Barry John

Rugby union player, born in Cefneithin, Carmarthenshire, SW Wales, UK. One of the greatest of a remarkable succession of Welsh outside-halves, he played 25 times for his country, scoring a then-record 90 points before retiring at the early age of 27. A devastating player with Llanelli and Cardiff at club level, his elusiveness and skill at dropping goals made him equally effective at international level. On the Lions tour of New Zealand in 1971 he scored 180 points.

Barry John (born 6 January 1945 in Cefneithin, Wales) is a Welsh rugby union footballer, considered by many to be the greatest fly-half in the sport's history.

John arrived at international level in circumstances that would have crippled a lesser player with nerves, making his first start against Australia on 3rd December 1966. The combination of John's cocksure confidence and ability to destroy defences saw Barry become a British Lion in South Africa in 1968. The British Lions series victory over the All Blacks made them the first (and so far only) Lions to win a series in New Zealand and stemmed from Barry John's boots.

In the First Test, under the orders of the Lions coach Carwyn James (also from Cefneithin), John terrorised New Zealand's fullback Fergie McCormick with ruthless tactical kicking. John was given his regal nickname, scoring 30 of the Lions 48 points over the four matches and cementing his reputation as one of the game's greatest players.

One year later, at the age of only 27, with only 25 Welsh caps and 5 British Lions caps, Barry John retired from the game. Such was the strength of Welsh rugby union in the '70s that John's premature departure could easily, but wrongly, be forgotten. So how does Barry John compare to more recent fly-halves like Michael Lynagh, Stephen Larkham, Jonny Wilkinson and Andrew Mehrtens? Modern day players are usually perceived to be much better kickers (particularly when kicking at goal) but it must be remembered that Barry John played with and kicked leather rugby balls, which are not as aerodynamically amenable to a kicker as today's rugby balls. Rodney Webb, the man who developed the modern rugby ball, also believes that John was the greatest kicker of all time. In the Seventies the balls soaked up water, swerved all over the place and were placed on muddy and sometimes uneven pitches (unlike many of today's professional rugby pitches) without the use of tees.

Most people remember Barry John for his ghostly runs through the heart of the toughest defences. Aficionados also remember with relish his unmatched tactical kicking with either foot and his ability to launch his centres (Mike Gibson played the best Rugby of his career outside Barry). In Bill Samuel's book Body and Soul Barry John is mentioned, with reference to his considerable array of precise attacking kicks, chips, grubbers, etc.

Barry John was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in the first draft.