| Full name | Carwyn Rees James | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 November 1929 | ||
| Place of birth | Cefneithin, Wales | ||
| Date of death | 10 January 1983 (aged 53) | ||
| Place of death | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| School | Gwendraeth Grammar School | ||
| University | Aberystwyth University | ||
| Occupation(s) | Teacher | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | fly-half | ||
| Amateur clubs | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
| Llanelli RFC London Welsh RFC Barbarian F.C. Devonport Services R.F.C. |
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| correct as of 2007-05-10. | |||
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
| 1958 | Wales | 2 | (3) |
| correct as of 2010-01-02. | |||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club / team | ||
1971 |
Llanelli RFC British Lions Rugby Rovigo |
||
| correct as of 2007-05-10. | |||
| Rugby union career | |||
Carwyn Rees James (2 November 1929 – 10 January 1983)[1] was a Welsh rugby union player and coach. He won two Welsh international caps but is most famous for his coaching achievements for both Llanelli and the British Lions.
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He was born in 1929, the son of a coalminer, in Cefneithin in the Gwendraeth Valley. A teacher by profession and later a lecturer at Trinity College, Carmarthen, he played fly-half for Llanelli, playing his first game while still at Gwendraeth Grammar School. He was capped for Wales twice in 1958, the second time at centre, but would probably have gained more caps had he not been in competition with Cliff Morgan for the fly-half spot.
He gained distinction as a coach with Llanelli, whom he coached to four Welsh Cups between 1973 and 1976 and was coach when they won their famous victory over the All Blacks at Stradey Park, Llanelli, in 1972. He never coached the Welsh national side, largely because of his belief that the coach should chair the selectors' meetings and be responsible for choosing the other selectors. However he was coach of the 1971 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, the only Lions side ever to win a series against the All Blacks. His coaching style was said to involve quiet words with players and half-suggestions rather than orders. He was a strong believer in attacking rugby, with the attitude that if a team had possession of the ball it should be able to attack, regardless of the position on the field.
A Welsh speaker and Welsh nationalist, James stood as Plaid Cymru candidate in Llanelli in the 1970 General Election. He was also an opponent of apartheid and during the controversial 1969/70 Springbok tour he prepared the Llanelli team but stayed in the dressing room as a protest. In his later years he became a noted broadcaster on the game in Wales. He died suddenly in a hotel room in Amsterdam in 1983. The sports building of Aberystwyth University is named after him, as is the playing field at Cefneithin RFC.
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