Gwyn Jones (rugby union)

Rhodri Gwyn Jones (born 5 October 1972)[1] is a former Wales international rugby union player. Jones played as a flanker and won 13 caps for Wales over a period of two years before a spinal injury ended his rugby career in December 1997.

Gwyn Jones
Birth nameRhodri Gwyn Jones
Date of birth (1972-10-05) 5 October 1972
Place of birthSwansea, Wales, UK
Height6 ft (183 cm)
Weight15 st (210 lb; 95 kg)
Occupation(s)Physician
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Cardiff Medicals RFC
Cardiff RFC		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1996-1997 Wales 13 (5)

Early life

Jones was born in Swansea in 1972.[2] He was educated at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin, then Ysgol Gyfun Gwŷr. He went on to Llandovery College and then Cardiff Medical School, where he played for Cardiff Medicals RFC.

Rugby career

Jones captained Wales at under 15 and under 17 level. He also won five caps for the under 18 level. He soon progressed to the Senior stage winning 13 caps for Wales, five of which as captain. He was the 109th Captain of Wales. His first cap was against Italy in 1996 and his last against New Zealand in 1997. Jones scored one international try.[2]

Jones suffered a spinal injury playing in his normal position of open-side flanker for his club Cardiff against Swansea in December 1997.[3] For five days after the accident he was unable to move from the chest down even though X-rays showed his spinal cord to be severely compressed rather than broken.[4]

At the time of the accident, he was 25 years old, captain of Wales and having attained 13 caps was expected to have a long and distinguished playing career. Jones never played again, but after an operation and extensive rehabilitation, which included learning to stand and walk again, he recovered sufficiently to develop a career as a rugby critic on both English and Welsh-language television[5] and returned to his career as a doctor in Cardiff.

In 2002 the Welsh Rugby Former International Players' Association and the Welsh Rugby Union honoured Jones with a Bravery Award.[6]

His great uncle, Ivor Jones, was capped by Wales and toured Australia and New Zealand in 1930 with the British and Irish Lions and also served as president of the Welsh Rugby Union.[7]

References
  1. Welsh Rugby Union player profiles
  2. "Gwyn Jones". ESPN. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  3. O'Neill, Sean (20 December 1997). "Wales rugby star will never play again". Electronic Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 2 November 2002.
  4. Philip, Robert (2 February 2005). "Welsh icon Jones walks tall in his new life". Electronic Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group.
  5. "Heineken win for Ospreys is vital for Welsh rugby - S4C's Gwyn Jones", s4c.cymru; retrieved 22 September 2015
  6. "Welsh Rugby Legends Name The Greatest of the Welsh Greats". WRU. 22 November 2002. Archived from the original on 1 August 2009. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  7. Philip, Robert (2 February 2005). "Welsh icon Jones walks tall in his new life". Retrieved 30 April 2016.
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