John Faull (30 June 1933 – 21 June 2017) was a Welsh international number 8 who played club rugby for Swansea. He won twelve caps for Wales and was selected to play in the British Lions on the 1959 tour of Australia and New Zealand. His father, Wilfred Faull, was an international rugby referee and was president of the Welsh Rugby Union in the 1960s.[3]

John Faull
Birth nameJohn Faull
Date of birth(1933-06-30)30 June 1933
Place of birthMorriston, Wales[1]
Date of death21 June 2017(2017-06-21) (aged 83)
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight14 st 13 lb (95 kg)
SchoolBromsgrove School
SpouseAnne Munday
ChildrenJonathan Faull, Isobel Davies, Antonia Watkins
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1953–1963
1957–1958
Swansea RFC
Barbarian F.C.
()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1957–1960
1959
Wales[2]
British Lions
12
4
(3)
(5)

Rugby career edit

Faull joined Swansea in October 1953 at the age of twenty. In December of that year he was chosen to face the touring New Zealand national rugby union team alongside Len Blyth and Clem Thomas and he kicked two penalty goals, scoring all of Swansea's points in a memorable 6–6 draw.[4]

Faull made his Wales debut in the 1957 Five Nations Championship in a narrow win against Ireland. It was a difficult match played in terrible muddy conditions, and in the second half the entire Welsh team were allowed to retire to the changing rooms to change their kit to allow the referee to distinguish the teams. His second game for Wales was in the same tournament against France, and Faull scored his first international points when he scored a try. Faull played a total of twelve games for Wales including the 1958 test match against the touring Australians.

In 1959 he was selected to tour with the 1959 British Lions, and played in four test matches, one against Australia and three against New Zealand.

Personal life edit

John Faull married Anne Munday on 1 November 1959. They had three children; Jonathan Faull, Isabel Davies and Antonia Watkins and six grandchildren. They lived in Wales in Old Walls, Gower. He died on 21 June 2017.[5]

International matches played edit

Wales[6]


British Lions

Bibliography edit

  • Smith, David; Williams, Gareth (1980). Fields of Praise: The Official History of The Welsh Rugby Union. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-0766-3.

References edit

  1. ^ Ospreys player profiles[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Welsh Rugby Union player profiles[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Smith (1980), pg 361.
  4. ^ Smith (1980), pg 347.
  5. ^ "Latest News".
  6. ^ Smith (1980), pg 466.