John Conway Rees (13 January 1870 – 30 August 1932) 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 ...

international rugby union player.

Life

Rees was born in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. He was educated at Llandovery College and Jesus College, Oxford (graduating in 1894) and was the first Welshman to captain

Oxford University RFC The Oxford University Rugby Football Club (Oxford University RFC or OURFC) is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham. History Men's team ...

. He introduced the four three quarters system, playing at centre-three-quarter. He played for Cardiff, the Barbarians, the London Welsh,

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

Blackheath Blackheath may refer to: Places England *Blackheath, London, England ** Blackheath railway station **Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, an ancient hundred in the north west of the county of Kent, England *Blackheath, Surrey, England ** Hundred of Blackh ...

and Llanelli. He played for the Welsh national side on three occasions in the Home Nations Championship. His debut was on 6 February 1892 against Scotland. His other two appearances were against England, once in 1893 (the season when Wales first won the Triple Crown) and again in 1894. Rees taught at Sherborne School,

Rossall School Rossall School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for 0–18 year olds, between Cleveleys and Fleetwood, Lancashire. Rossall was founded in 1844 by St Vincent Beechey as a sister school to Marlborough College ...

and

Giggleswick School Giggleswick School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in Giggleswick, near Settle, North Yorkshire, England. Early school In 1499, Giggleswick School was founded on half an acre of land leased by the Prior an ...

, before spending the last thirty years of his life working as a teacher in India. He died on 30 August 1932.

References

1870 births 1932 deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Barbarian F.C. players Cardiff RFC players Carmarthenshire cricketers Cricketers from Llandovery Llanelli RFC players London Welsh RFC players Oxford University RFC players People educated at Llandovery College Rugby union centres Rugby union players from Llandovery Wales international rugby union players Welsh cricketers Welsh rugby union players Welsh schoolteachers {{Wales-rugbyunion-bio-stub