{{short description|Wales international rugby union footballer & coach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{One source| date = August 2017}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Gerwyn Williams | image = | caption = | birth_name = Gerwyn Williams | nickname = | birth_place = Glyncorrwg, Neath Port Talbot, Wales | birth_date = {{Birth date|1924|4|22|df=yes}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2009|2|10|1924|4|22|df=yes}} | death_place = Clare, England | height = | weight = | ru_position = Fullback | amatyears1 = | amatteam1 = Taibach RFC | amatteam2 = Devonport Services R.F.C. | amatteam3 = Royal Navy | amatteam4 = London Welsh RFC | amatteam5 = Llanelli RFC | amatteam6 = Middlesex | amatteam7 = Hampshire | amatteam8 = London Counties | amatteam9 = Barbarian F.C. | ru_amclubcaps = | ru_amclubpoints = | ru_amupdate = | repteam1 = Welsh Secondary Schools | repteam2 = Wales | repyears1 = | repyears2 = 1950-1954 | repcaps1 = | repcaps2 = 13 | reppoints1 = | reppoints2 = 0 | ru_ntupdate = | coachteams1 = Cambridge University | coachteams2 = Blackheath F.C. | coachteams3 = London Counties | coachyears1 = | ru_coachupdate = | other = | occupation = school teacher | spouse = | children = | relatives = | school = Port Talbot Grammar | university = Loughborough College | website = }} '''Gerwyn Williams''' (22 April 1924 – 10 February 2009) was a Welsh rugby union player, coach and author.
==Biography== Williams was born in Glyncorrwg, Glamorgan, the son of Ephraim and Catherin (Hopkins) Williams. He attended Port Talbot County School and Loughborough College after serving in the Royal Navy during World War II.<ref name=Obit>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/gerwyn-williams-rugby-fullback-who-helped-wales-beat-the-all-blacks-1637580.html |title=Gerwyn Williams: Rugby full-back who helped Wales beat the All Blacks |date=5 March 2009 |work=The Independent}}</ref>
==Rugby career== Williams began playing rugby in grammar school, and won his first cap as a U-15 player with Wales against England. He continued at Loughborough, playing on the College XV. As a professional, Williams played fullback for Llanelli RFC and London Welsh, as well as on the Wales national rugby union team from 1950 to 1954. He won his first senior cap in the Triple Crown deciding match against Ireland in 1950. In 1952, Williams played on the Grand Slam winning team, and he was the fullback in the last Wales team to beat the New Zealand All Blacks.<ref name=Obit/>
==Post-rugby career== Williams was forced to retire from rugby due to a recurring collar-bone injury. In his post-rugby career, he became a school PE teacher in Harrow Grammar school, before moving to private education at Whitgift School in Croydon. He was better known for his frequent use of the slipper than any great craft as a maths or geography master.
Williams was the author of four rugby union training manuals:<ref name=Obit/> * ''Modern Rugby'' (1964) * ''Schoolboy Rugby'' (1966) * ''Tackle Rugger This Way'' (1968) * ''Tackle Rugger'' (1975)
He died in Clare, Suffolk.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Gerwyn}} Category:1924 births Category:2009 deaths Category:Barbarian F.C. players Category:Devonport Services R.F.C. players Category:Llanelli RFC players Category:London Welsh RFC players Category:People educated at Port Talbot County Boys' Grammar School Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War II Category:Rugby union fullbacks Category:Rugby union players from Neath Port Talbot Category:Taibach RFC players Category:Wales international rugby union players Category:Welsh rugby union coaches Category:Welsh rugby union players Category:Welsh sportswriters Category:London Counties rugby union players