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Barry John is a legend of rugby who represented Wales in the 1960s and 70s.
Barry John Bio
Barry John is one of the finest Welsh rugby players of all time. He played as a fly half during the game’s amateur era and, despite retiring at the age of 27, he left the game as Wales’ highest point scorer. Barry John was inducted into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame in 2021.
Barry John began playing rugby as a schoolboy in 1962. During this time, he represented his local side, Cefneithin RFC. However, his obvious talent for the game meant he soon signed for Llanelli. Here, his impressive performances saw him selected for the national team for the first time in 1966.
Soon after, Barry John left Llanelli and signed for Cardiff, where he stayed until his retirement in 1972. Here, he formed a formidable half-back partnership with Gareth Edwards. As a result of their prowess and chemistry, the pair played together at all levels of the sport, representing Cardiff, Wales, the Barbarians and the British and Irish Lions.
The highlight of Barry John’s career came in 1971, when Wales won the Grand Slam at the Five Nations Championship for the first time since 1952. Following this success, he also played a pivotal role as the British and Irish Lions beat the All Blacks on their tour of New Zealand. During the tour, he played in all four tests as the Lions won 2-1.
Citing the pressures of fame and unreasonable expectation, Barry John retired from rugby in 1972. In total, he won 25 caps for Wales and five caps for the British and Irish Lions. Since his retirement from the sport, he’s become known as one of the great players of the modern era. He’s also been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame and the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
