John Patrick O'Shea (2 June 1940 – 24 April 2024) was a Wales international

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

player.

Career

Educated at Lewis School Pengam, along with

John Dawes Sydney John Dawes (29 June 194016 April 2021) was a Welsh rugby union player, playing at centre, and later coach. He captained London Welsh, Wales, the 1971 British Lions and the Barbarians. He is credited with being a major influence in t ...

, he was capped five times for Wales as a

prop A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

between 1967 and 1968. O'Shea was selected for the

1968 British Lions tour to South Africa In 1968 the British Lions toured South Africa. The tour was not successful in terms of international results, the Lions losing the Test series against South Africa by three matches to nil, with the other match drawn. The Lions won 15 of their ...

and played in the first international against . In the match against

Eastern Transvaal Mpumalanga () is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Nguni languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It shares bor ...

at Springs he became the first Lion ever to be sent off for foul play, after throwing a punch. He was then hit by a spectator while walking off which resulted in a brawl. Later in the tour while playing against

Rhodesia Rhodesia ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state, unrecognised state in Southern Africa that existed from 1965 to 1979. Rhodesia served as the ''de facto'' Succession of states, successor state to the ...

, he became the first Lions prop to score two tries in a game. O'Shea played club rugby for

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

between 1963 and 1970, becoming club captain in his final year. In total he played 213 games for them and scored 19 tries.

Personal life and death

John Patrick O'Shea was born in

Weston-Super-Mare Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...

, England, on 2 June 1940. O'Shea died from pneumonia on 24 April 2024, at the age of 83.

References

1940 births 2024 deaths Barbarian F.C. players British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Wales Cardiff RFC players Newbridge RFC players Newport HSOB RFC players People educated at Lewis School, Pengam Rugby union players from Weston-Super-Mare Rugby union props Wales international rugby union players Welsh people of Irish descent Welsh rugby union players {{Wales-rugbyunion-bio-stub