J. P. R. Williams

John Peter Rhys Williams<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Post-nominals (2 March 1949 – 8 January 2024) was a Welsh rugby union player who represented Wales in international rugby during their Golden Era in the 1970s. He became known universally as J.Template:NbspP.Template:NbspR. Williams (or sometimes just as JPR) four years after his Welsh debut, in 1973 when [[J. J. Williams (rugby union)|J.Template:NbspJ. Williams]] (also John) joined the Welsh team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Playing in the position of full-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 was flanker, where he played for Tondu at the end of his career.<ref name=wo />

Williams is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams including Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards, Ryan Jones, Adam Jones, Gethin Jenkins and Alun Wyn Jones.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

An orthopaedic surgeon by profession, Williams continued to be involved in rugby following his retirement, serving as president of the Bridgend Ravens.<ref name=wo />

Early life

Williams was born just outside Bridgend, Wales, and was educated at Bridgend Boys' Grammar School (now Brynteg Comprehensive School) and then Millfield School in Somerset, as was his Wales teammate Gareth Edwards.<ref name=wo />

As well as being a rugby union player, Williams was also a successful tennis player at youth level, before fully committing to rugby.<ref name="Guard">Template:Cite news</ref> He won the 1966 British Junior title at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, beating David Lloyd 6–4, 6–4;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> this is often erroneously cited as being a Junior Wimbledon victory, including in J.P.R.'s autobiography,<ref name=JPR>Template:Cite book</ref> when in fact it was won by Vladimir Korotkov.<ref name="Guard"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As an adult amateur, Williams participated in the first event of the tennis Open Era, the 1968 British Hard Court Championships in Bournemouth, but lost to Bob 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Rugby career

Williams' focus moved from tennis to rugby union, which was an amateur sport, in order to pursue a career in medicine.<ref name=ten /> He quickly attracted attention and was consequently first capped by Wales in 1969, aged 19.<ref name=espn />

Williams went on to earn 55 caps for Wales, five as captain, and eight for the British Lions.<ref name=espn>Template:Cite web</ref> Williams played club rugby for Bridgend, London Welsh and Tondu.<ref name=wo /> He also played a few games for Template:Rut shortly after the 1974 Lions tour.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Williams had many high points in his career, being a key player in a Welsh side that won Grand Slams in 1971, 1976 and 1978, and is particularly remembered for his record against England. In 10 tests between Wales and England he scored five tries – exceptional for a full-back – and was never on the losing side.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was also outstanding for the Lions, scoring an important long-range drop goal in the fourth test of the 1971 series against New Zealand.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 1974 'invincible' series against South Africa he again played a major role.<ref name=espn />

Williams was involved in the build up of the famous 1973 Barbarians try against New Zealand, sometimes called the greatest try ever scored.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Williams chose not to go on the 1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand, after being advised by his consultant to focus on his medical career.<ref name="Butler">Template:Cite web</ref>

Williams retired from international rugby union in 1981 and continued his career as an orthopaedic surgeon.<ref name=espn /> 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.<ref name=wo>Template:Cite web</ref>

Playing style

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 as Gerald Davies and J. J. Williams.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Welsh international rugby honours and statistics

• First cap: 1 February 1969, Murrayfield, Scotland (Template:Nrut 3 – Wales 17)
• His fifty-five caps comprised 37 wins, four draws and 14 defeats
• Member of three Grand Slam-winning teams: 1971, 1976, 1978.
• Member of six Triple Crown-winning teams: 1969, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
• Scored 36 points (five four-point tries and one three-point try; three penalty goals and two conversions)
• Captained Wales five times (1978–79 – Championship and Triple Crown Season)
• Final cap: 7 February 1981, Murrayfield, Scotland (Template:Nrut 15 – Wales 6)

(Source<ref name="JPR"/>)

Recognition

In 1977 Williams was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby.<ref name="JPR"/><ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref>

Williams was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1979 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Thames Television's Teddington Studios.<ref name=ten>Template:Cite news</ref>

Williams was one of the inaugural inductees of the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sean Fitzpatrick and Ian McGeechan have said Williams was the best rugby full-back of all time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Medical career and other activities

Williams studied medicine at St Mary's Hospital Medical School, qualifying as a physician in 1973. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1980.<ref name="JPR"/> In 1986 he was appointed a consultant in trauma and orthopaedic surgery at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Williams represented several cricket teams, particularly the Lord's Taverners team, between 1976 and 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In January 2006, in a party of 16 Welsh men and women, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania for charity, helping to raise more than £200,000 for the NSPCC's 'Full Stop' Campaign.<ref name="JPR"/>

Personal life

Williams was married to Scilla and the couple had four children. They lived in the Vale of Glamorgan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Two of his children, Lauren Williams and Annie Williams both represented Wales at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in the field hockey tournament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Death

Williams died from bacterial meningitis, after a short illness, on 8 January 2024, at the age of 74 at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Views

Williams regarded Barry John as "Without doubt, the greatest player I played with."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=ten /><ref name="auto"/>

External links

• Template:Webarchive
• Template:ESPNscrum
• Template:Webarchive
• Template:Webarchive
• J.P.R. Williams, full back, BBC News, 18 March 2005
• Gavin Henson interview: J.P.R. Williams, The Observer, 6 November 2005