Nathan Rocyn-Jones (17 July 1902 – 26 January 1984) 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 Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

full back who played club rugby for Newport Rugby Football Club and represented

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

. He won a single cap for

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

and after retiring from playing rugby became President of the

Welsh Rugby Union The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby. The WRU is responsible for the running ...

Rugby career

Rocyn-Jones came from a long-line of medical practitioners and his father, Sir

David Rocyn-Jones The Reverend Sir David Thomas Rocyn-Jones, CBE, K St J, DL, JP (16 November 1862 – 30 April 1953) was a Welsh medical officer of health and servant of multiple professional bodies within Wales. Professional career Rocyn-Jones was born in Rh ...

was

Medical Officer for Health A medical officer of health, also known as a medical health officer, chief health officer, chief public health officer or district medical officer, is the title commonly used for the senior government official of a health department, usually at a m ...

for Monmouthshire. While studying medicine at Cambridge, Rocyn-Jones represented the University, but it was while at

St Mary's Hospital, London St Mary's Hospital is an NHS hospital in Paddington, in the City of Westminster, London, founded in 1845. Since the UK's first academic health science centre was created in 2008, it has been operated by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, wh ...

, would gain his one and only cap for Wales, when he was selected to face Ireland as part of the 1925 Five Nations Championship. The game took place at Ravenhill, Belfast, and Wales were led by Llanelli's

Idris Jones Idris Jones (born 2 April 1943) is a retired Anglican bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. He was the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway from 1998 to 2009 and was also Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 2006 to 2009. Early life and e ...

. Wales were outclassed and lost 19-3. Although Rocyn-Jones did not play for Wales again, he served the club later in his career, when, like his father before him, he was made President of the Welsh Rugby Union. His presidency lasted a year, but his time coincided with the 1964-65

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

winning team. During his presidency, Rocyn-Jones clashed with the Welsh selectors, which included past Welsh players like Cliff Jones,

Harry Bowcott Henry Morgan Bowcott (30 April 1907 – 14 December 2004) was a Welsh international rugby union centre who played club rugby for Cardiff and London Welsh and later became president of the Welsh Rugby Union. Club career Bowcott was a product of t ...

and

Rees Stephens John Rees Glyn Stephens (16 April 1922 – 4 February 1998) was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Tonmawr RFC and Neath. He won 32 caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1950 tour ...

, over the nature of the Welsh play. Rocyn-Jones believed that the game was "essentially played for enjoyment and that too much emphasis could be placed on technical and tactical skill" .Smith (1980), pg 368.

International matches played

WalesSmith (1980), pg 467. * 1925

Bibliography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rocyn-Jones, Nathan 1902 births 1984 deaths 20th-century Welsh medical doctors Cambridge University R.U.F.C. players Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England Monmouthshire cricketers Newport RFC players Rugby union fullbacks Rugby union players from Abertillery Wales international rugby union players Wales Rugby Union officials Welsh cricketers Welsh rugby union players