Billy James (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
William John "Billy" James (born 18 July 1956) is a former Welsh
international rugby union
player.
A hooker, he captained the Wales national rugby union team
on one occasion against Ireland in 1987. James played his club rugby for Aberavon RFC
where he was initially nurtured under the eye of club legend and then Captain Morton Howells, whom he succeeded in the front row berth.
James was one of three front row Internationals in the Aberavon RFC
side at that time - Clive Williams
and John Richardson being the others.
He captained Aberavon RFC
in the 1979-80, 1980-1, 1984-5, 1987-88 & 1988-9 seasons.
In 1989 James was one of several leading players who fell out with the management of the club over several issues, the major one being finance and the way forward. No agreement was reached and he was one of nineteen players who left the club. He finished his career with Swansea RFC
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player.
A hooker, he captained the Wales national rugby union team
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
on one occasion against Ireland in 1987. James played his club rugby for Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
where he was initially nurtured under the eye of club legend and then Captain Morton Howells, whom he succeeded in the front row berth.
James was one of three front row Internationals in the Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
side at that time - Clive Williams
Clive Williams
Clive Williams is a former international rugby union player. He toured twice with the British and Irish Lions, to New Zealand in 1977 and to South Africa in 1980....
and John Richardson being the others.
He captained Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
in the 1979-80, 1980-1, 1984-5, 1987-88 & 1988-9 seasons.
In 1989 James was one of several leading players who fell out with the management of the club over several issues, the major one being finance and the way forward. No agreement was reached and he was one of nineteen players who left the club. He finished his career with Swansea RFC
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...