John Albert Gwilliam was born on February 28, 1923, in Pontypridd and died in December 2016.

He was a Welsh rugby union player and schoolteacher.

He played as a “No. 8” Gwilliam played international rugby for Wales and club rugby for Cambridge University, Edinburgh Wanderers, Gloucester, Newport, London Welsh, Llanelli and Wasps.

John Gwilliam captained the Wales rugby union team when they achieved Grand Slam victories in the 1950 and 1952 Five Nations Championships.

He was the son of Thomas Albert and Adela Audrey Gwilliam.

John attended Monmouth School and went up to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1941.

He spent a year at Cambridge, John was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Tank Regiment and saw action in Europe.

John Gwilliam passed away at 93 years old.