Gerwyn Williams

Gerwyn Williams (22 April 1924 – 10 February 2009) was a Welsh rugby union player, coach and author.

Gerwyn Williams

Birth name	Gerwyn Williams
Date of birth	(1924-04-22)22 April 1924
Place of birth	Glyncorrwg, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Date of death	10 February 2009(2009-02-10) (aged 84)
Place of death	Clare, England
School	Port Talbot Grammar
University	Loughborough College
Occupation(s)	school teacher
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fullback Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) Taibach RFC () – Devonport Services R.F.C. () – Royal Navy () – London Welsh RFC () – Llanelli RFC () – Middlesex () – Hampshire () – London Counties () – Barbarian F.C. () International career Years Team Apps (Points) Welsh Secondary Schools 1950-1954 Wales 13 (0) Coaching career Years Team Cambridge University – Blackheath F.C. – London Counties

Biography

Williams was born in Glyncorrwg, Glamorgan, the son of Ephraim and Catherin (Hopkins) Williams. He attended Port Talbot County School 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 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.

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.