Bleddyn Williams

Early life Born at Taff's Well, near Cardiff, he was the third of eight brothers Williams attended Rydal School in Colwyn Bay from the age of 14 until he was 18. He had already played for the Welsh Schoolboys in 1937 when he had been recommended for a scholarship to Rydal by legendary rugby player Wilf Wooller. At Rydal, he played at outside half and was seen as one of the school's star players and managed to play for Cardiff Athletic during the 1938/39 season before the outbreak of the war. He worked for the Steel Company of Wales. he was switched to and trained as a glider pilot, attached to the Glider Pilot Regiment. In 1953 he had the unique distinction of captaining his club (Cardiff), and his country (Wales), to victory against the touring New Zealand All Blacks.

Williams was a member of the 1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia and played three of the four tests against (missing the first test through injury ) and both tests against . He captained the Lions in the third and fourth tests against New Zealand, deputising for the injured captain Karl Mullen. Williams scored one international try for the Lions, in the first test against Australia.

Later life After injury forced him to retire at the age of 32 in 1955, Williams began a career in the media, establishing himself as an authoritative commentator on the game.

He was the president of Cardiff Athletic Club

Personal life Post war, Williams married Violet; the couple had a son and two daughters. In 1979, Violet gave Williams the Kiss of Life after he collapsed with an embolism.