Many thanks indeed Kerry!
Subject: Crystal Spheres Rugby.
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:07:40 +0000 (GMT)
Dear Myron, Please find the latest update to the introduction of Crystal Spheres.    At Pontardawe Grammar School, Myron is proud to have played rugby once as full back against Gethin Edwards who was in the same class as Myron in the sixth form (1966-68). Gethin did not turn out to be a sporting legend, but his older brother Gareth who attended Pontardawe Technical School and Millfield public school did! Gareth was the inside half of the great Welsh Rugby team of the late seventies which was full of stars from the world of Welsh Rugby. Considered great at that time, Gareth is now widely believed to be the greatest Welsh rugby player of all time, especially around the town of Pontardawe. Gareth was also a coal miner’s son and was born in Pontardawe in 1947 and at twenty years old became Wales’s youngest ever captain. He became the only choice for Wales as scrum half between 1967 and 1978 and played many games for Wales with Phil Bennett as outside half. Phil Bennett was a coal miner born in 1948 in Felinfoel (which is near Pontardawe) and played for Llanelli Ruby Club. In 1973 at Cardiff Arms Park Bennett and Davies were playing for the Barbarians against the all blacks when Bennett caught the ball from a New Zealand kick near his own line. Bennett quickly side-stepped the New Zealand opposition and passed the ball to J. P. R. Williams and on to Pullin, John Dawes (Captain), Tommy David and Quinell, before Edwards dived to score in the left hand corner. The try is often considered to be the greatest try in the history of the game and John Dawes went on to become one of Wales’s greatest ever coaches at a time when Wales was at its zenith in the game between 1974 and 1979.      John Dawes was born in 1940 in Abercarn at the other side of the coalfield in the Eastern Valley of Monmouthshire (which later became Gwent), near where Kerry Pendergast and Gareth Evans also originated. Dawes studied for his degree in chemistry at the Edward Davies Chemical Laboratories in Aberystwyth and went on to Captain the British Lions team that won the series in New Zealand in 1971.  The Lion’s Coach for the 1971 tour of New Zealand was the twice capped Carwyn James who like Dawes had also graduated from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.       Carwyn James was born in Cefneithin the village seven miles from Ammanford and nine miles from Llanelli, where Barry John was also born.  Barry John is one of Wales’ most revered outside halves and is known as ‘The King’.  Carwyn played rugby for Aberystwyth University until completing his degree in Welsh in 1971 and went on to play rugby for the Welsh national side and was the coach for Llanelli at the time when they beat the touring New Zealand team (Zeland Newydd) 9 points to 3 in 1971.      Barry John gained his place as the Welsh outside half, when the great David Watkins ‘went north’ to play for Salford in Rugby League. Watkins was born in Blaina (Kerry’s home town) and in those days, once a player had played rugby league he was banned from playing rugby union. While playing for Salford, Watkins gained the record for the most points scored by a player in a season.  Barry John made his name playing outside half in the famous 1971 Lion’s tour of New Zealand by scoring thirty of the Lion’s forty-eight points over the four tests. Gareth Edwards and Barry John made a formidable pair as the two Welsh half backs under the stewardship of Carwyn James. Carwyn James the coach was the tactician who contributed to the series win and the new sports building on the Penglais Campus in Aberystwyth is named in Carwyn James’ honor and he has a been given a place in the Aberystwyth Hall of Fame (as has Myron Evans) at www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/halloffame/alumni/      Myron as a boy also took the usual interest in the rough and ready village soccer and cricket and his father often took him to see ‘The Swans’- Swansea Town, later called Swansea City. At the time they included Mel Charles, the younger brother of the great John Charles and also Herbie Williams. Kerry
