View source for John Dawes

{{Short description|Welsh rugby union footballer and coach (1940–2021)}}
{{other people}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name           = John Dawes<br/>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}}}
| image          = John Dawes.jpg
| birth_name     = Sydney John Dawes
| birth_date     = {{birth date|df=yes|1940|6|29}}
| birth_place    = [[Abercarn]], [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]], Wales
| death_date     = 16 April 2021 (aged 80)
| height         =
| weight         = 
| school         = Lewis School Pengam
| university     = [[University College of Wales, Aberystwyth]]<br/>[[Loughborough College]]
| position       = [[Centre (rugby union)|Centre]]
| ru_currentteam = 
| amatyears1     = 
| amatteam1      = [[Newbridge RFC]] 
| amatteam2      =  [[London Welsh RFC]] 
| amatteam3      =  Leicestershire 
| amatteam4      =  Surrey
| amatteam5      = Middlesex
| amatteam6      = [[Barbarian F.C.]]
| years1         = 
| apps1          = 
| points1        = 
| repyears1      = 1964–1971 
| repyears2      =  [[1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1971]]
| repteam1       = [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]]<ref name="ESPN bio"/> 
| repteam2       =  [[British & Irish Lions|British Lions]]<ref name="ESPN bio"/>
| repcaps1       = 22
| repcaps2       = 4
| reppoints1     = 12
| reppoints2     = 0
}}

'''Sydney John Dawes ''' {{post-nominals|OBE}} (29 June 1940{{spnd}}16 April 2021)<ref name="ESPN bio"/> was a Welsh [[rugby union]] player, playing at [[Centre (rugby union)|centre]], and later coach. He captained [[London Welsh R.F.C.|London Welsh]], [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales]], the [[1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia|1971 British Lions]] and [[Barbarian F.C.|the Barbarians]]. He is credited with being a major influence in these teams' success, and in the attractive, attacking, free-flowing rugby they played. Dawes also had considerable success as a coach with Wales, and coached the [[1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand|1977 British Lions]]. He was appointed an [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[1972 New Year Honours]] List for services as Lions captain.<ref>United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |issue=45554 |date=31 December 1971 |pages=10   |supp=y}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Dawes was born in Chapel of Ease, part of [[Abercarn]], near [[Newbridge, Caerphilly|Newbridge]], on 29 June 1940.<ref name="ESPN bio">{{cite news|title=John Dawes – Rugby Union|url=http://en.espn.co.uk/wales/rugby/player/6889.html|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|work=ESPN Scrum|access-date=17 April 2021|archive-date=10 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210215412/http://www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/player/6889.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> His father was a colliery blacksmith.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/john-dawes-obituary-3c7pk3g76|title=John Dawes obituary|date=16 January 2024|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref> He was educated at [[Lewis School Pengam]], and later at [[University College of Wales, Aberystwyth]] where he earned a degree in chemistry.<ref name="BBC obit">{{cite news|title=Obituary: Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby legend John Dawes|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/56776411|date=16 April 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|publisher=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>

He later achieved a [[Postgraduate Certificate in Education|PGCE]] at [[Loughborough College]] whilst continuing to play rugby for Newbridge.<ref name="auto2"/>
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/john-dawes-obituary-the-only-man-to-captain-the-british-irish-lions-to-a-test-series-triumph-against-new-zealand-3204154|title=John Dawes obituary: The only man to captain the British & Irish Lions to a Test series triumph against New Zealand|date=16 April 2021|author=Andrew Baldock|website=The Scotsman|access-date=16 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-rugby-legend-john-dawes-20402587|title=Wales rugby legend John Dawes dies aged 80|first=Simon|last=Thomas|date=16 April 2021|website=Wales Online}}</ref>

By 1964 he had moved to London in support of his wife's ambitions as an opera singer. He worked as a chemistry teacher in Hounslow.<ref name="auto2"/>

== Rugby playing career ==
===Club===
Dawes played club rugby for [[Newbridge, Caerphilly|Newbridge]] in [[Monmouthshire (historic)|Monmouthshire]].

He then joined [[London Welsh R.F.C.|London Welsh]]. Dawes was appointed captain, and effectively also as coach, for the 1965–66 season, leading the club in a period of great success in the late 1960s. He initially significantly increased fitness levels, and then led the club in an open, running, quick-passing, attacking style of rugby, including an overlapping full-back, and relatively skilled forwards. One 1968–69 performance was described by journalist John Reason<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/iobituaryi-john-reason/OYS2FTHLFNNBL3B6AL6HHC2VJI/|title=Obituary: John Reason|website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/brendangallagher/2307779/About-Rugby-Special-tribute-to-John-Reason.html|title=About Rugby: Special tribute to John Reason|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=15 February 2007 }}</ref> as "one of the most brilliant exhibitions of club football it has been my privilege to see", and by journalist Terry O'Connor<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/3015852/Talking-Rugby-Union-Game-enriched-by-competitive-line-out.html|title=Talking Rugby Union: Game enriched by competitive line-out|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=30 October 2001 }}</ref> as "the finest display by a club team I can remember", further describing London Welsh "switching attacks with speed and handling skill".<ref name="auto">The Man Who Changed the World of Rugby – John Dawes and the Legendary 1971 British Lions, Ross Reyburn</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therugbyjournal.com/rugby-blog/john-dawes|title=John Dawes|website=Rugby Journal}}</ref>

===International===
Dawes won his first cap for Wales against [[Ireland national rugby union team|Ireland]] in 1964, and scored an interpassing try at pace.<ref name="ESPN bio"/> He was selected for Wales' first overseas tour later the same year and played in the Welsh rugby team's first match outside of Europe and its first in the Southern Hemisphere. He played against [[East Africa rugby union team|East Africa]] in Nairobi on 12 May 1964, Wales winning 26–8.<ref>{{cite news|title=The first Lions highlights ... with a delay|url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/15458257/the-first-lions-highlights-delay|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|work=ESPN|date=1 January 2000|access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref> He went on to make 22 appearances for Wales,<ref name="ESPN bio"/> captaining the side in six of them, including leading the [[Grand Slam (Rugby Union)|Grand Slam]] winning side of 1971.<ref name=AP>{{cite news|title=John Dawes, captain for Lions' series win in NZ, dies at 80|url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-europe-new-zealand-a1df8a9a9b3514938f7774344510879a|date=16 April 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|work=Associated Press News}}</ref>

=== British Lions and Barbarians ===
In 1971, Dawes was appointed captain of the British and Irish Lions side for the [[1971 British Lions tour to New Zealand|tour to New Zealand]]. This side, coached by [[Carwyn James]], became the first and so far the only Lions team to win a series in New Zealand.<ref name="BBC obit"/> [[Colin Meads]], New Zealand’s captain, said that Dawes could not be omitted from any contemporary world XV because of his influence on the overall team.<ref name="auto2"/>

Dawes is one of six captains to lead his side to a test series win on New Zealand soil, along with [[Philip J. Nel]] ([[1937 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia and New Zealand|1937 Springboks]]), [[Trevor Allan (rugby)|Trevor Allan]] ([[1949 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand|1949 Australia]]), [[Andrew Slack]] ([[1986 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand|1986 Australia]]), [[Philippe Saint-André]] ([[1994 France rugby union tour of Canada and New Zealand|1994 France]]) and [[Johnny Sexton]] ([[2022 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand|2022 Ireland]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=John Dawes, légende du rugby gallois, est mort|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/John-dawes-legende-du-rugby-gallois-est-mort/1243287|date=16 April 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|newspaper=L'Équipe}}</ref> He was honoured as the [[BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year]] at the end of that year.<ref name="BBC obit"/>

Dawes was also captain of the [[Barbarian F.C.|Barbarians]] side that beat New Zealand in Cardiff in 1973.<ref name="BBC obit"/><ref name="Guardian obit">{{cite news|title=John Dawes, Wales and British & Irish Lions legend, dies aged 80|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/apr/16/john-dawes-wales-and-british-irish-lions-legend-dies-aged-80|date=16 April 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London}}</ref>

== Rugby coaching career ==
Dawes acted as a coach, as well as captain, at London Welsh during the late 1960s and early 1970s.<ref name="BBC obit"/>

After retiring as a player, Dawes became coach of the Welsh national side in 1974, a post he held until 1979. This was one of the most successful periods in the history of Welsh rugby, with the team winning the [[Five Nations Championship]] four times in the five seasons between 1975 and 1979, including two Grand Slams.<ref name="BBC obit"/><ref name="Telegraph obit">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2021/04/16/john-dawes-former-lions-wales-captain-dies-age-80/|title=John Dawes, former Lions and Wales captain, dies at the age of 80|first1=Charles|last1=Richardson|first2=Daniel|last2=Schofield|first3=Tom|last3=Cary|date=16 April 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

Dawes also coached the [[1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand]], but was unable to repeat the success of 1971.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/john-dawes-obituary-3c7pk3g76|title=John Dawes obituary|date=18 April 2021 |via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref> [[Ian McGeechan]] has said of this tour "perhaps John, a natural player and leader in his time, was just not so good at putting things across," but others have pointed out that the 1977 Lions nearly drew the series, and that subsequent Lions tours to New Zealand fared much worse.<ref name="auto"/>

== Subsequent work and roles ==
In 1972 Dawes moved from teaching to a management post with the North London Polytechnic and then to a property development company. 
From 1980 to 1990 he worked in the paid role of coaching organiser for the WRU.<ref name="auto1"/>

Dawes was president of [[London Welsh RFC]] and wrote several books on rugby union.<ref name="London Welsh obit">{{cite news|title=John Dawes 1940–2021|url=https://www.londonwelshrfc.com/news/john-dawes-19402021-2610250.html|first=Jonathan|last=Shankland|date=16 April 2021|access-date=17 April 2021|publisher=London Welsh|archive-date=16 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416162135/https://www.londonwelshrfc.com/news/john-dawes-19402021-2610250.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Dawes met his wife Janette Morris at university.<ref name="auto1"/> They had two children and five grandchildren. Both his son Michael and grandson Rhodri played for London Welsh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/john-dawes-80-welsh-legend-18509612|title=John Dawes at 80, the Welsh legend who's lived a rugby life like no other|first1=Simon|last1=Thomas|date=29 June 2020|website=WalesOnline}}</ref> The marriage ended in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/11/john-dawes-obituary|title=John Dawes obituary|first=Richard|last=Williams|date=11 May 2021|newspaper=[[The Guardian]] }}</ref>

Dawes lived in Llandaff, Cardiff with his partner, Jill Mathias, for nearly 30 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/rugby-union/article/dawes-was-the-founding-father-of-rugbys-spectacular-decade-8fgjv3pg0|title=Dawes was the founding father of rugby's spectacular decade|first=Stephen|last=Jones|date=16 April 2021 |via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref name="Guardian obit"/> He enjoyed walking holidays and socialising with old friends.<ref name="auto2"/>

Dawes died on 16 April 2021<ref name="Telegraph obit"/> at age 80, of pneumonia. He had been ill for some time, and in hospital since the previous September.<ref name="auto3"/><ref name="Guardian obit"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20110526132642/http://www.wru.co.uk/14058_14083.php Wales profile]
* {{ESPNscrum}}

{{British and Irish Lions 1971}}
{{British and Irish Lions 1977}}
{{British and Irish Lions team captains}}
{{Barbarian RFC Captains in Internationals}}
{{BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year winners}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dawes, John}}
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of Loughborough University]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions coaches]]
[[Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Wales]]
[[Category:London Welsh RFC players]]
[[Category:Loughborough Students RUFC players]]
[[Category:Newbridge RFC players]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People educated at Lewis School, Pengam]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Newbridge, Caerphilly]]
[[Category:Rugby union centres]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Abercarn]]
[[Category:Wales international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Wales national rugby union team coaches]]
[[Category:Wales rugby union captains]]
[[Category:Welsh rugby union coaches]]
[[Category:Welsh rugby union players]]
[[Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees]]