Steve "Junna" Jones (19 October 1951 – 9 September 2007) 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 hooker, who played club rugby for

Pontypool RFC Pontypool Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in the town of Pontypool, which plays in the WRU Championship (known as the SWALEC Championship for sponsorship purposes). Due to the regionalisation of Welsh rugby in 2003, Pontypo ...

and

Newport RFC Newport Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Casnewydd) is a Welsh rugby union club based in the city of Newport, South Wales. They presently play in the Welsh Premier Division. Until 2021 Newport RFC were based at Rodney Parade situated on t ...

in the 1970s and 80s. He often played in a front row partnership with Staff Jones and

Graham Price Graham Price MBE (born 24 November 1951 in Moascar, Egypt) is a former Welsh rugby union player, who was a member of the famous Pontypool RFC front row known as the "Viet Gwent". He won 41 caps for , and a record 12 for the British and Irish Li ...

and was part of the 1983 Pontypool side to win the Schweppes Cup. Although he toured with a Welsh XV to Canada in 1980, the game did not grant the Welsh players any caps. Jones learnt his rugby under the tutelage of Laurie Daniel who was a former Welsh international who played for Pontypool and Newport. He later turned to coaching and in the 1996/97 season became the first full-time coach of Newport. In 1999, Jones became head coach at

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

and revitalised the club, signing experienced players such as Byron Hayward, Mark Jones and

Kuli Faletau Kuli Faletau (born 30 December 1963) is a Tongan former international rugby union player who played as a lock. He is Tonga's most capped forward. Career Faletau played as a lock, and played in 20 tests for Tonga between 1988 and 1999, scoring 2 tr ...

. Steve coached Pontypool to second place in the Welsh Division 1 in season 2001/2. In 2002/3 he coached Pontypool to the league championship, losing only 4 games in the process. In September 2005, he left Pontypool RFC to take up the coaching role at Newbridge. Jones died suddenly on 9 September 2007 aged 55. A memorial match between Newbridge legends and Pontypool legends was played on Thursday 27 December 2007. The game attracted a crowd of around 3,000 with famous former players such as Eddie Butler, David Bishop and Byron Hayward all taking part. Newbridge won the match 26–17

External links

Newport RFC player profiles
1951 births 2007 deaths Rugby union hookers Welsh rugby union coaches Welsh rugby union players Newport RFC players Pontypool RFC players {{Wales-rugbyunion-bio-stub