Cliff Jones was a typical will-o-the-wisp Welsh outside half who starred for Wales Schools while at Llandovery College. He then headed to Cambridge University, where he won three Blues and earned the first of his 13 Welsh caps. Cambridge lost the 1933 Varsity Match to Oxford, but Jones helped them to triumph 29-4 at Twickenham in 1934.His final outing was in 1935, when the game ended in a draw.
In 1935 he was in the Wales team that defeated the touring All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park and he captained his country in the 1938 Home Nations Championship. He was part of the team that won the title in 1936 and in 1937 he played for the Barbarians. At club level he played for Pontypridd, Bridgend, London Welsh and Cardiff.
After hanging up his boots he remained in rugby by becoming a member of the Welsh Rugby Union General Committee as a Vice President. He was a member of the ‘Big Five’ selection panel from 1957 through to the Golden Era of the Seventies. He was also hugely influential in development of coaching in Wales and huge proponent of Mini Rugby. He became President of the WRU in its centenary season, 1980/81 and was awarded an OBE for his services to rugby.
Clifford William Jones (Rugby Player) Born in Porth on 12 March, 1914; Died on 27 November, 1990
