Ken Jones

1951–1953 Much was expected of the Welsh team in the 1951 season after the Grand Slam had been taken the year before, but the resulting championship was made up of mixed performances. Jones scored a try in an emphatic win against England in January, but found himself on the losing team when an unfancied Scotland beat Wales 19–0 at Murrayfield. After a draw against Ireland, Jones scored with a try against France in the last game of the season, but these was the only Welsh points in an 8–3 loss.

The next season saw a resurgent Wales, in which Jones scored against all three home nation teams. The opening game with England turned out to be the championship decider. While Lewis Jones was off the pitch receiving treatment for an injury, England took the numerical advantage scoring two tries through Albert Agar and Ted Woodward. In the second half the Welsh forwards dominated, especially in the line out, and in the resulting pressure Jones scored two tries, one converted by Malcolm Thomas, which gave Wales victory. The matches against Ireland and Scotland were won without Wales hitting their best form, and the final match against France was won despite the poor Welsh kicking. Jones had now collected his second Grand Slam trophy with Wales, and had played 25 consecutive games for his country.

The 1953 Five Nations Championship saw another good Welsh run, losing only to eventual champions England. Jones was again picked for all four games, but only managed a single try against Scotland. 1953 also saw the arrival in Wales of the touring New Zealand team. On 19 December, Wales and the All Blacks met at the Cardiff Arms Park with the New Zealand team so far unbeaten in the tour. Welsh hopes were raised after two New Zealand draws against Swansea and Ulster, and Wales were favourites to win the contest. The game did not start as was expected, and Wales were chasing the game after New Zealand took an early lead. In the last twenty minutes Wales appeared to raise their game and started playing offensive rugby. Gareth Griffiths returned to the field despite dislocating his shoulder and Clem Thomas moved back into the pack and the Welsh play became more focused. Gwyn Rowlands kicked a penalty to bring the scores level and with five minutes to go Clem Thomas made a dash down the left hand touchline. With his path cut off by the All Black defense, Thomas cross-kicked the ball for Jones to take it on the bounce. Jones rounded Ron Jarden on the inside and scored his most memorable and final try of his Welsh career. Wales took the Championship title again, but on this occasion losing to Ireland to prevent a Welsh Grand Slam and Triple Crown. Jones again played all four games, and again failed to score a try in any of them, though in the last match of the campaign against France on 24 March, Jones won his 43rd cap. This made him the most-capped player in world rugby, beating the record held by Ireland's George Stephenson. The next season, in the opening game against England, Wales ran out for the first time since rugby resumed in 1947 without Ken Jones. Jones was dropped by the selectors breaking his consecutive run of 43 matches. The next match, in a Welsh loss against Scotland, Jones played his very last international game for Wales. Jones was once quoted as saying, 'People ask me often which match I enjoyed most, the truth is I enjoyed them all. It was a marvellous experience playing for Wales.'

International matches played for Wales Wales 1947 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956 1953 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957 1951

British Lions Throughout his career, Jones suffered a lack of scoring opportunities, at club and international level. Even when alongside the likes of Welsh midfield star players such as Bleddyn Williams and Cliff Morgan, Jones scored very few tries for a wing of his class. This would change when Jones was selected to play in the 1950 tour of Australia and New Zealand. Selected for 17 of the games, including three of the four tests against New Zealand, Jones scored 17 tries and was chosen as one of the five Players of the Year for the tour.

Jones's greatest moment in the tour came in the Fourth Test against New Zealand. In this match Jones found himself playing against an equally fast track sprinter in the All Black's Peter Henderson.

In the 1960 Queen's Birthday Honours he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), "For services to Welsh Rugby Football".

Jones has also been honoured by the sporting and journalist communities. In 1954 he was the inaugural winner of the BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year and was also chosen as the first rugby union inductee into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 1990,

Competition record