Bleddyn Williams

Born at Taff's Well, near Cardiff, he was the third of eight brothers Williams attended Rydal School in Colwyn Bay from the age of 14 until he was 18. He had already played for the Welsh Schoolboys in 1937 when he had been recommended for a scholarship to Rydal by legendary rugby player Wilf Wooller. At Rydal, he played at outside half and was seen as one of the school's star players and managed to play for Cardiff Athletic during the 1938/39 season before the outbreak of the war. He worked for the Steel Company of Wales. ==Second World War==

During the Second World War he joined the Royal Air Force. Trained as a fighter pilot in Arizona, he was switched to and trained as a glider pilot, attached to the Glider Pilot Regiment. Williams took part in various Commando and Parachute Regiment campaigns, piloting a glider in Operation Varsity – the crossing of the River Rhine into Germany – with a cargo of medical and radio supplies. He then spent a week sleeping rough, before bumping into his commanding officer, Hugh Bartlett DFC, the Sussex County Cricket Club batsman, on a Friday morning: "Williams aren't you meant to be at Welford Road tomorrow playing for Great Britain against the Dominions? They need you. Go now!" Williams caught the last supply plane to RAF Brize Norton that night, and although the team didn't win he did score a try. He couldn't win the match but did score a glorious try. He turned out for both the RAF and the Great Britain United rugby teams. ==Rugby career==

During war-time Williams joined Cardiff and switched his position to centre. He was offered £6,000 to play rugby league for Leeds but turned down the offer In 1953 he had the unique distinction of captaining his club (Cardiff), and his country (Wales), to victory against the touring New Zealand All Blacks. Williams was a member of the 1950 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia and played three of the four tests against (missing the first test through injury) and both tests against . He captained the Lions in the third and fourth tests against New Zealand, deputising for the injured captain Karl Mullen. Williams scored one international try for the Lions, in the first test against Australia. ==Later life==

After injury forced him to retire at the age of 32 in 1955, Williams began a career in the media, establishing himself as an authoritative commentator on the game. He was the president of Cardiff Athletic Club ==Personal life==

Post war, Williams married Violet; the couple had a son and two daughters. In 1979, Violet gave Williams the Kiss of Life after he collapsed with an embolism. ==References==