John James WilliamsMBE (1 April 1948 – 29 October 2020), known universally as J. J. Williams, was a rugby union player who gained thirty caps for Wales as a winger.[4] In his early career, Williams was a talented sprinter, later becoming a member of the Wales rugby team that won the Five Nations Championship in 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1979, including Grand Slam wins in 1976 and 1978.[5]
Williams initially played rugby for Bridgend before joining Llanelli RFC, for whom he played a total of 223 games in nine seasons and scored 164 tries.[5]
He gained his first international cap in 1973 in a victory over France in Paris. He was rated as one of the fastest wingers in the game, and scored 12 tries in 30 appearances for Wales. He went on two British and Irish Lions tours, playing in all four tests in South Africa in 1974 and in three tests in New Zealand in 1977. He played a major role in the 1974 'invincible' series against South Africa, scoring two tries in each of the second and third tests (in so doing becoming the first British and Irish Lion to score two tries in the same test match in the 20th Century), and earning the title "The Welsh Whippet",[7] and a last-gasp try against Orange Free State to help preserve the Lions' unbeaten record.
Post retirement
Williams later ran a commercial and industrial painting company based in Pyle, near Bridgend.[8] He also fronted a consortium which offered to take over the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.[9] All three of his children have represented Wales at track and field events. His son Rhys was the Welsh track record holder in the 400 metres hurdles (49.09) in 2005.[10] In 2013 he helped to promote the Wales Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme [11]
He died on 29 October 2020 at the age of 72 from cancer. He is survived by his wife and three children.[12][2]
