 Williams in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | John Peter Rhys Williams (1949-03-02)2 March 1949 Bridgend, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 8 January 2024(2024-01-08) (aged 74) Cardiff, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | St Mary's Hospital Medical School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Orthopaedic surgeon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Peter Rhys Williams[1]MBE FRCS (2 March 1949 – 8 January 2024) was a Welshrugby union player who representedWales in international rugby during their Golden Era in the 1970s. He became known universally asJ. P. R. Williams (or sometimes just asJPR) four years after his Welsh debut, in 1973 whenJ. J. Williams (also John) joined the Welsh team.[2]
Playing in the position offull-back, he was noted for his aggressive attacking style. With his long sideburns and socks around his ankles, "JPR" was an iconic figure on the successful 1970s Wales team. However, despite playing full-back throughout his international career, his preferred position wasflanker, where he played forTondu at the end of his career.[3]
Williams is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won threeGrand Slams includingGerald Davies,Gareth Edwards,Ryan Jones,Adam Jones,Gethin Jenkins andAlun Wyn Jones.[4]
Anorthopaedic surgeon by profession, Williams continued to be involved in rugby following his retirement, serving as president of theBridgend Ravens.[3]
Williams was born just outsideBridgend, Wales, and was educated at Bridgend Boys' Grammar School (nowBrynteg Comprehensive School) and thenMillfield School in Somerset, as was his Wales teammateGareth Edwards.[3]
As well as being arugby union player, Williams was also a successfultennis player at youth level, before fully committing to rugby.[5] He won the 1966 British Junior title at theAll England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club inWimbledon, beatingDavid Lloyd 6–4, 6–4;[6] this is often erroneously cited as being a Junior Wimbledon victory, including in J.P.R.'s autobiography,[7] when in fact it was won byVladimir Korotkov.[5][8] As an adult amateur, Williams participated in the first event of the tennisOpen Era, the1968 British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth, but lost toBob Howe in the first round. In an interview years later, Williams stated that "If I had to make the decision now, I might have opted for tennis," but admitted that his lack of a big serve would have hindered any chances of success.[9]
Williams' focus moved from tennis to rugby union, which was an amateur sport, in order to pursue a career inmedicine.[10] He quickly attracted attention and was consequently first capped by Wales in 1969, aged 19.[11]
Williams went on to earn 55caps for Wales, five as captain, and eight for theBritish Lions.[11] Williams played club rugby forBridgend,London Welsh andTondu.[3] He also played a few games forNatal shortly after the1974 Lions tour.[12]
Williams had many high points in his career, being a key player in a Welsh side that wonGrand Slams in 1971, 1976 and 1978, and is particularly remembered for his record againstEngland. In 10 tests between Wales and England he scored fivetries – exceptional for a full-back – and was never on the losing side.[13] He was also outstanding for the Lions, scoring an important long-range drop goal in the fourth test of the1971 series againstNew Zealand.[14] In the1974 'invincible' series againstSouth Africa he again played a major role.[11]
Williams was involved in the build up of the famous 1973Barbarians try against New Zealand, sometimes calledthe greatest try ever scored.[15] Williams chose not to go on the1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand, after being advised by his consultant to focus on his medical career.[16]
Williams retired from international rugby union in 1981 and continued his career as anorthopaedic surgeon.[11] He continued to play club rugby for many years, playing throughout the 1980s and 1990s for Bridgend and then for Tondu Thirds into his fifties. He finally retired in March 2003.[3]
At the times Williams played, the rugby rules restricted kicking to touch. This suited Williams as he did not naturally like kicking and would rather counter attack. For Wales this was helped by playing with very high-quality wingers, such asGerald Davies andJ. J. Williams.[17]
(Source[7])
In 1977 Williams was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby.[7][18]
Williams was the subject ofThis Is Your Life in 1979 when he was surprised byEamonn Andrews at Thames Television'sTeddington Studios.[10]
Williams was one of the inaugural inductees of theInternational Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997.[19]
Sean Fitzpatrick andIan McGeechan have said Williams was the best rugby full-back of all time.[20][21]
Williams studied medicine atSt Mary's Hospital Medical School, qualifying as a physician in 1973. He became a Fellow of theRoyal College of Surgeons in 1980.[7] In 1986 he was appointed a consultant in trauma and orthopaedic surgery at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.[22]
Williams represented several cricket teams, particularly theLord's Taverners team, between 1976 and 2004.[23]
In January 2006, in a party of 16 Welsh men and women, he climbedMount Kilimanjaro inTanzania for charity, helping to raise more than £200,000 for theNSPCC's 'Full Stop' Campaign.[7]
Williams was married to Scilla and the couple had four children. They lived in theVale of Glamorgan.[24] Two of his children,Lauren Williams andAnnie Williams both representedWales at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in the field hockey tournament.[25]
Williams died frombacterial meningitis, after a short illness, on 8 January 2024, at the age of 74 at theUniversity Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.[26][27]
Williams regardedBarry John as "Without doubt, the greatest player I played with."[28]
In 2008 Williams said that if, when he was young, rugby and tennis had been in the conditions that they then were (in 2008) then he would have chosen to play tennis rather than rugby, because of the greater financial rewards of tennis and the increased physical dangers of rugby.[10][18]
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