Farewell to ‘The King’, Remembering Barry John, Welsh Rugby Legend

The world of Welsh football is currently in a state of shock. Following the tragic demise of JPR Williams, Barry ‘The King’ John also passed away recently. According to the reports, John was 79 years of age at the time of his demise and passed away peacefully while being admitted to the University Hospital of Wales. Such back-to-back news has shocked the community and more so, because John was much more than a mere player of the game. 

Popularly known as ‘The King’ his contribution towards the development of the game in Wales was unmatched. While there might be several athletes who can be touted as impeccable, John was truly the best of them. This can be attributed to the fact that a group of immensely critical journalists from New Zealand vested him with the nickname ‘The King’. As the community mourns the loss, let us look back to his exceptional playing days. 

A throwback to the golden days of Barry John

Barry John played as a fly-back for his country and for the Lions. According to popular beliefs, it was perceived that the late athlete “glided” throughout the field as he made football look effortless. John initiated and mastered the craft of football from his mentor, Carwyn James. After Carwyn ventured off to the professional ranks, John filled in his void at The Lions in 1967. 

However, the road was not at all smooth from thereon for the legend. In the first test against South Africa, the brutal side of the game took a heavy toll as he dislocated his collarbone in Pretoria. But Barry John was a champion. Despite the initial setback, John came back ever so stronger and proved his mettle to be one of the best. He donned the colors of his country 25 times while making five Test match appearances for The Lions. One of his most notable performances came when he single-handedly led The Lions in the 1971 tour of New Zealand. 

John also had a great run in 1968, which, unfortunately, was marred by the defeat The Lions faced. However, the tour pretty much sealed the elite status for John. The tour was heavily plagued by rusty weather conditions. Despite the adversities, John went on to accumulate a whopping 188 points that made life extremely difficult for his opposition. However, much to the surprise of the fans, Barry John decided to hang up his gear at a young age of 27. John retired at Cardiff, after representing Wales in a Test match against France in 1972. 

Mourning the loss of the legend, John’s family issued an official statement on Sunday that read, “Barry John died peacefully today at the University Hospital of Wales surrounded by his loving wife and four children. He was a loving dadcu [grandfather] to his 11 grandchildren and a much loved brother.” Apart from his family, friends and peers also joined in to reminisce about the King. 

Peers extend their heartfelt condolences 

During John’s South Africa tour, he struck up a great bond of friendship with Gareth Edwards. He stated that John’s early retirement instilled in him a deep sense of missing out since they were so close. Speaking about their brotherly bond, Edwards pointed out that he was the one who helped John with his trousers and t-shirts during his collarbone injury. Speaking about John’s on-field skills, he further said, “Barry was such a contrast to me as a personality. Before matches, I was full of nervous energy. He took everything calmly and in his stride, but once he stepped out beyond that white line, the man was immense.”

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Other than Edwards, noted Welsh footballer, Jonathan Davies referred to John as his “hero”, via a post on X. The President of the Welsh Rugby Union, Terry Cobner said that this was a huge loss for the community while terming him as the “greatest fly-half of all time”.  

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