John Dawes: The man with a chemistry degree who led Lions and Wales to success
Whether it was as a player or a coach, John Dawes had the Midas touch.
Welshman Dawes, who has died at the age of 80, remains the only player to have captained the British and Irish Lions to a Test series triumph against New Zealand.
But not content with that spectacular success 50 years ago, he also skippered Wales to a Five Nations Grand Slam and forged an enviable coaching reputation, masterminding four Five Nations titles and two Grand Slams in five years during Wales’ 1970s golden era when players like Phil Bennett, Gerald Davies and JPR Williams reigned supreme.
Dawes coached the Lions when they returned to New Zealand in 1977, and although it proved unsuccessful in terms of the Tests, his place among rugby royalty had already been confirmed.
Born in the south Wales valleys village of Abercarn, near Newbridge, on June 29, 1940, Dawes attended Lewis School Pengam, whose fellow past pupils include former MP Neil Kinnock and British Army veteran Simon Weston.
He then headed to University College of Wales, Aberystwyth – where he gained a chemistry degree – and Loughborough College.
Dawes’ rugby career began at Newbridge, where he shone as a centre, before making a pivotal move to London and becoming a driving force behind Richmond-based London Welsh’s emergence as arguably the leading club side in world rugby.
Dawes, who made his Wales debut against Ireland in 1964 – he won 22 caps across seven years, skippering his country on six occasions – was appointed captain of the Exiles, and effectively worked as player-coach from the 1965-66 season.
He evolved a playing style based around high fitness levels and pace of movement with the ball. With players such as Williams, John Taylor and Mervyn Davies alongside him, he inspired London Welsh to memorable heights of consistency and excellence.
Former Wales flanker Dai Morris once described opposing Dawes’ team as like “facing the Harlem Globetrotters with studs on”.
After Dawes captained Wales to a Grand Slam in 1971, his appointment as Lions leader in New Zealand alongside coach and fellow Welshman Carwyn James, surprised no-one, and both men rose to the challenge superbly.
A 26-game tour lasted for three months, and the Lions suffered a solitary defeat in New Zealand – a second Test reversal in Christchurch – but victories in Dunedin and Wellington, before a fourth Test draw at Eden Park, Auckland, ensured that history was made.
“You didn’t realise at the time just how big a thing we were achieving, not at all,” Dawes said, in an interview with Wales Online last year.
“The memory of it all is one of great pleasure and luck of being in the right place at the right time, and playing with a great bunch of boys of all nationalities. You live with these boys, you travel with these boys and it was just a thrill.
“Everyone was part of it, there were no superstars, and playing under Carwyn James, who was a gentleman, was top class. It was such an experience.”
If that tour was to provide a lifetime memory, then so too did the 1973 Barbarians versus New Zealand encounter in Cardiff, when Dawes, who was awarded an OBE a year earlier, captained the Baa-baas and played his part in what is still widely regarded as rugby union’s greatest try.
It was scored by Gareth Edwards and described by BBC match commentator Cliff Morgan as follows: “Kirkpatrick to Williams. This is great stuff. Phil Bennett covering. Chased by Alistair Scown. Brilliant. Oh, that’s brilliant. John Williams, Bryan Williams. Pullin. John Dawes, great dummy. To David, Tom David, the halfway line. Brilliant by Quinnell. This is Gareth Edwards. A dramatic start. What a score!”
It was box-office rugby that had Dawes’ stamp all over it, and he subsequently recalled in an interview with The Independent: “I’ve lived on that for dinner after dinner. People always say to me, ‘was it a dummy?’ And I say, ‘If Cliff Morgan says it was a dummy, then it was a dummy’.”
He coached Wales until 1979, enjoying considerable success, and he was later inducted into the Welsh rugby international players’ hall of fame, and then World Rugby’s hall of fame.
Dawes went on to become Wales’ national coaching organiser – a full-time role – which was a position he held until 1990. After a spell in London, he moved back to Cardiff in 1998, when he effectively retired.
Dawes is survived by his partner Jill, two children – Michael and Catherine – he had with wife Jan, and five grandchildren.
Michael played for London Welsh, and Dawes’ grandson Rhodri has been a London Welsh first-team regular for the past three seasons.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments