Gerwyn Williams (22 April 1924 – 10 February 2009) was a
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
rugby union player, coach and author.
Biography
Williams was born in
Glyncorrwg,
Glamorgan
, HQ = Cardiff
, Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974)
, Origin=
, Code = GLA
, CodeName = Chapman code
, Replace =
* West Glamorgan
* Mid Glamorgan
* South Glamorgan
, Motto ...
, the son of Ephraim and Catherin (Hopkins) Williams. He attended
Port Talbot County School
Glan Afan Comprehensive School () was a mixed comprehensive school which served the town of Port Talbot, Wales, and its surrounding areas for 120 years. It was opened in 1896 as Port Talbot Intermediate School under the provisions of the Welsh I ...
and
Loughborough College after serving in the
Royal Navy during
World War II.
Rugby career
Williams began playing rugby in grammar school, and won his first
cap as a U-15 player with Wales against England. He continued at Loughborough, playing on the College XV. As a professional, Williams played
fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to:
Sports
* A position in various kinds of football, including:
** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position
** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...
for
Llanelli RFC and
London Welsh, as well as on the
Wales national rugby union team from 1950 to 1954. He won his first senior cap in the
Triple Crown deciding match against Ireland in 1950. In 1952, Williams played on the
Grand Slam winning team, and he was the fullback in the last Wales team to beat the
New Zealand All Blacks
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, ...
.
[
]
Post-rugby career
Williams was forced to retire from rugby due to a recurring collar-bone injury. In his post-rugby career, he became a school PE teacher in Harrow Grammar school, before moving to private education at Whitgift School in Croydon. He was better known for his frequent use of the slipper than any great craft as a maths or geography master.
Williams was the author of four rugby union training manuals:[
* ''Modern Rugby'' (1964)
* ''Schoolboy Rugby'' (1966)
* ''Tackle Rugger This Way'' (1968)
* ''Tackle Rugger'' (1975)
He died in Clare, Suffolk.
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Gerwyn
1924 births
2009 deaths
Barbarian F.C. players
Devonport Services R.F.C. players
Llanelli RFC players
London Welsh RFC players
People educated at Port Talbot County Boys' Grammar School
Royal Navy personnel of World War II
Rugby union fullbacks
Rugby union players from Neath Port Talbot
Taibach RFC players
Wales international rugby union players
Welsh rugby union coaches
Welsh rugby union players
Welsh sportswriters