- Barry John passes away
- Wales fly-half legend
- Tributes pour in
It is common to overstate the term “genius” in the context of sports, but in Barry John’s case, it seems more than appropriate. A month after the death of another Welsh legend, JPR Williams, the 79-year-old Wales and Lions fly-half has passed away. John’s death is made all the more poignant by the fact that it occurred hours after one of the greatest Welsh comebacks in their 27-26 Six Nations loss to Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday.
“Barry John passed away peacefully today at the University Hospital of Wales, surrounded by his devoted wife and four children,” read a statement issued by his family on Sunday. He was an adoring sibling and a devoted father to his eleven grandchildren.
Over the years, the fly-half factory in Wales has produced some exemplary products; therefore, debates in bars will continue regarding the ultimate great. Cliff Morgan, David Watkins, and the brilliant Phil Bennett, who succeeded John in the No. 10 jersey, each had their supporters. Jonathan Davies and Stephen Jones, a points juggernaut, have recently been added to the talent pool. However, everyone would have concurred that John was in a league of his own. Indeed, having received the acclaim of “the King” from a group of discerning journalists in New Zealand likely grants you the presumption that your work is superior to that of your contemporaries.
In 1971, he was the centre of attention during the Lions’ triumphant tour of New Zealand.
John, who had been on a losing Lions tour in 1968, managed to leave would-be tacklers gasping for oxygen despite the deplorable weather in New Zealand. John was at his apogee at that moment. Not only did his evasive running earn him 188 points during the tour, but it also caused the residents to remove their caps. His tactical acumen and precise goal-kicking contributed to the All Blacks’ demise.
With the passage of time, John vanished. The following year, due to the Troubles in Ireland, Wales were unable to secure a grand slam, and John retired at the age of 27.
Rugby Legend’s Journey and Legacy
Adoration and mobs greeted him in his native country, compared to George Best. Although John was a modest individual, rugby union was an amateur sport. The cashier reprimanded him during his bank visit, culminating his restrained reaction. Bennett, a prince of fly-halves in his own right, initiated a golden age of Welsh rugby by assuming the No. 10 jersey.
At Llanelli, another Welsh great, Carwyn James, instructed John in the art of fly-half play, and in 1966, he temporarily replaced Watkins in the Wales squad. In the autumn of 1967, when Watkins turned professional, the position became his, and John’s performance the following year earned him a roster spot with the Lions. However, due to the difficult conditions in South Africa, the young man was unable to continue with the tour after breaking his collarbone in a heavy challenge during the first Test in Pretoria.
John’s unwavering resolve to achieve success in 1971 originated from his disappointment in South Africa. Despite the formidable All Blacks pack dominating the Lions up front, the visitors’ backs – with half-back Gareth Edwards with whom John shared an indomitable alliance – were unconquerable.
While John is primarily renowned for his exploits as a running fly-half, he, similar to JPR Williams, had considerable experience with the muscular aspects of rugby. During the 1971 Welsh grand slam victory, he displayed his bravery by breaking his nose during a challenge on France’s brutish forward Benoit Dauga.
Life Beyond the Game
John was unable to return to the game after he withdrew in 1972. He had established himself as a journalist by that point, having written an autobiography and joined a newspaper column, and similar to Best, he frequently experienced unease in the presence of renown. John, much like Best, possessed a deviant aspect to his personality and frequently delighted in consuming an excess of the difficult items.
Edwards stated that the moment his companion ended their relationship, he lost a piece of himself. After sharing a room for years during our time together with Cardiff, Wales, and the Lions, it is safe to say that I knew Barry better than anyone else. Edwards remarked, “When he fractured his collarbone in South Africa, I assisted him in donning his trousers and buttoning his shirts.”
“Barry was an absolute contrast in terms of personality to mine.”
Prior to matches, I was brimming with anxious energy. “He approached everything with composure and ease, but as soon as he crossed that white line, the man became enormous.”
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John had already established his impact on the sport over fifty years ago, despite appearing only in five Tests for the Lions and 25 times for Wales. Jonathan Davies, one of the most illustrious Welsh players of the 1980s and 1990s, wrote on X: “RIP Barry – another of my heroes has passed away tragically.” Terry Cobner, the president of the Welsh Rugby Union and a former Wales back rower who toured with the Lions in 1977, remarked that John was “likely the greatest fly-half of all time.”
“In addition to the recent deaths of Brian Price and JPR, this is an additional devastating blow for Welsh rugby,” Cobner continued.
