Probably my favourite ever rugby player. R.I.P. Barry. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68170605
A Prince amongst players.... from The Outside half factory by Max Boyce.. "But now the belts are empty, came a sadness with the dawn. And the body-press is idle, and the valley's blinds are drawn. Disaster struck this morning when a fitter's mate named Ron Cracked the mould of solid gold, that once made Barry John."
A player admired by everyone no matter who they suported. Many of our heroes seems to be disappearing from us. A sad day.
One of those when growing up you knew who he was even if you weren’t into Rugby, before the days of social media so you only had BBC and daily papers etc., great player and part of a great team too. He seemed like a legend even when he was still playing if that makes sense
RIP and very sad news. One more of the names I remember fondly when watching Grandstand as a lad. I can name more of that Welsh team than I can of Englands from that era
Exactly pal, only English player I can remember from that era was David Duckham who was a winger I think
Gareth Edwards, in his 1978 autobiography, when describing John, wrote: He had this marvellous easiness in the mind, reducing problems to their simplest form, backing his own talent all the time. One success on the field bred another and soon he gave off a cool superiority which spread to others in the side. Physically he was perfectly made for the job, good and strong from the hips down and firm but slender from the waist to the shoulders.[74] J.P.R. Williams regarded John as "“Without doubt, the greatest player I played with."[75]
