Barry John, Welsh Rugby Great, Dies At 79. Known As ‘The King’ Because Of His Flyhalf Wizardry – News18

CARDIFF, Wales: Barry John, the rugby nice who performed 25 video games for Wales and impressed the British and Irish Lions’ well-known sequence victory over New Zealand in 1971 earlier than retiring on the age of 27, has died. He was 79.

John’s household introduced his loss of life Sunday in an announcement launched to British media, saying he died peacefully within the hospital.

Known for his wizardry at flyhalf and regarded by some as rugby’s first famous person, John made his debut for Wales in 1966 and shortly struck up a partnership within the nationwide crew with scrumhalf Gareth Edwards that flourished for his nation and for the Lions.

John was partnered by Edwards in 23 of his worldwide appearances for Wales, plus all 5 of his check matches for the Lions — one towards South Africa in 1968 and 4 towards New Zealand in ’71 when the touring crew received the sequence 2-1 towards the All Blacks.

During that New Zealand tour, native journalists gave John the nickname “The King.”

John performed his membership rugby for Llanelli after which Cardiff.

“Barry John died peacefully today at the University Hospital of Wales surrounded by his loving wife and four children,” the household assertion learn.

“He was a loving dad to his 11 grandchildren and much-loved brother.”

Cardiff mentioned the membership was “devastated” to lean of the loss of life of John, who it described as an “absolute icon.”

“Long live the King,” Cardiff mentioned.

The Lions mentioned on its official account on X, previously Twitter, that John “inspired so many and will forever be remembered for how much he gave to the sport.”

John’s loss of life comes 4 weeks after that of one other Wales rugby nice, JPR Williams.

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)