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John Peter Rhys Williams was born on March 2, 1949 in Cardiff, Wales. After winning a British Junior tennis title at Wimbledon in 1966, he swapped his racquet for a career in rugby instead.
After studying medicine, Williams qualified to become a doctor and practiced as an orthopaedic surgeon alongside his rugby, which was an amateur sport at the time.
Impressing for London Welsh, JPR won his first Wales cap at senior level on February 1, 1969, against Scotland at Murrayfield. It was the first of 55 appearances for his country, scoring 36 points.
In 1971 and 1974 the brilliant full-back was outstanding for the British Lions as they triumphed on tours of New Zealand and South Africa.
Williams was a key man for Wales during a golden era for the sport in his country, playing a vital role in their 1971, 1976 and 1978 Grand Slam successes. He was also part of six Triple Crown winning teams.
JPR always enjoyed playing for Wales against England, scoring five tries in ten unbeaten test matches against their rivals from across the border.
He captained Wales five times, between 1978 and 1979, leading them to the Five Nations Championship and the Triple Crown.
In 1977 he was awarded an MBE for his services to rugby, and 20 years later he was inaugurated into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.
