has touched down between the Pearly Gates.
Perhaps “the” legend of Welsh rugby and so closely on the heels of JPR
Williams and Malcolm Price barely a month ago. It’s not even a year
since Viet Gwent stalwart Charlie Faulkner pushed over for the last
time.
It’s all a bit of a shock, really. Phil Bennett in 2022, JJ Williams in
2020, Ray Gravell and Merv “The Swerve” Davies some years back. Growing
up in the Valleys in the 70s, these were my childhood heroes.
In the words of Max Boyce:
I had a dream the other night; the strangest dream of all
I dreamt I was in Heaven, away from life’s hard call
It was as I imagined: where peace reigned all supreme
The signs to Heaven were in all in Welsh, Hell’s signs were painted green[1]
I entered through the heavenly gate; I heard the heavenly band
And there was John the Baptist, on Barry John’s right hand
He plays for the Heaven Welsh Fifteen. They’re very fit and keen
We’d play the Heaven English, if they could only raise a team
[1] A reference to road signs in Wales that were written in English
being daubed with green paint.