Ken Jones (rugby union, born 1941)
David Kenneth Jones (born 7 August 1941)[1] is a former Wales international rugby union player.
| Birth name | David Kenneth Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 7 August 1941 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Gwendraeth Grammar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University College, Cardiff Oxford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | teacher industrialist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life and education
Jones was educated at Gwendraeth Grammar School; University College, Cardiff, where he took a BSc in 1963; and Merton College, Oxford (1963-4). Whilst at Oxford he played for Oxford University RFC.[2]
Rugby career
He was capped fourteen times by Wales as a centre between 1962 and 1966.[3] He scored five tries for Wales. He was selected for Wales' first overseas tour in 1964 and played in the Welsh rugby team's first match outside of Europe (and its first in the Southern Hemisphere) against East Africa in Nairobi on 12 May 1964, Wales winning 8-26.
Jones was only 19 when selected for the 1962 British Lions tour to South Africa and played in the first three internationals, scoring one try. He stayed in South Africa after the 1962 tour where he played for Paarl. He was also selected for the 1966 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand, and played in both internationals against Australia and the first international against the All Blacks, scoring two tries in the latter match. He also toured South Africa with Wales in 1964.
As a student he was offered professional contract by Leeds rugby league and again by St George in Australia during the 1966 Lions tour but resolved to stay in rugby union on both occasions. Leeds offer of £10,000 would have been a world record fee at the time. Jones retired from rugby at 27 having played club rugby for Llanelli and Cardiff where he spent 5 years at each club.
After retirement from rugby at 27, Jones worked for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in Wales as part of a team charged with attracting inward investment from Japanese corporates into Wales. Jones helped bring Takiron (the plastics subsidiary of Itochu, a Japanese multi-national) to Wales and was offered the role of MD before subsequently becoming its chairman.
Children 2 – Mark Gibbard-Jones and Sara Johnson (née Sara Gibbard-Jones)
References
- Griffiths, John (1987). The Phoenix Book of International Rugby Records. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. pp. 12:30. ISBN 0-460-07003-7.
- Levens, R.G.C., ed. (1964). Merton College Register 1900-1964. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 549.
- Griffiths, page 4:34-4:35