-captain.

"I have appointed Gareth Thomas as captain and believe he is the best man for the job," said the Welsh coach, Mike Ruddock.

"He is the first name on the team-sheet, he has proven tactical ability, extensive experience as a captain at club and regional level, and has also led the side at international level before.

Thomas' reign as skipper will begin when Wales tackle South Africa in Cardiff on November 6, and Ruddock hopes that it will be a two-year appointment.

Thomas, 30, has won 77 caps and is third on Wales' all-time appearance chart behind lock Gareth Llewellyn and fly-half Neil Jenkins. Earlier this year, he broke Ieuan Evans' Welsh record by scoring his 34th international try.

Wales will hope that Thomas will prove a steadier hand than Charvis, whose commitment to the national cause was frequently drawn into question by the Welsh public, who at one point rewarded voted him the most hated man in Wales, sandwiched between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

Ruddock emphasised the popularity of his new captain, describing Thomas as "a mature and complete player" with "the full respect of the management team, his peers and the international rugby public."

To be sure, Thomas has been the Welsh player with the most consistent claim to international class during a career in which - until recently - he has been frequently surrounded by mediocre team-mates. But Ruddock also saluted Charvis, after naming him vice-captain, adding: "Colin is a highly-valued and respected player.

"Hopefully, this new role will free him up from off the field duties to do what he does best - play international rugby at the very highest of standards and have a leadership influence on the rest of the team."

Thomas, currently preparing for Toulouse's French Championship game against Brive, said: "I am delighted to accept the honour of the Welsh captaincy, and hope I can repay the faith that Mike and the management team have in me."

Ruddock appointed Thomas following an interview process for the job between captaincy candidates and team management.